Everything has a path. We know the way.

Endlessly reborn — this can comes back as a new can, again and again. Rinse it and send it home.

Best path ♻ Recycle in your curbside bin

Most valuable recyclable commodity. Can be recycled infinitely without quality loss.

Strong and magnetic — steel returns to the foundry as good as new.

Best path ♻ Recycle in your curbside bin

Food cans, paint cans (empty and dry). Magnetic separators pull them out at facilities.

Emptied of its charge, it is simply valuable steel again.

Best path ♻ Recycle in your curbside bin, fully empty

Only when completely empty — no product or pressure remaining.

Still pressurized and proud — it needs careful hands, not a crusher.

Best path ⊘ Dispose at a Household Hazardous Waste facility

Pressurized and flammable. Never in regular trash or recycling.

Ball it up so it cannot slip through the sorters — clean foil is still pure aluminum.

Best path ♻ Recycle curbside when clean and balled up (check local)

Contaminated foil goes to trash. Clean foil bundles need to be fist-sized for sorting.

Heavy with worth — a scrap yard will weigh it and welcome it.

Best path ♻ Recycle at a scrap metal yard (often paid by weight)

Many scrap yards pay by weight for aluminum, copper, and brass.

One of the most wanted plastics — cap on, it heads straight for a new life.

Best path ♻ Recycle in your curbside bin

Water bottles, soda bottles. One of the most commonly recycled plastics.

Sturdy and sought-after — #2 is recycled almost everywhere.

Best path ♻ Recycle in your curbside bin

Milk jugs, laundry detergent, shampoo bottles.

Soft and sneaky — it strangles curbside sorters, but store bins welcome it.

Best path ↻ Reuse use it again first

NEVER in curbside bin — clogs and destroys sorting machinery.

Light as air, stubborn to process — special drop-offs give it a chance.

Best path ♻ Recycle at a foam drop-off program

Check Earth911.com for local foam drop-off. Not accepted curbside anywhere.

Too small to save this time — the kindest fix is skipping the next one.

Best path ⊘ Dispose in the trash — then refuse the next one

Too small and light for sorting equipment. Contaminates loads and clogs machinery.

Too small for the sorters — a reusable set ends this cycle for good.

Best path ⊘ Dispose in the trash — switch to reusable

Too small to be sorted. Switch to reusable utensils to eliminate the waste.

Welcome in more places every year — check whether yours is one.

Best path ♻ Recycle curbside where #5 is accepted (check local)

#5 PP is accepted in many but not all programs. Verify at earth911.com.

Layered foil and film, fused for freshness — sadly unsortable today.

Best path ⊘ Dispose in the trash (multi-layer, unsortable)

Multi-layer films (plastic + foil + plastic) cannot be sorted or processed.

Pop-worthy and reusable — then it joins the store film bin.

Best path ↻ Reuse reuse it for your next shipment

Goes in the same bin as plastic bags at most retailers.

Tough and chlorine-rich — almost no curb takes #3, so give it a second life first.

Best path ⇄ Repurpose reuse the pipe or vinyl for a project

Almost never accepted curbside — PVC releases chlorine and ruins recycling batches. Give it a second job first.

Thin film #4 — clean and dry, it belongs in the store bag bin, not the curb.

Best path ↻ Reuse reuse it for storage first

Same stream as plastic grocery bags — soft #4 film belongs in store film bins, never the curbside cart.

Same PET as a bottle, thinner skin — many curbs welcome it, so check yours.

Best path ♻ Recycle curbside where #1 clamshells are accepted (check local)

Same PET as a bottle but thin thermoform — some programs accept it, many do not. Check yours.

Sturdy #5 — reuse it for leftovers a few times before the bin claims it.

Best path ↻ Reuse reuse for storage or leftovers

#5 PP is accepted in many but not all curbside programs, and these tubs are sturdy enough to reuse first.

A few minutes of use, centuries as litter — a reusable cup ends this loop.

Best path ↻ Reuse switch to a reusable cup

Clear cold cups are often #1 or #5 (sometimes recyclable); soft #6 cups are not. A reusable cup ends the question.

Built to grow life — refill it, or let a garden center take it back to grow more.

Best path ↻ Reuse reuse for seedlings

Usually #2, #5, or #6. Many garden centers take pots back for reuse; rarely accepted curbside.

