Curbside Recycling

For curbside pick-up, use the 96-gallon recycling cart with the yellow lid to place all your standard recyclables together, no sorting or bagging. Please rinse cans, bottles and containers. Only clean paper products are recyclable.

Recycle Right Woodlands

Ever wonder if something really belongs in the recycling bin? From greasy pizza boxes to everyday items, not everything is recyclable. Learn how to recycle right with our Recycle Right Collection Widget. Just enter an item and we will show you exactly what to do with it.

Guidelines

Please follow these guidelines to ensure proper recycling. Failure to comply can result in landfilling loads of recyclable materials. The yellow-lid cart is for recycling only and should not be used for trash, food waste, plastic bags or yard waste.

DO NOT bag recyclables. Leave them loose.
No plastic bags or films.
Only place acceptable items in your cart. See full list below.
Only clean paper. No food stains or grease.
Empty and rinse containers and cans. Replace caps as applicable.

When in doubt, throw it out!

Acceptable Materials

Recycle only these items. All others are contaminants that harm the recycling process.

Acceptable Materials for Curbside Recycling Container
Accepted	Materials
✓	Cans Aluminum, tin or steel cans.
✓	Cartons Milk, juice and soup containers.
✓	Cardboard Boxes, paperboard and tubes. Flatten boxes to fit in curbside cart. If cardboard is too large, please schedule a bulk pickup.
✓	Paper Office paper, phone books, mail, newspaper, paper bags and magazines. Clean paper only. No pizza boxes, paper towels or food stained materials.
✓	Glass Bottles and jars.
✓	Plastic Containers #1-5 & 7 Bottles, tubs, jars and to-go cups. Empty, rinse and keep caps on. Rigid containers only. No plastic bags or film. No #6 solo cups.

Unacceptable Materials

Anything that isn’t on the Acceptable Materials list, including these items, cannot go in the recycling cart. Seek other recycling opportunities or throw them in the trash.

Unacceptable Materials for Curbside Recycling Container
Not Accepted	Materials
✕	Plastic bags, films and case wrap Do not place grocery bags, trash bags or any other type of stretchy film in your curbside recycling cart. Any clean, dry and stretchy plastic film can be recycled at grocery stores. If it crinkles or tears, the plastic belongs in the trash. Examples: newspaper sleeves, bread bags, bubble wrap, shrink wrap.
✕	Clothing, linens and home goods Clothing and textiles should not go into your curbside recycling cart; however, you should consider donating gently used clothing or seeking out a textile recycler rather than throwing these into your trash cart. Use our Recycle Right widget to find clothing, textile and home goods recycling options.
✕	Pizza boxes Throw out pizza boxes or other to-go containers with food residue. If the pizza box top is clean, you may tear it off and recycle it.
✕	Chip bags, candy wrappers and food pouches Flexible packaging must be thrown away. Only recycle rigid containers marked 1-5 & 7.
✕	Styrofoam Do not throw Styrofoam in your recycling cart. Block packaging may be thrown in the trash cart or scheduled for bulk pickup.
✕	Electronics and batteries Do not put electronics (phones, tablets, TVs, etc.) or batteries into your recycling cart. Use the Recycling Right widget to learn how to properly recycle or dispose of electronics and batteries.
✕	Shredded paper Plain, non-glossy, shredded paper may be evenly mixed with leaves and placed in a certified compostable bag to be included with your yard trimmings. Learn more about disposing of yard trimmings.
✕	Yard trimmings Do not place leaves, twigs, grass trimmings or other yard waste in your recycling cart. Learn more about disposing of yard trimmings.
✕	Chemicals, paints and hazardous waste Never put chemicals, paint or hazardous waste into your recycling cart. Use the Recycling Right widget to learn how to properly recycle or dispose of chemicals, paints and hazardous waste.

Clothing & Textiles

Clothing and textiles should not go into your curbside recycling cart; however, you should consider donating gently used clothing rather than throwing into your trash cart. The average American throws away 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles every year; only 15 percent are donated (EPA). For The Woodlands that amounts to 3,300 tons annually. That is seven percent of our municipal waste. In an effort to help this growing problem, Residents are encouraged to donate clothing and housewares that are in good condition to a local charity. Use the Recycle Right widget for a list of charities in The Woodlands and surrounding areas that accept donations, as well as options for recycling.