The City of Ann Arbor provides weekly recycling collection to all Ann Arbor residents in houses, apartments, condominiums, and cooperatives at no charge. Residents store their recyclables into city-provided recycling stacking bins or in recycling carts. Recyclables are to be separated from refuse and compostables. Ann Arbor’s residential recycling collection service is contracted to Recycle Ann Arbor. If you have questions about your home recycling, or want to receive your free home recycling bins, please call Recycle Ann Arbor directly at 734-662-6288. All nonresidential locations in Ann Arbor are also eligible for recycling pickup services and and storage containers at no extra charge--please find more information on the following linked Web pages: a basic commercial recycling and waste services summary page; and a business waste and recycling NEWS page, for periodic e-mail updates.
Materials must be placed at the curb before 7 a.m. of the collection day, and no sooner than 24 hours before the pickup day, and bins or carts removed by noon the following day.
Recycling Guide
Papers and Fibers
These items should be placed inside the tan "Newspaper" recycling bin or cart:
- NEWSPAPER
Includes all inserts.
- MAGAZINES
Includes all glossy, newsprint and mixed paper magazines, catalogs and advertisements.
Staples and glue bindings are fine.
- MIXED PAPER AND JUNK "MAIL"
Includes stationery, copier paper, loose-leaf filler paper, computer paper, file folders, blueprints, and paper envelopes with plastic labels and "windows." Crayon marks are OK.
- PHONE BOOKS AND PAPERBACK BOOKS
No hardcover books. (Hardcover books can be taken to the Drop-Off Station.)
- PAPER BAGS
No plastic bags.
- CORRUGATED CARDBOARD
Please empty and flatten rippled boxes, such as pizza boxes. If large, cut or fold up to 3x2 feet and bundle with tape or string or stuff flattened pieces into a box up to 18 inches deep. Place in bin or set next to the recycling bins. Staples and tape are OK. No waxed cardboard.
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BOXBOARD
Place inside a brown paper bag or boxboard box. Includes non-corrugated grayboard, cereal, tissue and shoe boxes, canned beverage cases, backs of note paper pads, paper towel rolls and paper egg cartons. No freezer food boxes.
Please DO NOT put the following items in your recycling bin. Please DO place them in your trash container:
* Do not recycle Paper Napkins
* Do not recycle Paper Towels
* Do not recycle Paper Cups or Tissue Products
* Do not recycle Plastic Envelopes, such as Tyvek
* Do not recycle Metal or Plastic Binders, (For an explanation as to why we cannot accept these items, please see FAQ's.)
Containers
These items should be emptied, rinsed, and then placed inside the green "Containers" recycling bin or cart.
- GLASS AND CERAMICS
Includes clear and colored glass bottles, jars, drinking glass, Pyrex, jugs, plates, and flower pots. Remove and discard all lids.
- PLASTIC BOTTLES #1 AND #2*
Includes bottle-and-screw-top jar shapes only, marked 1 or 2 (PETE or HDPE), such as milk jugs and bottles used for laundry, cleaners, cooking oil and water. No tubs, such as for margarine or yogurt. Remove and discard all plastic lids.
- MILK CARTONS AND JUICE BOXES
Includes empty juice cartons. No freezer food boxes. No straws.
- CANS, AEROSOLS, AND SCRAP METAL
Includes steel and aluminum cans, foil, pie tins, metal jar lids and empty aerosols. Also includes residential scrap metal, such as pots and pans, utensils, metal pipes, coat hangers, and other metal items up to 1 cubic foot, weighing up to 20 pounds. Teflon coating and non-metallic handles are fine. No electrical appliances.
Please DO NOT put the following items in your recycling bin. Please DO reuse them or place them in your refuse container:
*Tubs, such as used for margarine or yogurt.
(Why not? see FAQ's.)
*Containers that held a toxic material, such as motor oil.
*Styrofoam© cups, packing peanuts, plastic
bags, PVC pipes or any other plastics.
How to Get Recycling Bins
The city provides home recycling storage bins, also called "totes." Curbside-collected residential locations are entitled to up to four (4) stacking recycling totes at no charge delivered to residents by leaving a phone message on 99-GREEN (734-994-7336). Additional totes may be purchased for $6.60 each from the Drop-Off Station, 2950 E. Ellsworth. Cardboard boxes or paper bags may be reused to hold surplus recyclables that do not fit into the city-provided recycling bin.
Please call the Customer Service Center at 734-994-2807 for information on FREE recycling storage boxes, carts, paper dumpsters, and weekly recycling collection for business locations at no additional charge: customerservice@a2gov.org.
Curbside Toxics Collection
The following three items are collected from Ann Arbor residents with CURBSIDE recycling collection only. These three items are also accepted at the Drop-Off Station.
For information on disposing of other toxic materials, please contact Washtenaw County’s Home Toxics Collection Center at 734-222-3950.
Acceptable Toxic Materials
Please keep these materials separate and place outside of curbside recycling bins.
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Batteries: Used household batteries must be taped at both ends before recycling according to federal DOT requirements. See press release for details (1-page PDF) Place properly-prepared used household batteries in a clear plastic bag. Vehicle batteries are accepted only at the Drop-Off Station.
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Motor Oil: Place used crankcase oil only in plastic milk jugs with a screw-top or taped lid. The City will accept up to 3 gallons per week. No other liquids may be mixed with the oil, such as transmission fluid, antifreeze or gasoline.
- Oil Filters: Drain used oil filters for 24 hours and store filter in a sturdy, clean plastic bag. The city will accept up to 3 filters per week. Do not store used filters in oil filter boxes.
COMPUTER MONITORS and TELEVISIONS are recycled for a fee at the Drop-Off Station. Fact sheet on other options is attached.
Questions? Contact customerservice@a2gov.org