The Republic Services Recycling Center is used for all Tucson single-stream recycling and much of the recycling for those outside Tucson as well.

 Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star 2018

We often get recycling questions, so a refresher on basic recycling rules is never a bad idea.

DO recycle curbside:

  • Aluminum, tin and other metal cans. That includes soda cans, soup cans and any others. Rinse them first. There should be no food residue.
  • Plastic bottles. This includes single-use water bottles and those that contained soda or other drinks. Rinse them first, shake out the water and put the caps back on. If the cap won’t stay on, throw it out and recycle the bottle without it. Also recycle those heavy plastic bottles and jugs, but also rinse these out and replace the caps.
  • Corrugated cardboard: Usually you find this used for packing boxes. If there is an excessive amount of packing tape, remove it. Open the boxes on

both ends and flatten them. Do not re

  • cycle pizza boxes. You can tear off the lid and recycle it if there is no oil on it.
  • Paper: This includes office paper, newspaper and junk mail. If you shred, place the shredded paper in a clear plastic bag before putting it in your bin or barrel. This is the only time you can include a plastic bag in your curbside recycling.
  • Glass bottles
Do NOT recycle curbside:

  • Plastic grocery bags. These can actually shut down the recycling plant’s sorting machines.
  • Bubble wrap
  • Styrofoam or plastic foam
  • Any flimsy plastic or plastic that doesn’t hold its shape, including trash bags
  • Clothing or other fabric
  • Crystal and heat resistant glass like bakeware
  • Anything with food particles or oil in it. Examples are pizza boxes, paper plates, paper napkins and take out containers.
  • Yard waste: This includes tree and bush clippings, twigs and leaves. These belong in brush and bulky pickups.
  • Trash: This includes small bits of paper and those items that, in your heart, you know should not go in your curbside recycling, including dirty diapers.
  • Anything smaller than a tennis ball. Things this small fall through the sorting machines at the recycling plant.

Some things that can’t be recycled curbside can be recycled elsewhere. These include plastic grocery bags, clean plastic produce bags and some bubble wrap. Take these to the grocery store, where most have a bin or box near the entrance to recycle them. Better yet, use cloth bags.

Questions about recycling? Go to facebook.com/TucsonEnvironmentalServices, where you can see lots of tips and can always ask questions.

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Contact Johanna Eubank at jeubank@tucson.com