Still have questions? Contact Boone County Public Works Division of Solid Waste Management, 5645 Idlewild Road, Burlington:

859-334-3151 Mike.Wilson@boonecountyky.org

A number in a triangle of arrows is just a designation of the type of material, it doesn’t mean it can be recycled in Boone County or anywhere. Click on an item to see if the Big Blue Bin accepts it, or use the “find/search” feature or watch the video: VIDEO.

Aluminum Cans Egg Cartons Pizza Boxes

Appliances Electronics Plastic Bags

Batteries Fast Food Containers Plastic Bottles

Bottles Foil Plastic Cups

Bottle Caps Fruit Cups Prescription Drugs

Books Glass Bottles Pudding Cups

Butter Tubs Glass Jars Reusable Bags

Cans Jello Cups Sauce Jars

Cardboard Boxes Junk Mail Shampoo Bottles

Catalogs Magazines Soda Pop Bottles

Cell Phones Microwave Trays Soda Pop Cans

CDs Milk Cartons Soup Cans

Cereal Boxes Newspapers Straws

Chip Bags Packing Peanuts Styrofoam Containers

Christmas Trees Paint Cans Tin Cans

Clothes Paper Tires

Coffee Mugs Paper Bags Tissue Boxes

Construction Paper Paperboard Toys

Cottage Cheese Cup Paper Towel Rolls Water Bottles

Deli Containers Peanut Cans Window Glass

Detergent Bottles Phone Book Wine Glasses

Drinking Glasses Pie Tins Yogurt Cups

The Big Blue Bin

Appliances?

Appliances are not accepted at the Big Blue Bin but items like refrigerators, stoves, air conditioners, washers, dryers, water heaters and most other metal appliances can be dropped off at Boone County

Public Works in Burlington KY. Please check in here first: OFFICE.

Several buildings accept certain batteries like those for tools (NiCd), cellphones (Li Ion or Poly), camcorders (NiMH), or emergency lighting

(PB). See BUCKETS. Although alkaline batteries no longer contain mercury and can be thrown out, choose reusables when possible.

Batteries?

Bottle Caps?

Plastic bottle caps are accepted now on the bottles they came with. Empty, rinse and drain all containers before putting on the cap. To help kids see how recycling can work though, save your bottle caps

and have them made into a park bench: BUILD A BENCH

Books?

Phone books definitely! And paperback and hardbound books are a form of paper. But before you toss them out consider giving them to others. Check with Boone County Public Library or if it’s a textbook

you may want to try selling it online.

Cans?

We accept any aluminum or tin (steel) cans that are used for food or beverages, along with their metal caps or lids. This includes aluminum

cans for soda pop and tin cans for sauces, fruit, vegetables, soup, juices, meat, etc. Label on is ok but please rinse out the can.

Cardboard Boxes?

Corrugated cardboard boxes (with ridges and furrows) are accepted as long as they are clean, dry, and flattened. Also remove any debri like wax liners, staples and tape. While boxes for pizza, pop, pasta

and candy are also acceptable, beverage cartons are not.

Cell Phones?

Even though the Big Blue Bin can’t accept them, don’t throw them out! They contain hazardous materials like lead, nickel, zinc, mercury, etc.

Instead check our webpage for all the different businesses and charities that will take them: CELLPHONES

Chip Bags?

Most pretzel, potato chip, salad and frozen vegetable bags are made of low-density polyethylene film or a blend of aluminum laminated with polypropylene, making it difficult to separate and reuse. Minimize your

purchases or buy these bags for pet cleanup purposes: POOP

Christmas Trees?

Not in a Big Blue Bin. BUT! Boone County and the city of Florence offer a pickup service and easy-access drop off locations. This service occurs the first week in January. See the website CHRISTMAS TREE

page or call 859-334-3629 for exact details!

Compact Discs?

CDs, DVDs, and the cases they came in are not accepted in a Big Blue Bin. If they’re still functional you can give them to a place like

Goodwill. If they’re not then check out our repurposing and recycling options: CD IDEA or get crafty: REMAKE

Drinking Glasses?

The glass used to make drinkware, vases, coffee mugs, etc. is made of a toughened glass with chemicals of a different melting point.

Minute amounts of this material mixed with glass that can be recycled causes contamination. Throw out broken glass or try this: BROKEN

Egg Cartons?

No, not if they’re made of styrofoam but YES if they’re made of paperboard! Styrofoam is difficult to recycle and lasts forever. Since about 1/3 of what’s in landfills is packaging, choosing products with

minimal, recyclable packaging will make a difference!

Electronics?

Electronic trash like computers, printers, fax machines, scanners, mice, hard drive, monitors and other electronics cannot go in a Big

Blue Bin. We offer computer recycling events through out the year and several local companies exist where you can drop off: ELECTRONIC

Foil?

Although aluminum is recyclable, Boone County is not equipped to process any type other than cans. We do not accept aluminum pie

tins, food trays, or foil in our recycling stream. Wash your foil sheets and containers to reuse for yourself or when making meals for others.

Food Cups?

Plastic #5 containers shaped like a tub or cup are not accepted because they all do not melt at the same temperature, making it hard

to sort. This includes containers for butter, jello, yogurt, cottage cheese, pudding, and coffee K-cups. Try repurposing them: IDEAS

Glass Bottles?

