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Recycling Etiquette
Shown below are the rules for dropping off recycled materials for the Otsego County Recycling Drop-off Program. Each recycling program is different, so please check with your recycling location to verify material preparation requirements for other locations/programs.
View the Otsego County Recycling Brochure (PDF) to learn more about Otsego County's program.
Juice Boxes, Milk Cartons & Paper Cups
- Please rinse and flatten
- No juice pouches or straws
Plastic Bottles, Jugs & Jars
- All numbers: Number 1, Number 2, Number 3, Number 4, Number 5, Number 6, Number 7
- Please rinse and flatten. There's no need to remove labels
- No Styrofoam
- No motor oil jugs
- No toys, buckets, or durable dishes
- No "biodegradable" or corn-based plastics (PLA)
- No plastic bags. They belong with your Paper, Boxes, and Bags.
Plastic Tubs, Trays & Cups
- All numbers: Number 1, Number 2, Number 3, Number 4, Number 5, Number 6, and Number 7
- Please rinse and flatten. There's no need to remove labels.
- No Styrofoam
- No durable dishes, wash tubs, buckets, etc.
- No "biodegradable" or corn-based plastics (PLA)
- No plastic bags. They belong with your Paper, Boxes and Bags.
Metal Cans, Foil & Trays
- Aluminum, steel and tin
- Metal lids are okay
- Please rinse and flatten
- No aerosol cans or propane tanks
Glass Bottles & Jars
- Clear, green, brown, and blue
- Please rinse. There's no need to remove labels
- No light bulbs, window glass, or glass dishes
Cardboard & Paper Bags
- Boxboard - like cereal boxes and paper towel cores - is okay
- Boxes from frozen and refrigerated foods are okay
- Please remove packing materials and flatten
- No Styrofoam
- No pet food bags
- No loose plastics bags. Please stuff all plastic bags into one bag and tie it shut
Plastic Grocery & Bread Bags
- Clean, dry bags only
- Please put all of the bags into one bag and tie it shut
- Shrink wrap - like around rolls of paper towels and cases of water bottles - is okay
- Stretch bags only
- No "crunchy" plastics - cellophane, pretzel bags, potato chip bags, etc.
- No cereal box liners
- No cling wrap (used to wrap food and cover dishes)
Newspapers & Inserts
- No newspapers which have gotten wet and/or yellowed
Magazines, Catalogs & Books
- Hardcover, paperback, and phone books are okay
Office Paper
- Accepted at all drop sites
- Copy paper, writing paper, and file folders
- Junk Mail and Envelopes
- Shredded paper too Please put it in a transparent bag
- No construction paper or dark or bright copy paper
- No padded, plastic, or Kraft (gold paper) envelopes
There's no need to remove the following:
- Mailing labels
- Paper clips
- Plastic windows from envelopes
- Rubber bands
- Staples
- Stickers
- Sticky notes
- Tape