Recycling Reminders for Curbside Collection

The City of Cedar Rapids Solid Waste & Recycling division thanks residents for recycling and sending less to the landfill. Staff members encourage everyone to recycle what they can, and also want to remind residents to take care and follow steps for successful curbside collection. In this busy back-to-school season, staff are seeing an increase of cardboard boxes and other recycling items at collection areas. Following these tips helps to ensure an efficient collection route, which keeps drivers on time and helps to save fuel and lower emissions. 

• Please break down all cardboard boxes. If your blue CURBY recycling cart is full, you may place extra broken-down boxes in a cardboard box that is not broken down, placing this box next to the full CURBY cart. Please limit this box size to 2x3x2 feet.
• Fill your CURBY cart first, before setting boxes outside the cart. Staff are seeing an uptick in items being set outside of the cart, when there is space remaining in the cart.
• Glass recyclables go in a separate bucket up to five gallons in size; please do not set out the bucket to be collected until the bucket is mostly or completely full.
• Never put plastic bags in your CURBY cart. They may be recyclable at local grocery stores. Plastic bags can cause serious damage, even fires, at the recycling facility. Items should be loose in the cart, not bagged.