Mixed Recycling

Athens-Clarke County collects recyclables together as a single stream or mixed. This means that empty and rinsed bottles, aluminum and steel cans, rigid plastic containers, mixed paper, cardboard, and glass can all be placed in the same recycling bin or dumpster in Athens-Clarke County. Please, no plastic bags or trash bags in the recycling. Keep your recyclables loose!

For non-traditional, hazardous, and hard-to-recycle items such as electronics, plastic bags, styrofoam, scrap metal and more, please visit the Center For Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) page.

Top Rules for Mixed Recycling

  • Clean, empty and free of food residue
  • Not mixed materials
  • Bigger than a Post-It Note
  • Hard
  • Not bagged

Items accepted

  • Hard Plastic #1-7 Cups, Trays, Bottles and Containers (Lids on)- no Styrofoam or Bioplastics
  • Bulky Hard Plastics #1-7 Buckets, Crates and Totes
  • Metal Steel and Aluminum Cans
  •  Aluminum Foil and Trays
  • Glass Bottles and Jars (Lids off)
  • Cardboard Packaging and Boxes (clean and flattened)
  • Mixed Paper including Office Paper, Junk Mail, Paper Bags, Newspaper, Paperback Books, and Magazines
  • Milk and Juice Cartons, Paper Cups and Containers

Items NOT accepted in mixed recycling

Recyclable Items Flyer 2022 with map_Front

Recycling PosterDownload the Mixed Recyclable Items flyer here.