Recycling FAQs: What Can I Recycle in Summit County?

Your Guide to Single-Stream Recycling with Garbage Gurus

Recycling shouldn't be complicated. At Garbage Gurus, we make it easy to recycle at home with convenient collection throughout Summit, Park & Grand Counties in Colorado.

Whether you're a full-time resident, second homeowner, or vacation rental owner, knowing what belongs in your recycling cart helps keep valuable materials out of the landfill and reduces contamination.

The most important rule: When in doubt, leave it out.

1. What Can I Put in My Single-Stream Recycling Cart?

We can now accept a wider variety of recyclable packaging in your single-stream recycling cart! Single-stream recycling allows you to place accepted recyclable materials together in one cart.

Preparation guidelines:

Empty containers of food and liquids.
Give containers a quick rinse when necessary.
Remove leftover food, cheese, and pizza crusts from pizza boxes.
Place accepted recyclables loose in your recycling cart—never inside plastic bags.

A recycling number alone does not determine whether an item is accepted. Follow Garbage Gurus' current list of accepted materials.

Accepted materials include:

Plastic Bottles, Jugs, Tubs & Other Containers

Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs, including beverage, detergent, and food containers.
Plastic clamshell containers, including packaging for berries, salads, and takeout food.
Plastic pails and buckets.
Plastic to-go cups.
Containers must be empty and reasonably clean.
The shape of the container matters—not just its recycling number.

Paper & Cardboard

Newspaper and magazines.
Office paper and mail.
Cardboard shipping boxes.
Cereal boxes and other accepted paperboard packaging.
Clean paper bags.
Pizza boxes including greasy sections.
Paper cups.
Milk, juice, soup, and other beverage or food cartons.

Aluminum & Steel Cans

Aluminum beverage cans.
Steel and tin food cans.
Empty and rinse containers before recycling.

Glass Bottles & Jars — Now Accepted!

Glass beverage bottles of any color.
Glass food jars.
Empty glass containers placed loose in the recycling cart.

Effective May 1, 2026, Summit County allows glass bottles and jars in single-stream recycling carts. You no longer need a separate glass container for these accepted items.

2. What Items Are NOT Accepted in Single-Stream Recycling?

Keeping unacceptable materials out of your cart is just as important as recycling the right items.

Do NOT place the following in your recycling cart:

Plastic grocery bags, plastic film, wrappers, and bubble wrap.
Styrofoam and foam packaging.
Shredded paper.
Paper towels, tissues, and napkins.
Food scraps or liquids.
Batteries and electronics.
Scrap metal, pots, pans, and appliances.
Light bulbs and mirrors.
Window glass, drinking glasses, ceramics, and glass cookware.
Clothing and textiles.
Household trash.

Never put plastic bags of recyclables inside your cart. Recyclable materials should be placed loose in the container.

If you're unsure whether an item is accepted, leave it out until you can verify the local recycling guidelines.

Important: Plastic clamshells, cartons, paper and plastic to-go cups, plastic pails and buckets, and greasy pizza boxes are now accepted, provided they meet our preparation requirements.

Never bag your recyclables. Place accepted materials loose in the cart.

3. Can I Recycle Glass Bottles and Jars?

Yes!

As of May 1, 2026, glass bottles and jars are accepted in Summit County's single-stream recycling program.

You can now place empty glass bottles and jars directly into your recycling cart alongside accepted paper, cardboard, metal cans, and plastic containers.

There is no need to separate glass by color.

However, not all glass is recyclable through this program.

Accepted: Beverage bottles and food jars.

Not accepted: Drinking glasses, mirrors, window glass, ceramics, porcelain, light bulbs, and glass cookware.

Only bottles and jars belong in your recycling cart.

4. Can I Recycle Plastic Clamshell Containers?

Yes! Plastic clamshell containers are now accepted in Garbage Gurus' single-stream recycling program.

These include common clear plastic containers used for strawberries, blueberries, salad greens, and takeout food.

Before recycling, remove leftover food and empty any liquids. Containers should be reasonably clean.

You can place accepted clamshells directly into your recycling cart along with your other recyclable materials.

Remember that a recycling symbol or number alone does not guarantee acceptance of every plastic product.

5. Do I Need to Wash My Recyclables?

You don't need to scrub every container until it looks new, but recyclables should be empty and reasonably clean.

Before placing items in your cart:

Empty any remaining food or liquids.
Give food containers a quick rinse when necessary.
Flatten cardboard boxes to conserve space.
Keep paper and cardboard dry whenever possible.
Place accepted recyclables loose in the cart.

Food residue and liquids can contaminate other recyclable materials, particularly paper and cardboard.