Tiny and slippery alone — screw it back onto the bottle so both get recycled.

Best path ♻ Recycle on the bottle, in curbside

Caps left ON a bottle get recycled with it; loose caps fall through the sorters. Keep caps on.

Snip every loop so nothing gets caught — then choose ring-free next time.

Best path ⊘ Dispose cut up, in the trash

Not curbside-recyclable and a wildlife hazard. Cut every loop; choose ring-free or compostable packs next time.

Made from plants, but only an industrial composter can finish it — never the curb.

Best path ⚘ Compost industrial/municipal compost that accepts PLA (check local)

NOT recyclable and NOT home-compostable — it needs an industrial composter. In the recycling bin it contaminates; in a backyard pile it just sits.

Still full of play — pass it to another kid before it ever becomes waste.

Best path ♡ Donate donate if usable

Mixed plastics and embedded electronics make toys hard to recycle — but a working toy is wanted by another child.

Made to be used for years — hand it to a dry cleaner or thrift store to reuse.

Best path ↻ Reuse return to a dry cleaner to reuse

Mixed-resin and a curbside-jammer. Dry cleaners and thrift stores happily reuse them; rarely recyclable.

Mixed materials, hard to split — a TerraCycle mail-in gives it the only real path.

Best path ♻ Recycle TerraCycle oral-care mail-in

Multi-material and not curbside. TerraCycle / Colgate mail-in programs are the only real recycling path.

The most in-demand fiber after aluminum — flatten it and send it on.

Best path ♻ Recycle flattened in your curbside bin

Most in-demand recyclable after aluminum. Must be dry — wet cardboard is trash.

Grease ruins the fiber, but the soil will still gladly take it.

Best path ⚘ Compost compost it if you can

Grease and moisture destroy paper fibers. Compost it if you can.

Staples and all — magnets pull the metal out downstream. Just recycle it.

Best path ♻ Recycle in your curbside bin

Staples and clips are removed by magnets at facilities.

Yesterday’s news, tomorrow’s newsprint — soy inks and all.

Best path ♻ Recycle in your curbside bin

Soy-based inks are fine. Don't bundle with rubber bands.

Glossy is fine — only the plastic mailing sleeve needs to come off.

Best path ♻ Recycle in your curbside bin

Glossy paper is recyclable.

Bag the confetti so it will not jam the works — then it still counts.

Best path ♻ Recycle bagged in your curbside bin (check local)

Loose shreds jam sorting machinery. Always contain them in a paper bag first.

Coated in BPA — better it never touches the recycling stream at all.

Best path ⊘ Dispose in the trash (BPA-coated)

Thermal coating contains BPA/BPS — a known endocrine disruptor. Cannot and should not be recycled.

Tear it in two — the clean half still has a future ahead of it.

Best path ♻ Recycle clean top half in curbside (check local)

The clean top of most pizza boxes is recyclable. Tear it off and use it.

A thin plastic lining hides inside — almost nowhere can split it apart.

Best path ⊘ Dispose in the trash (plastic-lined)

Lined with plastic or wax. Almost no facilities process them. Lids are usually #6 PS — also not recyclable.

Good for many trips first — then flat into the curbside bin.

Best path ♻ Recycle flat in your curbside bin

Clean, flat paper bags are fine for curbside.

Infinitely recyclable — if your program still takes it, or a glass drop-off does.

Best path ♻ Recycle curbside or a glass drop-off (check local)

Many programs no longer accept glass curbside due to contamination. Check earth911.com.

A jar is a gift twice — store something in it, or recycle the metal lid apart.

Best path ↻ Reuse reuse it for storage

Steel lids go in the metal bin. Verify your municipality accepts glass curbside.

Sharp and unsortable — wrap it kindly so no one downstream is hurt.

Best path ⊘ Dispose wrapped and labeled, in the trash

A safety hazard and cannot be processed at most facilities. Wrap it and label it.

Whole, it can serve another table; broken, wrap it with care.

Best path ♡ Donate donate it if intact

Different chemical composition than container glass. Will ruin a glass processing batch.

A different glass entirely — it cannot join the bottles, but it may still serve.

Best path ♡ Donate donate if intact

Different chemistry than bottle glass. Not recyclable in standard glass streams.

Gold, silver, and cobalt from the earth — and still more life in it. Let’s pass it on.

