The Hard to Recycle Station is an Alliance community resource that diverts hard-to-recycle items from the landfill.  We take many common waste items that aren’t accepted by standard municipal recycling systems. Then we send them to companies and partners who prevent them from going to the landfill. Since its creation, the Hard to Recycle Station has prevented hundreds of thousands of items from entering the waste stream!

The Hard to Recycle Station is now open to the general public Monday through Friday from 9am – 4:30pm! Want to play a role in waste reduction? You can drop off items at the station on the first floor of our building, make a gift to keep the station running and/or sign up to volunteer to help us sort through items!

**We do not accept donations via mail.**

**Financial contributions are strongly encouraged for every drop off to support the running of this station.**


HISTORY OF THE HARD TO RECYCLE STATION

ITEMS WE ACCEPT

Here you can see the types of items we accept, examples of each waste stream and any collection specifications we have. Please bring your hard to recycle station items to the Alliance in person. Want a copy of this list of items for your home? Click below for a PDF of we currently accept!

BATTERIES

Examples: AA, AAA, C, D, 9 volt, hearing aid batteries, button cells, etc.

Various types of batteries in front of a white background

LIGHT BULBS

Examples: Incandescent, halogen, compact florescent bulbs (CFLs), etc.

Important Note: We do not accept broken bulbs. Please only bring bulbs that are intact!

Various lightbulbs with a white background

WRITING UTENSILS

Examples: Pencils, pens, markers, dry erase markers, permanent markers, etc.

Various writing utensils in front of a white background

INK CARTRIDGES

Examples: Cartridges for laser, ink and solid printers for both at-home and commercial use.

Several types of print cartridges in front of a white background

E-WASTE

Examples: Cords, laptops, anything smaller than a laptop.

Important Note: We cannot accept smoke detectors or CO2 detectors. We cannot accept monitors, printers or other large electronics. We recommend SustainAbility and BlueStar Recyclers as alternative options for recycling your e-waste!

Various types of electronics with a white background.

PLASTIC BAGS AND LINERS

Examples: Shrink wrap, saran wrap, ziplock bags, bread bags, tortilla chip bags (not foiled lined), cereal bags, six pack rings, flower bouquet wrapping, breast milk bags, boxed wine bags (no cap), etc.

A plastic grocery bag and a zippable plastic back in front of a white background.

PET FOOD AND TREAT BAGS

Examples: Large plastic pet food bags, foil-lined treat bags, pet food or treats bags that have multiple paper layers on the inside, etc.

Pet food and treat bags in front of a white background

FOIL LINED BAGS AND WRAPPERS

Examples: Coffee bags, cracker and chip bags, Emergen-C packets, granola bar wrappers, etc.

Snack wrappers and candy wrappers with a white background

HYGIENE AND BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Examples: Deodorant, contact lens containers, make up, razors, lotions, lip stick, oxygen absorbers, perfume containers, loofahs, wet wipe containers, tooth brushes, birth control packets, hand soap dispensers, hair brushes, etc.

Important Note: All items must be empty.

Photos of various beauty products in front of a white background.

BABY FOOD AND DRINK POUCHES

Examples: Beachnut Organics, Earth’s Best, Capri Sun, Honest Tea, etc.

Important Note: All containers must be empty.

Three baby food packages with a white background

CLEANING PRODUCTS

Examples: Air filters, gloves, spray nozzles, miscellaneous hard plastics, small rigid plastic pieces, plastic lids, trays, six pack rings, scrub brushes, gift cards, etc.

Various cleaning products in front of a white background.

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THIS STATION

We are honored to offer this free resource to our community, but we need your help to keep this service running!

We suggest making a financial gift of any size to the Hard to Recycle Station each time you make a big drop off. Your gift will help cover staff time required to sort through waste, costs to ship items and general upkeep of the station. You can give virtually using the link below and the QR code at the station or in-person with our staff at the building!

Another way you can support the HTR station is by volunteering! You’ll help our team sort through the waste items and package them up so they can be recycled or upcycled properly. Just fill out our volunteer form today!

PARTNERS OF THE HARD TO RECYCLE STATION

Thank you to Ridwell for providing ongoing support to this station. It wouldn’t be possible without you!

Have questions or want additional information about the Hard to Recycle station? Email us at hardtorecycle@thealliancecenter.org.