Recycle

Each year, working together, Onondaga County residents recycle over 70 million pounds of material in our blue bins. That means 56% of our waste materials are actually recycled!

With your help, and a few handy guidelines, we continue to work toward a cleaner county – and a brighter future.

Recycling Rules

Does that plastic bottle go in the trash or the blue bin? (Always the blue bin.) What about plastic bags? (Never in the blue bin, whether empty or containing recyclables; however, you can recycle plastic bags at local stores.)

If you aren’t sure how to dispose of an item, OCRRA is here to assist. Check out the Onondaga County recycling rules or our database which helps you find the right way to get rid of all sorts of waste, from electronics to yard waste. (Need recycling rules in Spanish? Check them out here.)

Use the “How do I get rid of” bar above to search the database.

Throwing things in the blue bin that aren’t recyclable only contaminates the recycling stream and reduces what gets recycled. So remember – when in doubt, throw it out!

Please remember not to put plastic bags in the recycling bin. This includes putting loose plastic bags in the bin, and putting recyclables in plastic bags and then putting the bags in the bin. Clean plastic bags can be returned to most stores that give them out.

Blue Bin Details

In Onondaga County, recycling often starts with a blue bin. It provides residents with an easy way to collect recyclables and put them out to the curb, and makes sure that those items end up in the right place.

And since single-stream recycling is now here in Onondaga County, it’s okay for recyclable papers and recyclable containers to go in the same bin. No more separating!

If you have a broken blue bin to get rid of, set it out next to your trash with a sign reading, "Broken. Please trash." and your hauler will dispose of it for you.

If you’re a resident of Onondaga County, you can get a blue bin for free. Check the list below to find out how to get a blue bin where you live: