Sierra Madre

Athens collects recyclables and landfill bound items in the same container. We sort these materials at our Material Recovery Facility (MRF), where recyclables are recovered and diverted from the landfill. Place all recyclables loose (without a bag) in your mixed material container. Plastic bags can get tangled in the recycling facility sorting equipment, which can cause damage and reduce efficiency.

In order to be accepted for recycling all items must be emptied of food and/or liquid before placing in the mixed material container!

Recoverable Recyclables Include:

Plastic:

• Plastic #1 beverage bottles/jugs (with cap) & to-go clamshells
• Plastic #2 & #5 detergent jugs & food containers
• Some plastics are highly recyclable. Other plastic materials stand a lesser chance of being recycled due to limited market demand.

Paper:

• Clean, dry, & no metal or lamination
• Highly acceptable: magazines, mail, office paper, newspaper, paper bags, soup/milk/juice cartons, & telephone books
• May not be recycled: cereal boxes (remove bag), egg cartons, & frozen food boxes

Cardboard: broken down cardboard, corrugated fiberboard, & clean pizza boxes

Glass: bottles & jars only (remove lids)

Metals: aluminum cans, foil, & trays, scrap metal, steel cans & tin cans

Landfill Bound Items Include:

Glass: ceramic, porcelain, & non-food related glass

Food Containers: chip bags, compostable “plant-based plastic,” juice pouches, paper coffee cups, snack bar wrappers, tea bags, & tea wrappers

Paper: bathroom & facial tissues, envelopes (padded & Tyvek), laminated or plastic coated paper, napkins, photographs, & receipts

Plastic: plastics #3, #4, #6, #7; all black plastics; bubble wrap; disposable gloves; foam; garden hoses; empty motor oil containers; plastic bags & film (e.g. dry cleaning bags & cellophane); plastic toys; tarps; & small plastics (e.g. utensils, straws, serving cups, etc.)

Misc.: unusable clothing & fabric; cacti & succulents; cigarette butts; diapers; hard shells (e.g. clams, mussels, & oysters); lint; palm fronds; pet waste; produce stickers; & yucca leaves

Green Waste: branches; flowers; grass clippings; hedge trimmings; leaves; weeds; & untreated/unpainted lumber, plywood, & scrap wood.

Food Scraps: fruits; vegetables; bread; rice; pasta; cheese; dairy; coffee grounds; coffee filters; meat; bones; poultry; seafood; soft shells (e.g. lobster, crab, & shrimp)

Food-Soiled Paper: 100% fiber-based compostable to-go containers & servingware, egg cartons (paper), paper napkins & kitchen towels, plates, packaging, & pizza boxes

All items must be 100% plant-fiber based with NO petroleum-based plastic, wax, or bio-plastic coating, liner, or laminate. Must be soiled ONLY with food or drink liquids.