top of page
City-of-Tucson_Environmental-Services-horizontal2.png
Recycling blue bin

Blue Bin Recycling

Reduce, Reuse, Rethink Recycling

Embracing recycling at home, in the community, and across industries not only fosters a cleaner and healthier planet but also supports a circular economy where resources are used efficiently and responsibly. Join us in making a difference — one recycled item at a time.

Yes! Recycle These
in the Blue Bin 

Plastic 1, 2, & 5

We only accept plastic bottles, jugs, and containers labeled 1, 2, and 5. Please leave the lids on and keep the labels intact. Items smaller than a tennis ball cannot be recycled. Remember to quickly rinse all items to remove food residue and liquids. 

plastic beverage containers

Beverage Bottles

Beverage Bottles

Leave caps & labels on  |  Lightly rinse

  • Water bottles  

  • Sport drinks 

  • Soda bottles  

  • Milk jugs and bottles  

  • Plastic alcoholic drink bottles

Plastic bottle packaging

Cleaning Bottles
& Containers

Cleaning Bottles
& Containers

Leave labels on | Lightly rinse

  • Detergent bottles or jugs  

  • Bleach jugs  

  • Laundry softener

  • Dish liquid bottles

  • Spray bottles 

Plastic personal care packaging

Personal Care 

Personal Care 

Leave labels on | Lightly rinse

  • Shampoo & conditioner bottles 

  • Fully plastic cosmetic bottles and/or jars

  • Liquid soap dispensers  

  • Hair gels and lotion containers

Plastic butter tub

Plastic Clam Shell/
Takeout Containers

Food Containers 

Leave labels on | Remove food residues | Lightly rinse

  • Butter tubs  

  • Dairy plastic containers

  • Peanut butter jars  

  • Ice cream tubs (hard plastic tub) 

Aluminum & Tin

Recycle your clean aluminum and tin cans, clean foil pans, and clean aluminum foil. Clean foil should be balled up to a size larger than a tennis ball. For other metals, use a local metal recycler but don't include batteries or scrap metals. 

aluminum beverage cans

Beverage Cans

Beverage Cans

Keep tabs on & push lid inside container | Lightly rinse |
Do not crush items 

  • Soda cans  

  • Water cans

  • Juice cans  

  • Energy drinks  

  • Alcoholic beverage cans

aluminum canned food containers

Canned Food

Canned Food

Keep tabs on & push lid inside container | Lightly rinse |
Do not crush items 

  • Tuna & seafood cans

  • Canned beans & other foods

  • Condensed milk & evaporated milk cans

disposable aluminum cooking pans

Disposable
Cooking Pans

Disposable Cooking Pans

Keep tabs on & push lid inside container | Lightly rinse |
Do not crush items | Loosely ball up foil

  • Pastry molds  

  • Foil containers

  • Aluminum foil 

Tin Containers

Tin Containers 

Tin Containers

Keep tabs on & push lid inside container | Lightly rinse |
Do not crush items 

  • Cookie tin cans

  • Food tin containers

  • Tin cans

  • Tin containers   

Cardboard & Paper

Recycling paper and cardboard extends the materials' lifecycle and transforms it into new products. By recycling, you actively decrease carbon emissions and save water associated with the manufacturing process. Make sure to flatten boxes and keep them clean and dry. 

stack of cardboard boxes

Cardboard Boxes

Cardboard Boxes

Flatten large items | Remove & dispose of plastic, foil liners or wrap  | Keep materials clean & dry | Remove tapes or labels from paper or cardboards

  • Packaging boxes

  • Present boxes

  • Shoe boxes

  • Powder detergent boxes

  • Toilet cardboard & paper
    towel rolls 

cereal boxes

Food Cartons

Food Cartons

Flatten large items | Remove & dispose of any plastic, foil liners or wrap | Keep materials clean & dry | No food waste  

