The list of acceptable recyclable materials is constantly growing and a current list follows:

Commingled Glass, Metal & Plastics

•  Glass: All jars and bottles (all colors). Unbroken jars and bottles are accepted. Remove tops and dispose of separately in trash.
•  Metal: All aluminum and steel food and beverage cans and aluminum foil products such as balled foil wraps, and foil cookware. Please empty and rinse cans and foil products.  Other scrap metal items are accepted at the Shady Grove Transfer Station and can be collected under the Village’s Special Pick-Up Program (call or schedule online to arrange a pick-up).
•  Plastics: Plastic bottles and containers labeled #1-7 are accepted.  DO NOT put Styrofoam, packing peanuts or other plastic-based packaging material in the bin. Please empty and rinse containers. No plastic bags, film, or shrink wrap.

Mixed Paper

• Newspaper and all advertising inserts
• Magazines and glossy paper products, mail order catalogs, etc.
• Cardboard: cereal boxes, packing boxes, etc. (Please flatten large cardboard boxes, remove the plastic sealing tape, and set with/beside the bin.) Styrofoam and non-paper packing materials must be removed prior to recycling shipping boxes. 
• Telephone books, paperback books
• Plain paper, unwanted mail, computer paper
• Do not recycle greasy or dirty paper products; boxes lined with foil, metal or plastic, paper/plastic combinations like mailing envelopes with bubble-wrap inside.  These items should be disposed of with your regular household trash.

Non-Recyclable Materials

All non-recyclable materials should be placed with the regular trash.

1. NO "WISH CYCLING".  Only put items that you know can be recycled into the recycling toter.  Remember the three “R”s: Reduce first, Reuse/Repair, and finally Recycle, in that order. Try to avoid all single use products.

2. No Plastic Bags!  They are the biggest hindrance in the automated sorting process and can gum up the machinery, taking machines out of service or requiring labor intensive sorting. Plastic bags can be taken to most grocery stores for processing or disposal. Contrary to popular belief, only a small percentage of single use plastics can be effectively recycled.  Much of it escapes into the environment, contaminating stream banks and waterways.

3. No Soiled Materials.  Do not put heavily soiled/contaminated material in the recycling bin since those have to be removed manually. Soiled items should go in the trash. Minimally soiled containers (less than 5% contamination) are ok, but bottles and cans should be rinsed. Greasy pizza boxes go in the trash. 

To discard of bulk or scrap metal items, please contact the Village's 24-hour Communications Center at 301-654-7300 to schedule a special pick-up. Special pick-ups are collected every Wednesday by our in-house Public Works Department. Requests for pick-up must be received by 2 p.m. on the immediately preceding Tuesday.