Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials (that would otherwise be thrown away as trash) and remanufacturing them into new products (US EPA). This sustainable practice helps conserve natural resources, reduce energy consumption, and minimize environmental impacts, making it a crucial element in our efforts to protect the planet. Check out the Recycle Right video, below, for information on what happens to your recyclables and more!
1. What is Wish-Cycling?
2. Residential Recycling Collection
3. Recycling at the Transfer Station
4. Recycling Food Scraps
5. Private Recycling Drop-off Programs
5.1 Plastic Bags & Plastic Film
5.2 Electronic Waste & Printer Ink/Toner Cartridges
6. Frequently Asked Questions
Wish-cycling is a term used to describe when people put items in the recycling bin without knowing if they're actually recyclable. This leads to problems like contamination and higher costs in the recycling process.
A couple of commonly miss-recycled items:
- Plastic bags and plastic film can NOT be recycled in your blue bin. These items will tangle the equipment at the recycling sorting facility. Check out the Plastic Bags & Plastic Film section of this webpage to learn what you can do to recycle these items.
- Pizza boxes CAN be recycled, as long as the food residue is removed. (A little grease is okay.) The liner in the box should go into the trash.
- Do NOT put plastic items that are smaller than 2"x2" in your blue bin. (For reference, the short side of your license or credit card is 2 inches.) This is the size of the screen used at the sorting facility where the crushed glass falls through. We don't want to mix plastic in with the glass!
To avoid wish-cycling, check out our FAQ section or use the search wizard on RecycleCT's webpage, and when in doubt, throw it out!
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The Town of Manchester offers curbside collection of single-stream recycling to many of its residents. Curbside recycling promotes sustainability, reduces landfill waste, and encourages environmentally responsible practices within our community. Visit the Residential Recycling Collection webpage to learn more!
Residential Recycling Collection
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What you'll find when you visit the Manchester Transfer Station is that nearly the entire right side is dedicated to recycling! Check out the StoryMap on the Transfer Station's webpage to find out what items can be recycled there.
Manchester Transfer Station
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Did you know that composting is considered a form of recycling? There are many ways you can recycle your food scraps into compost, be it at your own home or through one of Manchester's Food-Waste-to-Compost Programs. To learn more, check out our Residential Food Waste page!
Residential Food Waste
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Some local businesses accept specific items for recycling at no cost, such as plastic bags and plastic film, electronic waste, and printer ink and toner cartridges.
Plastic bags and plastic film DO NOT belong in single-stream recycling because they can get caught in the sorting equipment. To recycle your plastic bags and plastic film, visit a drop-off location nearest you.
Not sure where to go? Trex is a company that recycles plastic bags and plastic film into composite decking through their NexTrex program. You can participate in the NexTex program by dropping off your plastic bags and plastic film at one of their participating retail chains in Connecticut:
- Acme
- Big Y
- Kohl's
- Ocean State Job Lot
- Price Chopper
- Stop & shop
- Whole Foods
NexTrex Recycling Program
Not sure what they accept? Check out this video or visit their website for more information.
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Printer ink and toner cartridges are often collected at the same places that accept electronic waste. While you can recycle these items at the Manchester Transfer Station, you can also drop them off at the locations listed below. Make sure to first check the program's webpage to confirm that they accept the items you are looking to recycle.
Best Buy (Manchester)
Staples (Glastonbury/Vernon)
Green Monster eRecycling (West Hartford)
Planet Green Recycle (Free Mail-In)
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How does single-stream recycling work? Are all of the recyclables truly separated?
YES! Click here to learn more about the single-stream recycling recovery process.
What materials can I recycle in the blue recycling cart?
Visit RecycleCT.com to learn what can and can't go into your blue recycling cart.
Do recyclables need to be rinsed/washed before putting them in the blue recycling cart?
Simply rinse your recyclables and allow them to air-dry before putting them in your recycling cart. They do not have to be perfectly cleaned.
Do I have to separate my lids from my containers?
Plastic bottles with or without the caps attached are acceptable. However, loose plastic bottle caps are not recyclable. Metal lids from cans and bottles are accepted.
What is aseptic packaging? Is it recyclable?
Aseptic packaging, commonly known as a 'drink box', is a combination of paper, plastic, and aluminum. This multi-layer package locks out light and air, seals in nutrients and flavor, and allows its contents to remain unrefrigerated for months. In addition to a drink box, milk and juice cartons are also considered aseptic. Also known as gable-top cartons, they are often a half-gallon in size, but there are smaller and larger sizes as well.
Yes, aseptic packaging can be recycled through our curbside collection program.
Can I recycle prescription pill bottles?
Unfortunately, prescription pill bottles are too small to be recycled. For a more sustainable option, you can donate your pill bottles to Matthew 25: Ministries for reuse. The pill bottles will then be used to improve medical care in developing countries.
Is shredded paper recyclable? Does the Town offer paper shredding services?
No, shredded paper cannot be recycled in your blue bin because it is so light that it ends up in the air of the sorting facility.
If you compost at home, shredded paper is an excellent source of "browns" for your compost. To learn more about composting at home, check out our Residential Food Waste page.
Another sustainable way to dispose of your shredded paper is to donate it to the Lutz Children's Museum to be used as bedding for the animals.
Alternatively, you can participate in one of our free annual shred events. The Town of Manchester hosts two shred events each year for its residents: one in the spring and one in the fall. The paper that is shredded at these events is sent to a mill to be recycled into new paper products.
Is it true that black plastic is not recyclable?
Black plastic is very challenging for the optical sensors at the sorting facilities to recognize. If your recycling is collected by All American Waste (also known as USA Recycling), then your recyclables will go to a sorting facility that has more advanced optical sensors. Even with these advanced optical sensors, only about 40% of the black plastic is actually recognized properly, and the rest is thrown away. As such, we encourage everyone to reuse your takeout containers, when possible. They are especially handy for giving away leftover food at parties!
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