You can usually put clean paper, cardboard, metal cans, and rigid plastic bottles or tubs in your household recycling bin, but the exact rules depend on your local program, so always check your city’s guidance.

Core rule: clean, empty, and accepted

Most curbside systems want items that are clean , mostly dry, and empty, and that match what your local facility is set up to handle.

If something is food-soiled, very wet, or made of mixed materials you can’t easily separate, it often belongs in the trash instead.

Paper and cardboard

Most programs accept a wide range of paper and card, as long as it’s not heavily contaminated with food or plastic coatings.

Typical “yes” items:

  • Newspapers, magazines, junk mail, directories, office paper.
  • Envelopes (even with plastic windows), greeting cards, wrapping paper that is not foil or glitter-coated.
  • Cardboard boxes (shipping boxes, cereal boxes, packaging), flattened and dry.

Typical “no” items:

  • Food-soiled cardboard like greasy pizza boxes (unless your city explicitly says they accept them).
  • Paper towels, tissues, and napkins (these often go to compost or trash, not recycling).
  • Paper coffee cups with plastic linings, which can interfere with normal paper recycling.

Plastics

Rigid plastic containers are often accepted, while soft, crinkly plastics usually are not.

Often accepted:

  • Plastic bottles for drinks, milk, shampoo, cleaning products (usually marked with recycling codes 1 or 2).
  • Plastic jugs, tubs, pots, and trays (e.g., yogurt pots, margarine tubs, some produce clamshells), if your program allows them.
  • Plastic lids, but many programs want them reattached to bottles and tubs so they don’t fall through sorting equipment.

Often not accepted:

  • Plastic bags, cling film, bubble wrap, padded mailers, and other soft, “tangly” plastics; these jam sorting machines and must be handled separately or taken to specialty drop‑offs where available.
  • Toothpaste tubes, many cosmetic tubes, and small loose plastic bits (straws, cutlery, very small caps) that are too small to be captured.
  • Styrofoam and polystyrene food containers in many curbside systems.

Metals

Clean household metal packaging is widely recyclable in curbside programs.

Commonly accepted:

  • Aluminum and steel/tin cans from food and drinks (rinsed).
  • Aerosol cans such as deodorant or hairspray, once they’re fully empty and your local rules allow them.
  • Aluminum foil and foil trays, if they’re clean and not heavily food-encrusted.

Usually not accepted:

  • Small, loose metal bits (nails, screws, tiny components) and large scrap metal, which need separate drop‑off options.
  • Items with sharp edges or mixed materials that are hard to separate (e.g., some tools, electronics).

Glass

Glass rules vary, but many systems still accept bottles and jars.

Often accepted:

  • Glass bottles (water, wine, beer) and jars (sauces, jams), empty and rinsed, with lids removed if your program requires it.

Generally not accepted:

  • Window glass, mirrors, ovenproof glass (like baking dishes), and light bulbs, which have different melting points or hazardous components.
  • Broken sheet glass, which can be dangerous to workers and isn’t processed like container glass.

Things that usually do NOT go in the recycling bin

These are some “frequent offenders” that cause problems when tossed into a standard curbside bin.

Common “no” items:

  • Plastic bags and film, bubble wrap, padded mailers.
  • Styrofoam take‑out boxes and foam cups.
  • Paper towels, tissues, napkins, and heavily soiled cardboard.
  • Coffee cups with plastic linings, many fast‑food containers, and multi‑layer pouches.
  • Tanglers like wires, hoses, strings of lights, and long textiles, which jam sorting lines.
  • Electronics, batteries, and hazardous waste, which require special collection systems.

Simple prep tips before you toss

A few habits greatly increase the chance your items actually get recycled.

Helpful steps:

  1. Rinse: Remove most food residue from cans, jars, and containers; they don’t have to be spotless, just reasonably clean.
  1. Empty and flatten: Empty all liquids and flatten cardboard boxes to save space and help sorting.
  1. Keep it loose: Do not bag recyclables in plastic bags unless your local program explicitly asks for it.
  1. Check small size: Items smaller than roughly 2 × 2 inches are often too small to be captured and may end up as trash.

Local rules and “latest” guidance

Recycling systems have changed over the last few years, and many cities now focus on fewer, cleaner material types to keep markets strong.

Because of that, what goes in the recycling bin in 2026 can still differ by country, state, or even neighborhood, so the safest move is to quickly check your city or county waste website for their current “what goes in the bin” list.

TL;DR:

  • Yes: clean paper and cardboard, metal cans and foil, glass bottles and jars, rigid plastic bottles/jugs/tubs (if your program accepts them).
  • No: plastic bags and film, Styrofoam, tissues/napkins, coffee cups with plastic linings, tanglers (wires, hoses), electronics, batteries, and very food‑soiled items.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.