Search the A-Z List

Containers with material should be disposed at Household Hazardous Waste Events, while empty containers can be recycled with other metals.

These can be recycled or may be returned for a deposit if they are marked for deposit return.

Clean, dry aluminum foil, pie plates and pans may be recycled in curbside bins or at any transfer station. Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF) cannot process items smaller than 2” so ball up aluminum foil into a larger component before placing in your recycling bin

Ammunition is not accepted at transfer stations, nor should it be put in the trash. You may contact local firearm dealers to see if they will accept it or contact the Vermont State Police.

Antifreeze should not be thrown in the trash and is accepted at Household Hazardous Waste Events hosted three times a year.

Appliances are generally accepted at all transfer stations. Items with Freon may only be accepted at stations that can have that material removed.

Asbestos can be accepted at Household Hazardous Waste Events if it is properly wetted and bagged beforehand. Contact the Alliance for details.

Currently, only the Bennington transfer station accepts asphalt shingles for recycling. Call your local transfer station to see if they accept this material.

Vermont participates in a comprehensive battery recycling program for a variety of single-use and rechargeable batteries. Visit our Batteries page under our Special Recycling section for safe recycling tips and drop-off locations. Batteries should not be recycled in your curbside recycling program or thrown into the trash.

Clean blankets and bedding can be donated and recycled at textile drop boxes and at several non-profit agencies located within the Alliance area. Visit our Clothing and Textiles page for a complete listing of acceptable materials and locations. Clothing and textiles should not be thrown in the trash.

Books can be donated to local libraries or sold to used bookstores in the area.

Plastic caps that can be screwed back on plastic bottles may be recycled with the bottle. Metal caps (beer, soda) that cannot be placed back on the bottle DO NOT go into recycling because they are too small to be processed properly and should be collected and discarded with scrap metal at a transfer station. Any other cap that is not made of metal should be thrown into the trash.

These can be recycled. Visit this site for more information: https://www.brita.com/recycling-filters/

Used or outdated car seats should not be donated for reuse for safety reasons and cannot be recycled through curbside collection or transfer stations. Target hosts take-back events scheduled at certain times during the year for old car seats, regardless of their condition. CarSeatRecycling and Terracycle also have recycling programs for car seats for a fee.

Cardboard is accepted in curbside recycling and at all transfer stations. Break/cut larger pieces down so that they can be easily removed from your bin at curbside.

CD and DVD cases that cannot be reused or donated may be thrown in the trash. Greendisk also accepts these materials for recycling for a fee and shipping.

Donate good condition tiles to Habitat For Humanity Restore or resell on sites such as Front Porch Forum, and Facebook. Tile materials are made of vinyl or mineral fibers and should be thrown in the trash. Commercial contractors with a large quantity to dispose of may recycle any brand tile through Armstrong Ceilings Recycling Program.

Cell phones may be accepted at E-Waste sites or at retailers. Cell phone dealers such as ATT, Verizon, Sprint and others may also accepted old cell phones. Be sure to remove your personal information (For Apple, and Android).

Clean wood is accepted at all transfer stations and at the TAM Pownal Facility. There may be a charge for disposing of clean wood.

Clean clothing and textiles can be donated and recycled at textile drop boxes and at several non-profit agencies located within the Alliance area. Visit our Clothing and Textiles page for a complete listing of acceptable materials and locations. Clothing and textiles should not be thrown in the trash.

Coffee pods cannot be recycled in curbside collection or transfer stations because they are too small and can be made of multiple components. Preserve Products has a recycling program for these items.

Computers and computer peripherals (e.g. keyboards, mice, etc.) are accepted at a number of transfer stations, Goodwill stores, and Staples. Visit our Computers and Electronics page for full details and participating locations. Computers and electronics are banned from the trash in Vermont.

Some transfer stations may accept construction and demolition debris (C & D) for a fee. Contact your local transfer station to see if they accept these materials.

There is no current recycling program available locally for contact lenses and packaging. All used lenses, plastic, and foil packaging should be discarded in the trash. DO NOT flush lenses down the toilet, as they break down into microparticles that impact the environment.

These are not accepted at transfer stations and should not be put out in the trash. Contact the Vermont State Police for disposal options.

Plain, unscented, non-lotion, facial tissues that are unused, or have been in contact with only water or food may be composted in your backyard or in commercial facilities (curbside or transfer station drop off). Tissues that have been used to blow your nose can only be composted commercially (curbside or transfer station drop off) where the high temperature process kills the pathogens. Tissues cannot be recycled as their fibers are too short to be manufactured into another item.

Some fire extinguishers may be refilled for reuse. Those that need to be disposed of should be brought to one of our household hazardous waste collection events held three times a year throughout the area. Fire Extinguishers should not be thrown in the trash. See our list of upcoming household hazardous waste collection events.

Fluorescent bulbs, in many shapes and sizes are accepted at many local retailers and a number of transfer stations. Visit our Fluorescent Bulbs page for full details and participating drop off locations. Fluorescent bulbs cannot be disposed of in the trash because they contain mercury.

Food scraps are banned from the trash in Vermont and may be composted in backyard composting systems, donated to farms, or dropped off community collection points and transfer stations. Visit our Diverting Food Scraps and Organics page to learn about Vermont’s food scrap band and visit our Composting page for guidance on how to compost at home.

Useable furniture may be donated to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity Restore and Goodwill or sold online through Facebook, Front Porch Forum and Craigslist. Unusable furniture is accepted at most transfer stations for a fee.

Single-use glass containers are accepted in curbside recycling programs and at all transfer stations. Containers should be clean and dry to be recycled (Remove any sticky or oily residue by soaking then rinsing container in hot water.) Many glass bottles (e.g., soda, beer, liquor, and spirits) can be returned to distributors for a deposit. Dishes, vases, window glass, etc. are not accepting in recycling and should be disposed into the trash when not suitable for reuse or donation.