Best path ♡ Donate it still works

Contains gold, silver, cobalt. Apple, Samsung, and Google have take-back programs — some offer credit.

Wiped and willing, it can serve a student or a stranger before it is ever mined for metals.

Best path ♡ Donate it still works

Dell, Apple, HP all have take-back programs. Working devices can be resold or donated.

Pounds of leaded glass inside — it needs a certified, careful goodbye.

Best path ♻ Recycle certified e-waste facility only

CRTs contain 4–8 lbs of lead. Illegal in the trash in most states.

Still glowing for someone, maybe — and if not, certified recyclers reclaim it.

Best path ♻ Recycle certified e-waste recycler

Older LED backlights may contain mercury. Best Buy accepts TVs with a processing fee.

Pull its cartridges first, then let the e-waste stream reclaim the rest.

Best path ♻ Recycle e-waste (cartridges removed)

Staples and Office Depot recycle cartridges and earn you reward points.

Refilled, it lives again; returned, it earns you points either way.

Best path ↻ Reuse refill and reuse it

Refilling is even better than recycling — ask about refill programs. Staples Rewards gives points for every cartridge returned.

Even dark and dead, Apple and others will take it back to mine its metals.

Best path ♡ Donate it still works

Apple's Trade In / Recycle program accepts all Apple devices — even non-functional ones.

Gold in its board, your data on its drive — wipe it clean, then pass it on.

Best path ♡ Donate donate if it still runs

Recoverable metals plus a drive holding your data. Wipe it, then donate working units or use certified e-waste.

A clear window for someone’s work still — donate it, or let certified e-waste reclaim it.

Best path ♻ Recycle certified e-waste recycler

Older backlights may contain mercury. E-waste only — it rides the same stream as TVs, never curbside.

Plenty of keystrokes left in them — donate the set, or send it to e-waste whole.

Best path ♻ Recycle e-waste drop-off

Plastic plus circuitry — not curbside. Working sets are donatable; otherwise e-waste.

Copper veins worth saving — bundle them for e-waste, never the curbside bin.

Best path ♻ Recycle e-waste or scrap yard (copper)

The copper inside makes them valuable scrap, but loose cords tangle curbside sorters. E-waste or scrap only.

Small but never trash — their tiny batteries belong in e-waste, not a landfill fire.

Best path ♻ Recycle battery / e-waste drop-off

Wired or wireless, they are e-waste; wireless buds hold tiny lithium cells that are a fire risk in the trash.

A pocket of stored power — handle it gently and bring it to a battery drop-off.

Best path ♻ Recycle battery / e-waste drop-off

Built-in lithium-ion — never trash or curbside (fire risk). Treat it like any lithium battery.

Hundreds of hours of joy left in it — sign out, wipe it, and pass it on.

Best path ♡ Donate donate if it works

High resale and reuse value; otherwise e-waste. Wipe accounts and storage first.

Likely your ISP’s on loan — return it first; if it’s yours, e-waste it whole.

Best path ↻ Reuse return leased gear to the ISP

Often leased — return it to your provider first. Owned units are e-waste, never curbside.

Your data still lives inside — wipe it clean, then let e-waste reclaim the metals.

Best path ♻ Recycle e-waste drop-off (wiped)

Holds personal data — wipe or destroy it before recycling. E-waste, not curbside.

Still ready to catch the light — sell or donate it before it’s ever mined for parts.

Best path ♡ Donate donate if it works

Working cameras hold real resale and donation value; the battery recycles separately. E-waste for dead units.

Spent but not worthless — a drop-off keeps its metals out of the ground.

Best path ♻ Recycle at a battery drop-off

Now considered non-hazardous in most US states but should still be diverted from landfill.

Made to be used hundreds of times — and recycled when it finally rests.

Best path ♻ Recycle Call2Recycle drop-off

Use Call2Recycle.org to find the nearest drop-off by zip code.

Powerful and touchy — tape its terminals and hand it to people who know how.

Best path ♻ Recycle certified e-waste, terminals taped

Fire risk if damaged, punctured, or improperly shipped. Never in regular trash or curbside.

Almost 100% recyclable — and the store may even pay you a core refund.

Best path ♻ Recycle auto parts store (core refund)

Auto parts stores are required to accept lead-acid batteries in most states.