  • Cereal boxes  

  • Egg cartons  

  • Food packaging  

  • Potato chip tubes  

  • Pizza boxes

paper drink cartons

Drink Cartons

Drink Cartons

Empty containers | Keep materials clean & dry | No food waste

  • Milk cartons  

  • Juice cartons

  • Beverage cartons 

  • Tetra Pak® containers

stack of office paper

Office Paper

Office Paper

Flatten large items | Remove & dispose of any plastic, foil liners or wrap | Keep materials clean & dry | No food waste

  • Printing paper

  • Post it notes

  • Shredded paper (inside a cardboard box, paper bag or clear plastic bag)

stack of mail

Mail 

Mail 

Envelope windows are ok | Keep items clean  & dry

  •  Mail envelopes of various sizes

  • Junk mail

  • Postcards

stack of colored paper

Craft Paper

Craft Paper

No paper with glitter | No tissue paper, or parchment paper | Glue, tape, staples & envelope windows are ok | Keep items clean & dry

  • Construction paper

  • Colored paper

  • Custom size envelopes 

stack of newspapers

Magazines & Newspapers

Magazines & Newspapers

Remove plastic wrappers | Keep items clean & dry | Do not need to be shredded | Do not remove inserts from magazines

  • Magazines

  • Newspapers 

paper food containers

Paper Bags
& Containers

Paper Bags
& Containers

No items with wax coatings | Keep items clean  & dry | No food waste

  • Paper food bags & containers

  • Paper cups

  • Tetra Pak® containers

What Can’t Go in the Blue Bin

Do Not Recycle These in the Blue Bin.

glass bottles

Glass

Glass

Recycle glass in the purple barrels.

  • Glass jars & bottles

  • Drinking glasses, glass vases & ornaments are not accepted

Go to recycling glass
plastic grocery bag

Plastic/Produce Bags

Plastic Bags

Plastic bags get tangled in the truck’s machinery. Recycle plastic bags with the Hefty® ReNew™  program.
 

  • Shopping bags

  • Grocery bags

Go to Hefty®ReNew™
styfrofoam containers

Styrofoam™

Styrofoam™

Styrofoam™ takes 500 years to decompose. Recycle Styrofoam™ with the Hefty® ReNew™ program.

  • Foam egg cartons

  • Foam cups

  • Foam plates, containers & to-go boxes

  • Foam peanuts and packaging materials

Go to Hefty®ReNew™
food waste

Food Waste

Food Waste

Composting gives back to the community, reduces waste, and decreases greenhouse gas emissions. Join the food waste collection program!

  • Eggshells

  • Vegetables

  • Fruits

  • Coffee grounds

Learn about FoodCycle
yard waste.png

Yard Waste

Yard Waste

Brush & Bulky Plus program visits 2x a year. This service lets you clean out your yard, garage, or storage shed and remove any debris you don’t want.

  • Plants

  • Weeds

  • Branches

  • Gardening supplies

Learn about Brush & Bulky
various household hazardous chemicals

Household Hazardous Waste 

Household Hazardous Waste

Bring your hazardous chemicals and labeled household products to Los Reales Sustainability Campus or drop-off events.

  • Motor oil & other vehicle fluids

  • Pesticides

  • Batteries

  • Cleaning products

  • Flammable liquids

Learn about HHW
pile of clothes

Textiles

Textiles

Tucson offers programs to keep clothing and textiles out of landfills. Donate items in good condition, bring them to our Zero Waste events, or use Brush & Bulky pickup.

  • Clothing

  • Bedding

  • Towels

  • Tablecloths

Learn about Zero Waste
old furniture

Furniture & Mattresses

Furniture & Mattresses

Donate items in good condition. While there's no mattress recycling facility, you can use Brush & Bulky to keep mattresses and oversized furniture out of landfills.

  • Nightstands & bookcases

  • Sofas & chairs

  • Mattresses

  • Large kitchen appliances

Learn about Brush & Bulky

Interested in learning more about how to be more environmentally friendly and waste less? Check-out our Tips & Tricks for responsible waste management here.

bottom of page