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How to Recycle

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Residential Recycling


As humans, we generate an impressive amount of "stuff." Caring for our planet and our health means making sure the stuff we don't use, need, or want anymore is properly disposed of or, whenever possible, recycled. Conserving resources and protecting our community's health and environment are shared goals of Clark County's Recycling/Solid Waste program and Master Composter/Recycler program.

In Clark County, recycling collection, sorting, processing, and marketing services are provided by private companies, under contract to the county and/or to cities within the county.    Residential recycling collection is provided by contracted haulers in the cities and throughout the county.

There are no active public landfills in the county. There are three garbage transfer stations; offering free drop-off of recycling materials during all business hours and free drop-off of household hazardous wastes on specified dates each month. 

Many household products contain hazardous chemicals that can, if not properly disposed of, pollute water, harm wildlife and threaten your drinking water and well-being. To learn more about how to identify household hazardous waste (HHW) in your own home, go to What is Household Hazardous Waste? Download a list of upcoming HHW collection events here.

Curbside Recycling

Curbside recycling is available to ALL residents of Clark County. In some cities and urban growth areas, curbside recycling is mandatory. In all areas, recycling is picked up on the same day as garbage (self-haul garbage customers are given a recycling schedule). Residents are assigned a pick-up day when they sign up for garbage service.

 

How do I know who my recycling service provider is?

In all areas of Clark County except the greater Woodland area, contact Waste Connections, Inc. (360) 892-5370 or email customerhelp@wasteconnections.com. 

If you live within the City of Woodland, you may contact Waste Control at (360) 225-7808. 



Vancouver now has roll carts for residential recycling!

For more details on the new roll carts visit the City of Vancouver's website here

The new recycling cart program in the City of Vancouver replaces a three-bin system with a 96-gallon rolling cart, which will be collected every other week.

The roll cart system means less mess, greater energy efficiency, and more recyclables recovered.

What goes in the recycling cart? All the materials that you currently recycle in your three stacking bins, except glass, will go in the new cart. Cardboard will also go into the cart. With the carts you can now recycle margarine tubs, nursery pots and 5-gallon or less plastic buckets!

Household batteries will go on top of the recycling cart. Antifreeze and oil will continue to be placed next to the cart in proper containers. Use one of your old recycling stacking bins as a handy container for the glass, placing it on the side of the cart.

How to use the rollcart:

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Into the Bin:
    Plastics: clean plastic bottles; yogurt, margarine and other clean tubs; and 5-gallon or less nursery pots and buckets. Metal: Aluminum, clean metal/tin cans and lids; clean foil pie plates and trays; empty aerosol cans; and other small metal items. 
  • Newspapers
  • Mixed paper: mail, office paper, magazines, catalogs, cereal boxes, rinsed milk and juice boxes, small cardboard boxes

On top or beside the rollcart:

  • Batteries, antifreeze and motor oil:
  • Put your used motor oil or antifreeze in a 1-gallon, clear plastic jug with a screw cap and place them next to your “glass only” bin early on the morning of recycling collection. If possible, clearly mark the jug as used oil or used antifreeze.
  • To recycle household batteries -- AA, AAA, C, D, Lithium, Mercury, Ni-Cad – put batteries in a clear, re-sealable plastic bag and place them on the lid of your recycling cart.
  • Glass and bottles: place in a small bin beside the cart.

 

Can I recycle plastics that don’t go in the recycling cart?

These plastic materials CANNOT be placed in your new recycling cart:

 

Lids from plastic containers aren’t recoverable through the sorting system and should not go in the cart.

Styrofoam™

Plastic take-out containers from restaurants

Grocery produce “clamshells” such as used for cherry tomato or berry containers; and no plastic bags.

Plastic bags.

Plastic bags get wrapped around the shafts of recycling sorting equipment and jams the machinery. Many grocery stores accept clean plastic bags for recycling. Better yet, use reusable bags for shopping to reduce the amount of plastic bags you use.

Some plastics that are not accepted in your curbside cart can be dropped off at one of the local transfer stations. Check www.recyclinga-z.com on the Internet to find recycling options for plastics not accepted at the transfer stations.

Can I self-haul my own recycling?

Yes. Both transfer stations will accept your self-hauled recyclables. West Van Materials Recovery Center offers a buy back program for some recyclable commodities. Please call (360) 737-1727 for specific information on the types of commodities accepted, minimum quantities to qualify, material preparation requirements and current buy back rates.

 

Other Items accepted for a fee:

  • Yard debris
  • Clean wood
  • Sheet rock
  • Appliances