Wire hangers (coated or bare) may be dropped off at scrap metal collection facilities. Wood hangers made of “clean” wood (free of staining, finishes, or glues) may be deposited with clean wood at transfer stations after any metal hanger hook or pant fasteners are removed. All other hangers must be disposed of in the trash and CANNOT be recycled.

Visit our website section on hazardous waste for a full description of available recycling programs and disposal guidelines.

Inkjet and toner cartridges of any brand may be dropped off in limited quantities at participating Staples stores.

Inkjet cartridges are included in Vermont’s e-waste collection program and may left in the printer you dispose at participating collection sites. Many manufacturers of toner cartridges offer return mail recycling programs for a variety of cartridges.

Leaf and Yard Debris are accepted at all transfer stations.

Mattresses are accepted at most transfer stations.

Older thermostats found in homes and commercial locations can contain anywhere from 2.5 to 10 grams of mercury, which is enough to contaminate a small lake. Click here to read more about how you can recycle and dispose of mercury thermostats.

Haulers and transfer stations in Vermont do not accept milk, juice, or aseptic cartons for recycling as they are made of multi-compositional (plastics, paper, metal, coatings) material. Dispose of these in the trash unless your hauler tells you otherwise.

Used motor oil (and some transmission fluids) may accepted at automotive retail and repair facilities free of charge. Some transfer stations also accept used motor who may charge a fee. Visit our Motor Oil page for details and participating locations.

Visit our Sharps page for instructions on proper disposal of syringes, sharps, and needles.

Architectural paint, stains, coatings, and varnishes may be recycled though PaintCare, a national industry sponsored stewardship program. Visit our Paint page for list of acceptable materials and participating retailers.

Paper is accepted at all transfer stations.

Pesticides CANNOT be placed in the trash and should be dropped off at household hazardous waste collection events hosted by the Alliance three times a year. Visit our Upcoming Events page for our next collection event.

Bottles measuring at least 2” in two dimensions can be recycled in curbside collections or transfer stations. (Caps may remain on plastic bottles.) Bottles that are smaller should be placed in the trash.

Pizza boxes free of stuck on food (cheese, crust, toppings) may be recycled in your curbside bin or brought to the transfer station. (Grease stains are okay.)

Sections of pizza boxes with stuck on food, such as the lid, may be placed in backyard composting bins or municipal composting facility where permitted. Recycle the remaining clean portion of the box with other cardboard.

Non-black colored plastic pots may be recycled in curbside collection or at transfer stations. Black plastic pots should be thrown away if they can’t be reused.

lastic bags, film, overwrap, bubble wrap, cereal box liners, and Amazon padded mailers are recyclable through large chain grocery stores. This includes flexible polyethylene plastic labeled #2 or #4 and should NEVER placed in your recycling bin. Plastic bags should not be used in any way to dispose of recycling. Place items loose in your recycling bin or when dropping off at the transfer station. Visit our plastic film page for a full list of acceptable materials and drop off locations.

Single-use plastic containers labeled #1 through #7 may be disposed in your curbside recycling bin or dropped off at transfer stations. Plastic film is NOT recycled in your curbside bin or at transfer stations but can be dropped off at participating retail locations.

Prescription medicines should not be thrown in the trash NOR flushed down the toilet. Visit our prescriptions page for proper disposal and take-back locations.

One- and twenty-pound propane tanks are accepted at most transfer stations, but the valves have to be removed so the tank is taken as scrap. If you have a tank with gas, Haskins Gas Service (802-867-5741) will also accept propane tanks that still contain gas. One- and twenty-pound propane tanks are also accepted at household hazardous waste collection events held three times a year.

Some transfer stations accept electronic items for a fee. Goodwill of the Northern Berkshires and Southern Vermont may also accept some of these items for donation.

Refrigerators and other devices containing Freon are accepted at all alliance transfers stations. Check with your local transfer station for pricing information.

Reuse ribbons and bows whenever possible. Otherwise, throw them into the trash as they are not recyclable.

Scrap metal is accepted at many area transfer stations.

Shoes in good condition (clean with treads on soles) may be donated to Goodwill of the Northern Berkshires and Southern Vermont. Textile boxes located throughout the area also accept clean shoes, clothing, and textiles for donation.

Many smoke alarms contain a small amount of radioactive substances. Contact the company that makes the detector to learn about returns and recycling. Curie Environmental Services in Albuquerque, New Mexico recycles individual smoke detectors from individuals and larger commercial entities for a fee. While smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors aren’t banned from landfills in Vermont, care should be taken to remove any batteries prior to disposal and recycle them at participating locations.

Styrofoam can’t be recycled, so it is best if you reduce your use of this material. Packing peanuts can be reused when you are shipping in the future or storing breakable items.

Tires are accepted at many areas transfer stations.

Preserve is a company offering recycling of tooth brushes. Visit this site for more information: https://www.preserveproducts.com/recycle

Envelopes that are labeled HDPE #2 or LDPE #4 are recycled through plastic film recycling programs at area large-chain retailers. They do not go into curbside recycling or at transfer stations. Remove any paper shipping labels before recycling.

When not reusable, plain wrapping paper without heavy coatings can be recycled along with tissue paper in your curbside recycling or at the transfer station. Wrapping paper with glitter, foil, metallic print, mylar, cellophane, or coatings are not recyclable and should be placed in your household trash. Bows and ribbon that can’t be reused should also be placed in the trash.

We’re still working on this and others, so visit us again.

Leaves can be composted or mixed with your food scraps for composting. Contact your transfer station if you need to dispose of leaf and yard waste off of your property.