Recycling Service

Recycling offers numerous benefits, such as resource conservation, preventing environmental damage, and supporting a circular economy. Recycling prolongs the life of the landfill by keeping valuable materials in the production cycle.

Recycling is the process of turning items or materials into new items. Recycling is based on supply and demand. While many items can be physically recycled, not all items are accepted in Denver’s purple carts. Denver accepts items that are recyclable, can be safely collected, transported and processed, and have reliable end markets for manufacturing.  

Recycling is collected every other week, on the same day as trash and compost.

• Visit the Schedules and Reminders page or download the FREE Denver Trash and Recycling app; enter in your address to find your schedule. Sign up for email, phone, or push notification to receive collection reminders and service alerts. 

• Use the Solid Waste Service Finder or reference the 2026 Wastewise Newsletter to determine if your collection is A or B week. You can also find more about set out locations, and the scheduled day for Large Item Pickup week.
• Download 2026 Wastewise Newsletter:
  • 2026 A Week- Wastewise Newsletter(PDF, 4MB)
  • 2026 B Week- Wastewise Newsletter(PDF, 4MB)

Items travel on a conveyor belt through a combination of manual, mechanical, and automated processes, including screens, magnets, blowers, and optical sorters that identify different material types. Contamination, or residue, is removed and sent to the landfill. The commodities are then baled by material type and transported to manufacturers.

Contamination is non-recyclable material that is put into the recycling stream. It can be placed in carts intentionally or unintentionally but can cause significant challenges for collection crews and at the Materials Recovery Facility.

Contamination in the recycling may include plastic bags, trash, pet waste, non-recyclable plastics, yard trimmings, hazardous waste, or electronics.

Plastic bags and other soft, filmy plastic are Denver’s #1 recycling contaminant. Plastic bags are NOT accepted in the purple carts, even if the bag is labeled as “recyclable.” There are two main reasons:  

Recycling sorting and processing cannot handle food residue and liquid. Please ensure all containers are empty and free of food and liquid. Thicker residue like peanut butter may need a quick rinse before recycling.

Maybe! Denver accepts plastic containers labeled #1-6, including bottles, tubs, jugs, jars, and cups. If it is not a container, it should not go in the recycling.That means that a plastic fork with a #5 label is not accepted, because it’s not a container.

Do not crush items like plastic bottles or aluminum cans before placing them in your cart. Crushing or leaving liquids in containers can lead to misreading and improper sorting.

Yes, non-greasy pizza boxes are recyclable. A small amount of grease is acceptable, but all food and small plastic items should be removed. You can remove any sections of the box that has significant food and grease residue and dispose of it in the black trashcart, and recycle the clean portion. Remember to use your best judgement, and “when in doubt, throw it out!”

Solid Waste Management collects recycling from residential buildings, including multi-family buildings up to 7 units. If you live in a building with 8+ units or are interested in recycling at your business, please visit the Universal Recycling and Composting Ordinance page to learn more about commercial recycling and composting in Denver.