What should I do if I want my recycling collected prior to my normal collection day?
Cary citizens may dispose of recycling materials at the Citizen’s Convenience Center located at 313 N. Dixon Ave. Or you may call us at (919) 469-4090 to request a special pick up. The cost of this special collection is $10 per pickup.

What should I do if I can’t fit all of my household recycling into my recycling cart and I choose not to have a second cart?
All recycling must fit inside your new, 65-gallon Town-issued cart. Do not place recycling on top of or next to cart. Material for recycling that doesn’t fit completely inside the Town-issued cart can be taken to the Citizen’s Convenience Center located at 313 N. Dixon Ave for proper disposal.

Recycling Materials and Guidelines

Can I put all items together in the cart for recycling?
Yes. The Town uses a single stream recycling process that allows all acceptable materials to be put together in your curbside cart or bin.

Can I recycle all residential mixed paper curbside?
Yes. You can recycle all residential mixed paper in your curbside cart/bin as well as at the Citizen’s Convenience Center located at 313 N. Dixon Ave. Residential mixed paper includes:

• All white paper and color paper – copy paper, printer paper, letterhead, computer paper, notebook paper, fax paper
• Legal pad and scratch pad papers
• Junk mail and paper envelopes (manila envelopes and plastic windows OK)
• Brochures and manila file folders
• Card stock

Shredded paper is NOT accepted.

Does Residential mixed paper include books for recycling?
No. Residential mixed paper does not include books or the following items:

• Food contaminated papers
• Napkins, tissue, paper towels
• Wax paper
• Carbon paper
• Parchment paper or synthetic fiber envelopes such as Fed Ex envelopes
• No shredded paper
• No paper clips or binder clips

Why don’t you take shredded paper for recycling curbside or at the Citizen’s Convenience Center ?
Once paper is shredded, the fibers are cut to shorter pieces. Shorter fibers change the product to a lower grade class than whole paper, which can be recycled a few times before becoming low grade. Therefore, these two items are not recycled together. Shredded paper also tends to take up a large volume of space.

Where can I recycle shredded paper?
Citizens may recycle shredded paper at the Wake County Convenience Centers. Please visit www.wakegov.com or call (919) 856-6186 for Wake County Convenience Center information.

What can I do with old books and manuals?
Check to see if the library can use them. Thrift stores such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army may take book donations as well.

Can I recycle chipboard such as cereal boxes and empty paper towel rolls?
Yes. These items are considered chipboard, a type of cardboard. When it is torn, the frayed edges are usually brown or gray. Chipboard can also be recycled at the Citizen’s Convenience Center at 313 N. Dixon Ave. or at a Wake County Convenience Center.

Can I recycle SBS board curbside?
Yes. SBS (Solid Bleached Sulfate) board is accepted in your curbside recycling collection. When SBS board is torn, the edges are white. This can also be taken to a Wake County Convenience Center.

Can I recycle corrugated cardboard at the curb?
Yes. You can recycle corrugated cardboard (OCC) curbside. OCC is not waxed and not glossy cardboard. It has three layers (two flat layers surrounding a wavy layer inside).

For multi-family residents using an 18 gallon bin, please remember to flatten and cut cardboard into 2’ x 3’ pieces and place it inside or under your green bin.

I have lots of cardboard boxes. What should I do?
You can take cardboard to the Cary Citizen Convenience Center located at 313 N. Dixon Street. The 2’ x 3’ size requirement is waived, but make sure you flatten the boxes and remove any packaging paper and peanuts. If you have more than 20 boxes, you can arrange a special curbside pickup on your solid waste collection day by calling the department of Public Works and Utilities ahead of time at (919) 469-4090. Once again, the size requirement is waived, but the boxes must be clean and flattened and placed on the curb on your collection day by 7 a.m.

Can I recycle pizza boxes?
No. Even though pizza boxes are corrugated cardboard, they are contaminated with food that would interfere with the recycling process.

Why do I have to rinse my bottles and cans? Doesn’t recycling involve melting, which would destroy any food contamination?
Containers that have not been properly rinsed attract bees and other animals. This increases the chances that our recycling workers or family members may get stung or hurt. Although it’s true that recycling does involve high heat, food wastes do not disappear. The result is a poor quality product that must be placed in the landfill in its entirety.

Why must I throw away the lids?
Many lids are made out of materials that are not commonly recycled, and the lid might contain sharp edges. Even if the lid is made of plastic, it may be made from a different plastic type than the container.

How much is Cary recycling?
In FY 08, the Town of Cary picked up 8,400 tons of materials in curbside recycling bins, more than 11,000 tons of yard waste, 2,000 gallons of used motor oil, and 7.54 tons of used appliances. Cary is diverting about 41 percent of its waste stream from the landfill.

How do I dispose of household hazardous waste?
Wake County operates two year-round household hazardous waste centers. ( See locations .)

Read more about the Town of Cary’s household hazardous waste reduction program.

How can I dispose of used motor oil/filters?
Call the Department of Public Works and Utilities at (919) 469-4090 to arrange for a free curbside pickup. Please make sure that the containers are no larger than five gallons and are tightly capped. Label the container "USED MOTOR OIL". Oil filters must be triple-bagged for collection. Used motor oil can also be disposed of at no charge at either Wake County solid waste management facility.  

Will the town pick up yard waste curbside?
Yes. Yard waste is collected weekly on your regular garbage collection day. You can also dispose of yard waste at the Citizen's Convenience Center located at 313 N. Dixon Ave. Yard waste consists of vegetative matter collected as a result of landscaping. Examples of yard waste include grass clippings, brush, leaves and limbs. The Town may collect yard waste on a different schedule during a holiday. Please see holiday collection schedule.

Limbs should be no longer than 4 feet or larger than 4 inches in diameter. All soil must be removed. The maximum volume of curbside yard waste for regular collection at each home on one day cannot exceed 240 cubic feet (8 feet long by 5 feet wide by 6 feet). Two men must be able to load it into the truck within 10 minutes.

Yard waste should be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. on your regular collection day in reusable containers, paper bags, or securely tied bundles. Yard waste contained in plastic bags will not be collected.

How do I make compost?
Visit the Compost Education Center in Bond Park off High House Road. The center has samples of compost bins and a collection of native plants that tolerate drought. Read more about composting.

What does the recycling symbol mean when it’s on consumer products? Does it mean the item is made from recycled materials or that the item can be recycled?
A recycling logo doesn’t necessarily mean either since the law does not regulate recycling logos. To ensure you are buying a product made from recycled materials check the label for terms such as “30 percent post-consumer.” Look for labels that indicate the highest percentage of post consumer recycled content. Read more.

What’s the difference between post-consumer and pre-consumer recycled material?
Post consumer materials indicate the product was made with materials that were recycled by residents and businesses. Pre consumer recycled materials are made with industry scraps.

What can I do with my used appliances?
If the appliance still works, consider donating it to charity. Many organizations will arrange free pickup.

See other options for disposing of appliances through the Town of Cary or Wake County

What can I do with scrap tires?
See Wake County Multi-Material Drop Off.