We've put together some Easy Steps to Recycling that will help get you moving in the right direction. For a more detailed listing of recyclables and the finer details of becoming a true recycling guru, please check out our "How to Recycle" resources. Also, you can check our Frequently Asked Questions About Recycling for answers to more specific questions about specific items.

Empty: Is the item you're about to recycle empty? When you put a recyclable item that still contains food or liquid in your curbside bin, it is considered not recyclable and could potentially contaminate the entire recycling bin!

Clean: If your empty recyclable (such as a jar, can, or plastic bottle) has lots of residue on it from what it was holding, you need to give them a quick rinse. It doesn't need to be perfect, but the majority of the residue needs to be removed. This helps prevent potential contamination in your recycling bin and increases the value of the materials.

Dry: After you have cleaned your recyclables, let them air dry before putting them in your recycle bin. Also, be sure to close the lid to your recycling bin (if it has one) to keep all your recyclables dry in case of rain. This is important because if your paper or cardboard gets soaking wet, it will likely not be able to be recycled and gets sent to the landfill.

By following this simple method of recycling you are helping ensure your recyclables actually get recycled and don't end up in a landfill due to contamination!