A fire risk if bent — tape it, bag it, and bring it to e-waste.

Best path ♻ Recycle e-waste, terminals taped

Lithium batteries from laptops are a fire risk if mishandled or shipped improperly.

Small, shiny, and dangerous to little ones — tape it and bring it to a battery drop-off.

Best path ♻ Recycle battery drop-off (taped)

Tiny but a serious swallowing hazard and often lithium. Tape it, drop it off, and keep it away from kids.

Packed with power and risk — tape the terminals and hand it to Call2Recycle.

Best path ♻ Recycle Call2Recycle / retailer drop-off

High-capacity lithium or NiCd — a fire risk. Call2Recycle and tool retailers take them back.

A battery and a toxin in one — never the trash; a take-back or HHW handles it safely.

Best path ⊘ Dispose HHW facility

A lithium battery and nicotine residue welded together — both a fire risk and hazardous waste. Never trash or curbside.

Spent zinc-air buttons — small, but a drop-off still keeps their metals in the loop.

Best path ♻ Recycle battery drop-off or audiologist

Zinc-air buttons are low-hazard but still worth diverting from landfill. Many audiologists and drop-offs accept them.

Filtered and re-refined, used oil runs again — never let it touch a drain.

Best path ♻ Recycle auto store or HHW (re-refined)

1 quart of motor oil can contaminate 250,000 gallons of drinking water. Never pour it down a drain.

Wet latex finds new life through PaintCare; dried, it can rest in the trash.

Best path ♻ Recycle PaintCare drop-off

Dried-out latex paint can go in regular trash. Wet paint must go to PaintCare or HHW.

Flammable and fierce — only an HHW event should take it from here.

Best path ⊘ Dispose HHW event only

Oil-based paint is flammable. Check your county's HHW event schedule.

Mercury sleeps inside — keep it whole and let a take-back reclaim it.

Best path ♻ Recycle hardware store take-back

If a CFL breaks: ventilate room immediately, do not vacuum, follow EPA cleanup guidelines.

Small hazardous metals within — a drop-off keeps them out of the soil.

Best path ♻ Recycle hardware store or HHW

LEDs contain small amounts of hazardous metals. Check if your curbside program accepts them.

Never flushed, never landfilled — a pharmacy take-back protects the water.

Best path ⊘ Dispose pharmacy take-back — never flush

Never flush medications — they end up in waterways and affect aquatic life.

Toxic to soil and stream — only an HHW facility should handle it.

Best path ⊘ Dispose HHW facility only

Never pour on ground or down drains. Highly toxic to groundwater, soil, and wildlife.

Sweet-smelling but deadly to animals — recyclers can clean and reuse it.

Best path ♻ Recycle auto store or municipal facility

Toxic to animals but has a sweet smell that attracts them. Never pour down drains.

A speck of radioactivity inside — most makers will take it back for free.

Best path ♻ Recycle manufacturer mail-back

Contains trace amounts of Americium-241 (radioactive). Most manufacturers offer free mail-back.

Worn or torn, every thread has a next use — wear it, share it, or shred it.

Best path ♡ Donate donate it (any condition)

Even worn or torn clothing is accepted — what can't be resold is shredded into insulation or rags.

Another mile left in them for someone — or ground into a playground.

Best path ♡ Donate donate wearable pairs

Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program grinds old sneakers into sports court surfaces.

Too far gone to wear, still perfect as rags and insulation.

Best path ♻ Recycle textile recycling

Torn or stained textiles are still useful as industrial rags and insulation filler.

Yesterday’s meal becomes tomorrow’s soil — give it back to the earth.

Best path ⚘ Compost home or municipal compost

Food waste is ~30% of what goes to landfill. Composting returns critical nutrients to soil.

Strained and cooled, it can fuel an engine as biodiesel.

Best path ♻ Recycle grease / biodiesel drop-off

Used cooking oil can be converted into biodiesel fuel.

Built to roll for years — reborn as playgrounds, tracks, and roads.

Best path ♻ Recycle tire retailer or amnesty event

Recycled tires become playground surfaces, athletic tracks, and road asphalt.

Up to 90% recyclable — steel, foam, and fiber all find new beds.

Best path ♻ Recycle mattress recycling facility

Mattress Recycling Council runs programs in CA, CT, and RI. Check for local retailer programs elsewhere.