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Garbage & Recycling
Basics of the Curbside Recycling Program
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Collection
All of San Jose's garbage and recyclables are collected by automated trucks which lift heavy carts and bins with mechanical arms or lifters. When the trucks are full, drivers take garbage to a landfill, recyclables to a materials recovery facility (MRF) for sorting, and yard trimmings to a composting facility.
At single family homes, hauling companies may choose to collect garbage and recyclables in separate trucks or in a single split-body truck that has a divider to keep garbage and recyclables separate. Regardless of the collection method, garbage and recycling materials are never mixed in the trucks, or at the facilities they are taken to. Please continue to keep materials separate in your garbage and recycling carts.
Apartments and condominiums have variable collection schedules due to the type and number of containers. At these sites, garbage and recycling will always be collected in separate vehicles, and often on different days of the week.
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Sorting
At the MRF, a system of belts, screens, electromagnets, and blasts of air separate paper, plastics, glass, aluminum, and other materials.
While much of the system is automated, workers help separate certain materials by hand. Remembering to dispose of your recyclables correctly helps protect these workers' health and safety (e.g., do not place needles, chemicals, or propane tanks in the recycling cart). Bales and bins of sorted materials are then taken to processing facilities before being sold as resources for new products.
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Extra Garbage
Place extra garbage in a 32-gallon plastic garbage bag labeled with an Extra Garbage Sticker on the curb near the garbage cart. You may buy Extra Garbage Stickers for $6.25 at all libraries, Save Mart, Lucky, and Safeway stores in San José or at the Customer Service Center on the first floor of San José City Hall. A portion of the sticker sales at San José libraries supports library programs.
Your garbage cart lid must be completely closed when you set out your cart at curbside for collection. Otherwise, your garbage may not be collected.
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Extra Recyclables
In San José, collection of recyclables is unlimited. However, the lid of your recycling cart must be closed when you set your cart out at curbside for collection. Place extra recyclables in paper bags or clear plastic bags on the curb near the recycling cart.
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Cans & Cartons
Empty and rinse all containers. Flatten cartons, boxes.
Recycling Basics Printable List (PDF, 700 KB)
Recycling Cart |
Beverage cartons and boxes (e.g., juice, milk, cream) |
Tin, aluminum and steel cans and lids |
Food and beverage cans (soda, tuna, soup, pet food) |
Aerosol cans (empty) |
Garbage Cart |
Foil containers, straws |
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Glass
Empty and lightly rinse all containers.
Recycling
Basics Printable List (PDF, 700 KB)
Recycling Cart |
Brown, clear and green glass bottles and jars (e.g., soda, wine, mayonnaise) |
Garbage Cart |
Ceramics, cookware, drinking glasses, incandescent bulbs, mirrors, windows, blue glass |
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Plastics
Empty and lightly rinse all containers.
Recycling Basics Printable List (PDF, 700 KB)
Recycling Cart |
Plastics: All plastic items labeled 1–7 inside the chasing arrows*, such as: |
Soda, water, mouthwash and mustard containers |
Detergent bottles, flower pots, milk jugs, shampoo bottles, spray bottles, yogurt and margarine tubs |
PVC pipe |
Squeezable bottles (e.g., honey) |
Medicine bottles |
Large reusable water bottles, juice jugs |
*Return plastic bags to grocery store for recycling. Polystyrene goes in garbage cart. |
Garbage Cart |
Bubble wrap, compact discs,
credit cards, disposable diapers, hangers, hoses, pools, shoes, tarps,
toys, utensils |
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Paper & Cardboard
Flatten cartons, boxes. Secure loose material (e.g., shredded paper) in clear plastic bags. Cut large boxes small enough to fit loosely inside the cart. If you have more cardboard than your cart will hold, flatten and cut it into pieces no larger than 4 feet by 4 feet and lean them against the cart.
Recycling Basics Printable List (PDF, 700 KB)
Recycling Cart |
Cardboard |
Catalogs |
Cereal and cracker boxes (remove liners) |
Egg cartons |
Envelopes (plastic windows OK) |
Gift wrap (no metallic/foil) |
Magazines |
Mail |
Newspaper |
Newspaper inserts and advertisements (glossy OK) |
Office paper (e.g., construction paper, printer paper) |
Paper bags |
Shoe boxes |
Shopping bags (remove handles) |
Telephone books |
Garbage Cart |
Carbon paper, padded or Tyvek® envelopes, paper soiled with anything such as motor oil, paint, or food/grease; paper take-out containers, photographs and photo paper; pizza boxes; thermal fax paper |
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Polystyrene
Recycling Basics Printable List (PDF, 700 KB)
Garbage Cart |
Cups and plates, egg cartons, foam packing, meat and fruit trays, packing "peanuts" (tie securely in plastic bag), take-out containers |
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Scrap Metals
Clean and dry household metal items.
Recycling Basics Printable List (PDF, 700 KB)
Recycling Cart |
Aluminum foil (clean) |
Appliances, small metal (e.g., toaster, waffle iron, blender) |
Keys |
Metal lids and caps from glass bottles |
Paint cans (remove excess paint, let residue dry) |
Metal pots and pans |
Garbage Cart |
Hangers (wood, metal, plastic), hardware (e.g., nails, screws, nuts, bolts) |
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Textiles
Tie clean textiles inside a clear plastic bag.
Recycling Basics Printable List (PDF, 700 KB)
Recycling Cart |
Clean cotton, linen, polyester, rayon and wool fabrics: |
Blankets and sheets |
Clothes |
Garbage Cart |
Boots and shoes, carpet and rugs (cut into small pieces), disposable diapers, down-filled items, leather, nylon, pillows, rubber, stuffed animals, vinyl, electric blankets |
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Used Motor Oil & Filters
To recycle used motor oil and oil filters at curbside, you
must use free City-issued oil jugs and filter bags which
are
designed to prevent leaks. Place filled oil jugs and filter
bags on the curb near your recycling cart for collection.
To order the free oil jugs and filter bags, call your recycling hauler.
After collecting your used motor oil or oil filter bags, the driver will leave a replacement for what is collected. For example, if one oil jug is picked up, then one empty oil jug is left in exchange (up to a maximum of four one-gallon jugs). If one oil filter bag is collected, then one empty filter bag is left in exchange (up to a maximum of two oil filter bags).
Remember: oil mixed with antifreeze, transmission fluid, or any other automotive fluid will NOT be collected. For safe disposal of other automotive fluids, contact the Santa Clara Countywide Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Program at (408) 299-7300 or visit www.hhw.org to schedule a free appointment.
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