How to Recycle Recycle Better, Recycle Right in Cuyahoga County No matter where you live in Cuyahoga County, you can include cans, cartons, glass bottles and jars, paper and boxes along with plastic bottles and jugs in your home recycling. Reduce your trash when you combine only these five items in your curbside recycling. Recycle better, recycle right. Check the list of recycling material do's and don'ts (with color codes) below. [video] See more about how to recycle in Cuyahoga County. 5 Ways to Recycle Right Leave recyclables loose – not bagged. Plastic bags do not belong in your recycling bin or cart. Plastic bags get tangled in the sorting machines at the recycling facilities and cause major problems for the recycling process. Plastic shopping bags can be recycled at many retail locations, including Giant Eagle, Lowe's Home Improvement, Marc's, Target and Walmart stores. Make sure it’s clean and empty. Rinse residue from cartons, containers, bottles and jars or any other recyclable that may contain food particles. For example, greasy pizza boxes are not accepted. Keep it dry. When it comes to paper and cardboard, keeping it dry is imperative for the recycling process. Please flatten all cardboard boxes as well. Don’t wishcycle. Think you can throw everything into your recycling bin and it will get sorted out at the recycling plant? Think again. Recycling only these five core items is paramount: cans, cartons, glass, paper and plastic along with plastic bottles and jugs. Join a social media community. Share a post. Do a story. Get engaged with the social media accounts in your community. You’ll find Cuyahoga County’s accounts located on Facebook, on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. IN-HOME RECYCLING (BLUE) Combine only these five core items in your home or curbside recycling container. Keep them loose -- there is no need to bag them. CANS: Empty and rinse. CARTONS: Empty and rinse. Replace the cap -- it’s too small to be recycled by itself! GLASS BOTTLES & JARS: Empty and rinse. PAPER & BOXES: Flatten cardboard items and cereal boxes to save space. PLASTIC BOTTLES & JUGS: Empty and rinse. Replace the cap. Items placed in cursbide collection for recycling should be clean, empty and dry. Plastic bottles and jugs includes items with an opening or neck narrower than the body. Learn more about these items and more by clicking the link or using the "What Do I Do With?" search bar at the top of the page. OTHER RECYCLING (YELLOW) It's important to recycle correctly. Some items don't belong in your curbside recycling. Many items can be recycled, reused or donated elsewhere. Here are some examples. LIGHT STRINGS CLOTHING COMPUTERs/ electronicS household goods SHREDDED PAPER PLASTIC BAGS SCRAP METAL TIRES CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS PROPANE TANKS Learn more about these items and more by clicking the link or using the "What Do I Do With?" search bar at the top of the page. PROPER DISPOSAL (red) Some items require special handling for proper disposal. LATEX PAINT NEEDLES MEDICATIONS HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE FLUORESCENT BULBS Learn more about these items and more by clicking the link or using the "What Do I Do With?" search bar at the top of the page. Landfill (black) Not everything can be recycled. Place these items in the trash. STYROFOAM™ & TAKE-OUT CONTAINERS HOSES & ROPES (tanglers) DURABLE PLASTIC (toys, hangers) CUPS, LIDS & UTENSILS BROKEN CERAMICS Learn more about these items and more by clicking the link or using the "What Do I Do With?" search bar at the top of the page. This quick reference card explaining the do's and don'ts of curbside recycling, including items that should be recycled elsewhere, disposed of properly or landfilled. 5.5"x8.5" postcard. View the PDF or request a copy. Global changes to recycling Learn more about the worldwide changes to recycling and what factors determine if something can be recycled. Want more details? See our recycling FAQs, read more about how recycling works or find specifics about recycling in your community.