6. Can I Recycle Pizza Boxes?

Yes! You can now recycle cardboard pizza boxes, even if they have grease stains.

You no longer need to tear off and discard greasy sections of a pizza box.

Simply remove leftover pizza, cheese, crusts, and other food scraps before placing the box in your recycling cart.

Flatten boxes when possible to conserve space.

Pizza boxes containing leftover food or excessive food residue should be cleaned out before recycling.

7. Why Does Garbage Gurus Use Similar Trucks for Trash and Recycling?

Garbage Gurus uses commercial collection trucks capable of collecting and compacting either trash or recycling.

Trash and recycling are collected on separate routes and are not intentionally mixed together.

A truck that collects trash on one route may be used for recycling on a different route.

The type of truck does not determine whether your material is recycled. What matters is the material being collected and where that load is delivered.

Recycling loads are transported to the appropriate recycling facility rather than being disposed of as ordinary trash.

8. What Happens if My Recycling Cart Contains Trash or Unacceptable Materials?

Contaminated recycling creates additional sorting costs and can prevent otherwise recyclable materials from being recovered.

If our collection personnel identify significant contamination, Garbage Gurus may leave the recycling cart uncollected and notify the customer.

Depending on the circumstances, the customer may need to remove unacceptable materials before the next scheduled recycling pickup or arrange an alternative collection.

Recycling that cannot be accepted due to contamination may need to be handled as trash.

Please don't use your recycling cart as an overflow trash container.

9. Where Does My Recycling Go After Collection?

Garbage Gurus transports Summit County recycling to the Summit County Resource Allocation Park (SCRAP), where materials enter the regional recycling system.

Recyclable materials are prepared for further processing and transported to downstream facilities where they can be sorted and marketed for reuse.

Recovered materials can become raw materials for new products, reducing demand for virgin resources and conserving landfill space.

However, contamination makes this process more expensive and less effective.

The best way to support successful recycling is to place only accepted, reasonably clean materials in your cart.

10. Why Is Recycling Important in Summit County?

Summit County has limited landfill capacity, and transporting or disposing of waste becomes increasingly expensive as disposal infrastructure fills.

Recycling helps:

Conserve landfill space.
Recover valuable materials.
Reduce demand for new raw materials.
Support Colorado's waste diversion goals.
Protect the mountain environment.

Summit County has established a goal of diverting 40% of its waste from disposal by 2035.

Every household that recycles correctly helps support that goal.

11. Is Recycling Included With My Garbage Gurus Trash Service?

Garbage Gurus includes single-stream recycling with qualifying residential trash and recycling plans.

Our standard residential recycling program generally includes biweekly collection and a 64-gallon recycling cart provided at no additional charge.

Available service plans, collection schedules, and cart options depend on your address.

Customers may also select upgraded valet collection where available.

12. What's the Difference Between Curbside and Valet Recycling?

Curbside Recycling

Customers place their recycling carts at the designated roadside collection location on their scheduled service day and return the carts to storage afterward.

Valet Recycling

Garbage Gurus personnel retrieve recycling carts from an agreed-upon storage location, such as a garage, empty them, and return them after collection.

Valet service is especially convenient for vacation rentals, second homes, steep driveways, and customers who prefer not to move their carts.

13. How Can Vacation Rental Owners Help Guests Recycle Correctly?

Vacation rental guests may be unfamiliar with local recycling requirements, especially as the list of accepted materials expands.

We recommend:

Clearly labeling trash and recycling containers.
Displaying a short list of accepted recyclable materials near the carts.
Providing recycling instructions in guest welcome materials.
Explaining that plastic clamshells, paper and plastic to-go cups, cartons, and greasy pizza boxes are now accepted.
Reminding guests that glass bottles and jars are accepted.
Asking guests to empty containers and remove leftover food before recycling.
Reminding guests that plastic bags, foam packaging, and food waste do not belong in recycling carts.
Considering valet collection to eliminate the need for guests to move carts to the curb.

Garbage Gurus can help vacation rental owners provide simple recycling instructions for their guests.

14. Where Can I Find Official Summit County Recycling Guidelines?

For the most current accepted-material rules, visit the High Country Conservation Center:

https://highcountryconservation.org/recycling/

Recycling requirements can change as processing capabilities and markets evolve.

When in doubt, consult the official local guidelines before placing an unfamiliar item in your recycling cart.

Ready to Make Recycling Easier?

Garbage Gurus provides convenient trash and recycling collection for permanent residents, second homeowners, and vacation rentals throughout Colorado's mountain communities.

Choose from standard curbside collection or upgraded valet service, depending on your property's needs and available service options.

Enter your address to explore available service plans.

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