Still have questions? Contact Boone County Public Works Division of Solid Waste Management, 5645 Idlewild Road, Burlington:
859-334-3151 [email protected]
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