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Learn about compost bin guidelines and garbage bin guidelines.
All items should be empty and dry before going into your recycling bin. Items should be placed loose in the bin; do not bag them.
Paper
Allowed paper items
- Flattened cardboard boxes
- Cereal boxes and cardboard egg cartons.
- Office paper and paper bags.
- Mail (envelopes with windows and labels are OK, plastic padding is not).
- Newspapers, magazines, catalogs.
- Paperback books and phone books.
- Cartons (milk, juice, soup; empty and dry).
- Non-metallic gift wrap.
- Pizza delivery boxes (Must be empty. No food residue. Small amounts of grease OK.)
Have extra cardboard? Fit as much into your bin as possible by flattening and cutting into smaller pieces. When your bin is full, flatten extra cardboard, tape together in one bundle, and lean next to your blue recycling bin. Bundles should be no larger than 3 feet in any direction.
What’s NOT allowed
- NO coffee cups, take-out food containers, paper plates, pizza boxes.
- NO frozen food boxes or ice cream containers.
- NO wax-coated cardboard or paper coated with food, wax, foil or plastic.
- NO paper towels, napkins, facial tissue.
- NO plastic-padded mailers.
- NO shredded paper.
Plastic
When sorting your plastics, ignore the recycle symbol and number: Plastics recycling in Portland is based on the size and shape of the item. Please rinse containers. They do not need to be perfectly clean, but should be free of food residue and dry before they go in your bin.
Allowed plastic items
All items must be 2 inches by 2 inches or larger. Caps OK if screwed on.
- Plastic bottles* and jars with a neck
- Plastic jugs (milk, juice, etc.)
- Round plastic containers (tubs)
- Plastic buckets
- Rigid plant pots (Thin, crinkly plastic pots are not accepted.)
*Deposit plastic bottles can be recycled in your bin or, to collect deposit funds, take them to a BottleDrop Center or participating grocery store.
What’s NOT allowed
Any plastic that is not shaped like a bottle, round tub, bucket, or jug is not allowed in Portland's recycling. This means:
- NO plastic bags or plastic film of any type: pallet wrap, bubble wrap, stretch wrap.
- NO plastic lids.
- NO loose plastic caps (must be screwed on).
- NO plastic 6-pack can holders (all types, including rigid plastic)
- NO plastic take-out food containers.
- NO plastic disposable plates, cups, or cutlery.
- NO prescription medicine bottles or other plastic containers under 2" by 2".
- NO disposable plastic or latex gloves.
- NO bottles that have come in contact with motor oil, pesticides or herbicides, or other hazardous materials.
- NO hoses, ropes, or cords
Metal
Allowed metal items
- Aluminum and steel food cans.
- Beverage cans.*
- Empty aerosol cans.
- Empty and dry metal paint cans.
- Aluminum foil (clean and dry).
- Scrap metal (smaller than 18 inches and less than 10 pounds).
- To recycle small metal pieces (under 2 inches), like metal lids, screws and nails, collect inside a soup can, crimp tightly closed, then put into mixed recycling.
*Deposit cans and bottles can be recycled in your bin or, to collect deposit funds, take them to a BottleDrop Center or participating grocery store.
What’s NOT allowed
- Batteries
- Electronics
- Wire, chains, or electric cords
- Wire hangers (unless tightly tied together in a bundle)
- Aerosol cans that still contain liquids must be disposed of at a hazardous waste facility. Call 503-234-3000 for locations.
Glass
Glass should always be collected separately from other recycling. If glass ends up with other recyclables, it can cause harm to the staff and machinery at local recycling facilities.
Allowed glass items
- All glass bottles* and jars.
- All colors of glass (it's OK to leave labels on).
*Deposit glass bottles can be recycled in your glass-only bin or, to collect deposit funds, take them to a BottleDrop Center or participating grocery store.
What’s NOT allowed
- NO drinking glasses, dishware, or drinkware of any kind.
- NO ceramics or flower vases.
- NO light bulbs.
- NO window glass or mirrors.
- NO lids, bottle caps, or corks.
Batteries
Apartments and businesses: Batteries must be taken to drop-off sites for safe disposal. Call 503-234-3000, go to www.oregonmetro.gov/askmetro, or look up drop-off or pick-up recycling options.
Houses (including duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes): Follow the instructions below to recycle bagged batteries with your glass recycling.
Allowed batteries
Any battery that can fit into a 1-quart, zip-sealed plastic bag, including:
- AAA, AA, C, D, button-cell & coin, 6V and 9V batteries.
- Rechargeable and single-use batteries.
- Batteries that are easily removed (old cell phones, cameras, etc.)
Tape, bag, place on top of glass
- Tape any battery not labeled "Alkaline” on both ends with clear tape.
- Put all batteries in a clear, 1-quart zip-sealed bag.
- Place on top of glass in your glass recycling bin.
What’s NOT allowed
- NO batteries that do not fit in a sealed 1-quart bag
- NO vape pens, e-cigarettes
- NO items with embedded batteries (Cell phones, laptops, wireless headphones, bluetooth speakers, fitness watches/bands, electric toothbrushes, reading lights, etc.)
- NO damaged, corroded, or bulging batteries
Find drop-off options for these items by searching Find a Recycler or calling Metro’s Recycling Information Center at 503-234-3000 Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Batteries can spark and cause fires if not handled properly: Never put batteries, or things with batteries in them, in garbage or mixed recycling.
Learn more about battery recycling
Motor Oil
Houses (including duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes): Pour motor oil into a leakproof, clear plastic jug (1 gallon max) with a tightly closed lid. Place the jug on the curb next to the waste bins.
Apartments and businesses: Call 503-234-3000 or look up drop-off or pick-up recycling options.
Not sure if something is recyclable?
Look it up or call 503-234-3000. They’ll tell you if it goes in your garbage or recycling bin, or where you can drop it off for recycling, donation, or safe disposal.
Go to RecycleOrNot.org or @recycleornot on Instagram to see commonly confused items.
And then test your recycling knowledge by playing the Recycle or Not game!