Wine, beer, glass soda pop bottles, jars, sauce jars and any other glass that contains food or beverages are accepted. Rinse them out to prevent smells and pests. It is OK now to include the metal caps and

lids but they also make fun craft projects: BOTTLE CAP IDEAS

Microwave Trays?

Microwave trays from frozen dinners, soup deli containers or even ice cream cartons that are plastic or have plastic as a part of them cannot

be recycled. And they since most landfills are covered, most won’t biodegrade well so avoid convenience items as much as possible.

Milk Cartons?

Milk cartons, juice boxes, ice cream cartons, broth boxes - any container that is a mix of paper and plastic is not accepted at Boone County’s Recycling Center at this time. Choose plastic containers for

purchase instead or try repurposing your cartons: IDEAS

Mixed Paper?

We take it: copy paper, newspaper, magazines (discard wrapping), fliers, postcards, junk mail, envelopes, maps, phone books, cereal

boxes, tissue boxes, cracker boxes, etc. Looking for a collapsible bin to keep in your office for paper? Here: PAPER BIN

Packing Peanuts?

Styrofoam packing peanuts from expanded polystyrene are not biodegradable and not cost-effective to recycle. Reuse in your own

packages or take them here: PEANUTS. Better yet get the new peanuts made from cornstarch - they dissolve in water!

Paint Cans?

Hardened liquid paint waste and the cans they come in can be disposed of in our landfill. Check this page for more information about

what can be done with automotive oil, antifreeze, gasoline, toxic chemicals, car batteries and flammable hazardous waste : WASTE

Paperboard?

Paperboard is made of layers of paper or pulp pressed together. It’s an excellent choice for your egg cartons, berry boxes, packaging and

seedlings because it is recyclable and compostable. Choose this over styrofoam or other plastic containers whenever you can!

Paper Bags?

Clean, dry and flattened paper bags are accepted at a Big Blue Bin. Even though paper bags can be recycled it’s not an infinite loop since the paper fibers weaken and it consumes more resources to recycle.

Consider a long term investment for carrying groceries: CRATE

Paper Rolls?

Paper tubes of all types are accepted as long as they’re clean, dry and flattened. This includes rolls that hold toilet paper, paper towels,

ribbon, wrapping paper, etc. If you like the new tubeless toilet paper rolls but want a smoother pull, try this: REUSABLE HOLDER

Peanut Cans?

Peanut cans, potato chip cans, baking powder cans and even microwave soup containers that have mixed components cannot be

accepted. The materials are too hard to separate for recycling. But there are clever ways to repurpose them: IDEAS

Plastic Bags?

Plastic grocery bags clog our sorter. Return them to the grocery store’s recycling can. They shred, wash and compound them into pellets for new bags. Those cans will even take #2 bags for bread, dry-cleaning,

newspapers, even TP wraps, as long as they’re clean and dry.

Plastic Bottles?

If it has a spout don’t throw it out! As long as the opening of the #1 or #2 plastic container is smaller than the body, it’s accepted. No need to

remove labels or caps, just rinse it out to avoid smells and attract pests. Please do remove spray bottle tops though, they have springs.

Plastic Containers?

The Big Blue Bin does not accept plastic clamshells or any other #5 polypropylene containers. This includes fast food or deli containers, clamshells for produce or salad bars, etc. We just don’t have a buyer

for that material. For more info go here: RECYCLABLE?

Plastic Cups?

This plastic is easier to use than it is to recycle. No plastic cups, forks, knives, spoons, plates, or any kind of disposable dinnerware is accepted. When you order takeout use your own cutlery and a reusable cup instead. Or try repurposing: CREATIVE CRAFTS

Prescription Drugs?

Prescription drugs and the containers they come in are not accepted at the Big Blue Bins. Do not flush the liquids, pills or capsules down the drain but see if the pharmacy will take back unused medications.

Remove identifying personal information first.

Reusable Bags?

Reusable bags clog our sorter and virtually no recycling centers take them. Because most cheap/free ones are nonwoven polypropylene (not fabric) they will take infinity to biodegrade. Contact Sun Sugar Farms to repurpose them and get a credit for an alternative: SSF

Styrofoam?

Styrofoam is a type of expanded polystyrene. It’s too hard to accumulate enough of this air-filled material to make it worth collecting

and then it takes expensive machinery to compact it. When getting takeout, instead bring a reusable to-go cup and box: TO GO

STRAWS?

Plastic straws suck. Made from #2 or #5 oil-based resins derived from finite fossil fuels, they cannot be recycled. Fast food chains alone give out more than 50 million of the 500 million made in the USA per year.

Stop the madness for the sake of convenience! LAST STRAW

Tires?

Whole tires cannot go in the Big Blue Bin OR into our landfills but they can be recycled into new products or reused as swings and planters.

Contact us for the locations in the county that will take your waste tires for a very small fee: TIRES

Toys?

Gently used clothing, toys, and furniture can make someone’s life better. Gift it to any of the many charities in Boone County. Many

organizations will even pick up larger or multiple items at your home. Here are a couple: St Vincent de Paul and the Salvation Army

Window Glass?

The Big Blue Bin does not accept window glass nor glass mirrors. Because of the different chemical composition and melting

temperature, mixing them with other glass containers would create contamination. You can throw it away or be crafty: GLASS