Recycling 101: You can help reduce the cost of recycling.
Help Reduce the Cost of Recycling
You can help reduce the cost of recycling. Become educated on what IS and what IS NOT recyclable.
The chart below shows some of the most common household items and how they should be disposed.
IMPORTANT COST SAVING TIPS FOR RECYCLING:
- Be sure to empty and rinse containers, wipe or scrape out food, and drain liquids.
- Put recyclable items in the recycling bin without bagging them in plastic trash bags. Plastic bags get tangled in the machinery used to sort recyclables, resulting in downtime and higher labor and maintenance costs. Paper bags are acceptable to use and are encouraged for items that easily fly away, like paper shreds.
| Item Description | How To Dispose | Helpful Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aerosol Cans | Drop off at SPSA or at a Chesapeake Recycles Day Event (see below) | |
| Batteries | Drop off at SPSA , Batteries Plus or at a Chesapeake Recycles Day Event (see below) | |
| Bubble Wrap, Air Pouches & Plastic Shipping Materials | Most grocery stores, Target, Walmart, Lowes and UPS Stores | |
| Cardboard | Recycle Bin | Clean, Dry & Folded |
| Cartons | Recycle Bin | Emptied & Rinsed |
| Ceramic Items | Trash | |
| Clothes | Trash or Donate to Charity | |
| Diapers | Trash | |
| Electronics (Small) | Drop off at Best Buy, Office Depot, Target or Batteries Plus | Click Here to Find a Location Near you |
| Food Containers - Clamshell | Trash | These Cause Problems in the Recycling Process |
| Food Waste | Trash or Compost | |
| Glass Bottles | Drop off at Wawa or Target | Emptied & Rinsed |
| Glass - Miscellaneous (Windows, Mirrors, etc.) | Drop off at SPSA or at a Chesapeake Recycles Day Event (see below) | |
| Greasy Food Containers | Trash | |
| Hangers | Drop off at SPSA or at a Chesapeake Recycles Day Event (see below) | |
| Hazardous Waste (Motor Oil, Paint, etc.) | Drop off at SPSA or at a Chesapeake Recycles Day Event (see below) | |
| Hypodermic Needles | Trash | Place in a Rigid Container Before Disposing |
| Light Bulbs | Trash | Wrap in Plastic if Broken |
| Metal Cans | Recycle Bin | Emptied & Rinsed |
| Paper (Newspaper, Magazines, Phone Books, Junk Mail and Other Paper) | Recycle Bin | |
| Prescription Medications | Drop off at Police Headquarters or Walgreens | Find a Pharmacy Near You |
| Pizza Boxes | Trash | |
| Plastic Bags - Grocery & Shopping | Return to Store | |
| Plastic Bags - Food (Chips, Cereal, Storage Bags, etc.) | Trash | |
| Plastic Bottles & Jugs | Recycle Bin | Emptied & Rinsed |
| Propane Containers | Drop off at SPSA or at a Chesapeake Recycles Day Event (see below) | |
| Styrofoam | Trash | |
| Tanglers (Ropes, Chains, Extension Cords, etc.) | Trash | |
| Toys | Donate or Drop off at SPSA or at a Chesapeake Recycles Day Event (see below) | |
| Yard Waste | Compost or Schedule a Bulk Trash Pickup |
Chesapeake Recycles Day
During Chesapeake Recycles Day, Goodwill, SPSA, GFL and Shred-It come together to help collect a wide variety of items. Dates and locations are below. Hours are 9AM to Noon. Click here for complete details including a list of acceptable items.
- March 8
Southgate Shopping Plaza (South Norfolk)
2544 Bainbridge Blvd - April 12
Western Branch High School (Western Branch)
1968 Bruin Pl - October 4
Sentara College of Health Sciences (Greenbrier)
1441 Crossways Blvd - November 1
Tidewater Community College (Great Bridge)
1428 Cedar Rd
Handout / Flyer
Chesapeake Recycles is happy to support Maureen Keller’s Girl Scouts Gold Award Project which is designed to help citizens learn how to reduce, reuse and recycle. See the brochure below.
