Curbside Recycling

Recyclable Locally

Items that are recyclable locally include:
  • Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, office paper, junk mail, phone books
  • Clean corrugated cardboard, flattened and bundled (corrugated cardboard has three layers, a wavy layer between two flat layers. Paperboard is NOT recyclable locally. (ex. cereal boxes, cartons in which pop and beer cans are packaged)
  • Glass jars and bottles, drinking glasses, dishes, ceramics and many other types of glass
  • Tin and aluminum cans, aluminum foil, pie pans, food trays
  • Plastic bottles and containers #1, 2 & 5 (Motor oil bottles will not be taken because of petroleum contamination)

Burlington contracts with the Des Moines County Area Recyclers for curbside recycling. Recyclables are collected from the street even if your garbage collection is in the alley. Recyclables are collected the same day as your garbage but every other week, because the Recyclers work in the outlying communities during the off week.

The recycling schedule differs from your trash schedule, see Area Recycling schedule for more details.

To participate in the program you must have a program-approved green recycling container, available at the AREA RECYCLERS  1818 West Burlington Avenue. The City subsidizes $5 of the cost of a recycling bin for new Burlington residents, so your cost is $3. There is also a 24/7 drop off site outside the recycling center.

If you have more items to recycle than will fit into your green recycling bin, place them in a sack, box or other container, items separated by type, along side the bin and they will be collected.

  1. How do I recycle soda bottles and cans?
  2. What if I have more recyclables than will fit inside the green recycling bin?
  3. Should I remove the labels and caps from bottles and cans before recycling?
  4. What about pizza boxes?
  5. Are cereal boxes recyclable?
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