Here in Eugene, we all work together for a sustainable future. Here’s how to do your part so we can do ours to keep Eugene clean and green. Keep your whole household in the know— download and print the recycling guide.
Filling your cart right keeps recyclables out of landfills. That’s a great big win for one mighty green cart. But don’t contaminate those recyclables! If any of the prohibited items make their way into your green cart, we’ll need to send everything in the bin to the landfill and charge you a disposal fee.
Milk jugs and clear plastic beverage bottles; make sure you rinse them out!
Smaller (flattened) cardboard items can go right in the cart (so break down those boxes!). But if you have a heap of cardboard, here’s what to do: break it down, cut it into pieces less than 3' x 3' (about the length of a guitar), and stack it next to your cart at the curb.
Newspaper, scrap paper, printer paper, junk mail—don’t throw it out, recycle it!
Make sure they’re clean as a whistle—wash them out before taking them to the cart.
Tinfoil is gold for the recycling plant! Just make sure it’s free of any food debris.
If it’s not a clear plastic beverage container or milk jug, leave it out—we can’t accept other plastics.
Save all the yard debris for your grey debris cart!
Anything that has food residue (like pizza boxes) goes in the trash, not the recycling.
Paper that has a waxy coating—used in most frozen food boxes to protect against moisture—can’t be recycled.
Garbage in the green bin? No way! That includes everything from paper towels to dryer sheets to old clothes and linens.
Don’t toss that trashed TV out with the recyclables. For all your old electronics, call us for disposal options.
While you can’t recycle old backpacks or button-downs, consider donating them to local nonprofits. Scroll down for options!
Pet litter, doggie droppings, full bottles of liquid, food scraps, lumber, and household items cannot be recycled. Have a question about something not listed here? Reach out and let us help you find the correct bin or disposal method for junk of every kind!
These can't be recycled. Snip the rings (turtles will thank you) and put these in the garbage.
We can't recycle bubble wrap and packaging—but your local shipping store might take it off your hands.
If it’s not a clear plastic beverage container or milk jug, leave it out—we can’t accept other plastics. Plastic containers that can't be recycled can go out with the regular trash (as long as they fit in your bin).
Empty pill bottles must go in the regular trash, not your recycling cart. And FYI, if you have leftover meds to dispose of, those are hazardous waste (yes, even over-the-counter stuff)! Contact your pharmacy or call Lane County Waste Management at 541-682-4120 for options. And please, don't flush them down the toilet—that's bad news for our local waterways.
Empty paint cans can go into your normal trash bin. Just make sure any residual paint inside is totally dry before you toss them. Need to get rid of paint-filled cans? Give us a ring and we'll help you get it sorted.
As long as they're not rechargeable, you can dump dead alkaline batteries into the trash, but not the recycling.
All non-alkaline batteries need special handling—including batteries for your laptop or other devices. To recycle button, rechargeable alkaline, ni-Cad, lithium, and silver oxide batteries, contact Lane County Waste Management at 541-682-4120 or check with battery and electronic stores.
These can't be recycled, so go ahead and put them in your trash cart.
Shrink wrap can't be recycled, but you're free and clear to throw it out in the trash.
Sorry, rechargeable batteries need special handling, so keep them out of your recycling and your trash bins. To dispose of them safely, contact Lane County Waste Management at 541-682-4120 or check with battery and electronic stores.
Small but mighty, your red bin keeps special items out of the big recycling fray so our drivers can carry them to the recycling plant safely. But be sure you don’t include prohibited items—those are safety hazards that will contaminate the whole bin (and you may be charged a disposal fee).
Make sure they’re rinsed and clean!
Put your cast-off car fluids in an unbreakable one-gallon container with a tight screw-on lid. No more than two gallons a week, please.
Sweep sharp shards into the trash—they can’t go to the recycling facility. Safety first!
These contain material other than glass, so if you’re tired of your own reflection, donate your mirror to a thrift store instead of the recycling bin.
The stuff inside that glass globe is not recyclable! Recycle bulbs safely by contacting Lane County Hazardous Waste Disposal.
These are hazardous materials we can’t recycle—Lane County Hazardous Waste Disposal can handle them for you.
Other than the three car fluids listed above—motor oil, transmission fluid, or hydraulic oil—all other oils must stay out of the recycling.
Recycling is a no-brainer for the health of Eugene’s ecosystem. But it pays to be a recycling brainiac! Here are a few facts to help you remember why sorting your recyclables is the smart move (and to give you a leg up at trivia night).
Recycling one aluminum can saves enough electricity to run a TV for three hours
Only around 27% of plastic bottles are recycled
Recycling one glass bottle or jar saves enough electricity to light a 100-watt bulb for four hours
Recycling one ton of cardboard saves over nine cubic yards of landfill space
Americans use 2,500,000 plastic bottles every hour, and most are not recycled
Want more recycling know-how? Download our detailed dive into the recycling landscape in Eugene.
Way back when Samuel Miller started this business, he noticed that folks would put perfectly good stuff out for his trash truck. And as the saying goes, one person’s trash is indeed another’s treasure—that’s why he sorted out anything that could be reused.
So don’t toss out your old kid’s books, last season’s sweater, or slightly sagging sofa! Many local organizations would be thrilled to take your cast-off stuff.
Call or click below for details on local drop-off locations, hours, and accepted items for places to donate used items in Eugene. Reusing helps our community and the planet. Good work!
Salvation Army (541) 343-3341
Goodwill Industries (541) 345-1801
St. Vincent de Paul (541) 687-5820
Many used bookstores accept books. You can also donate some books to the Eugene and Springfield public libraries.
Eugene Public Library (541) 682-5450
Springfield Public Library (541) 726-3766
BRING Recycling (541) 746-3023
Wood Recycling, Inc. (at Lane Forest Products) (541) 345-9085
Goodwill Industries (541) 345-1801
Next Step Recycling (541) 686-2366
BRING Recycling (541) 746-3023
Goodwill Industries (541) 345-1801
Salvation Army (541) 343-3341
St. Vincent de Paul (541) 345-0595
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