General Guidelines for Collection Day

• Have your trash and recyclables out by 7:00 a.m. to ensure pickup.
• If you use trash cans or bags, do not use sizes larger than 32-gallon size. For the safety of our drivers, please do not overload trash cans or bags with more than 35 pounds of material.
• Tie trash bags securely.
• Additional charges will be added for trash, including yard waste, that exceeds your service level limits.
• If branches will not fit in your cart, cans or bags, cut branches into five-foot lengths and tie into bundles no larger than three feet in diameter.
• Tires, furniture, appliances, carpet, construction debris, etc., can be picked up for an extra charge.
• Call in advance to authorize special pickup of large or unusual items.
• Call in advance to arrange a change of address, a vacation stop and restart, or name change on your account.
• Grass clippings, bundled branches and special items must be placed within three feet of the curb or alley.

Guidelines for Automated Cart Service

• Only use trash and recycle carts provided by Western.
• Place carts at least two feet apart and two feet from parked cars, recycling bins, fences, mailboxes and other obstructions.
• Place carts with arrow facing the street and the handle facing your house.
• Unhook any temporary bungee cords or tie-downs you may have used to secure the lid before setting the cart(s) out on collection day.
• Do not overload cart(s). Do not place dirt, sod, brick, concrete or rock in the cart(s).
• Please bag your trash and tie securely before placing in cart.
• Do not bag recyclable items. Place them directly in the appropriate recycle cart.
• Do not place anything on top of cart(s).
• Do not mark or write anywhere on the cart surface. Do not paint or deface the cart in any way.
• Do not place hot ashes, coals or other flammable materials such as solvents, oil, gas or paint in the cart.
• Fill your trash cart first before placing materials outside the cart.
• Do not remove the cart(s) from your home if you move. The cart(s) is the property of Western Disposal.
• All recyclables must fit in the cart.

With any service level, if there is more trash than the service level allows, or if large and bulky items are put out, it will result in an additional charge. Please call in advance so we may advise you of the charge.

Guidelines for Can/Bag/Bin Service

• Do not set out your recyclables on windy days. When possible, save your materials for the next assigned pickup day for the appropriate material.
• Use sturdy plastic bins to set out your recyclables.
• Do not set out recyclables in plastic or paper bags.
• Tie trash bags securely.
• Use trash cans or bags which are no larger than a 32-gallon size (no 55 gallon drums). Do not overload trash cans or bags. They should not exceed 35 pounds.
• If animals get into your trash, spray the outside of the cans or bags with ammonia.

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These guidelines apply to customers who subscribe to our cart or bin service.  See below for the guidelines for co-collect bag customers.

The following lists recyclable items by category.  For instance, all items under Mixed Paper can be placed in the same container, and all items under Commingled Containers can be placed in the same container.

To download a printable version of these guidelines in English click here.

To download a printable version of these guidelines in Spanish click here.

MIXED PAPER 

YES

• Stapled magazines and catalogs only
• Phone books
• Newspapers & their inserts (discard plastic bags)
• Corrugated cardboard & brown paper bags
• Paperboard (cereal, shoe & gift boxes, flat sheet cardboard from tablets)
• Envelopes (with or without windows)
• Slick ads & brochures
• Paper--letterhead, fax & computer
• Manila file folders 
• White or pastel paper
• Opened & sorted mail
• Carbonless (NCR) paper
• Legal pads & wire-spiral notebooks
• Paper egg cartons
• Six- or twelve-pack paper cartons

Staples, rubberbands and paperclips are ok
If cardboard boxes don’t fit in cart, flatten them and
place under cart lid.
 
NO

• No trash or non-fiber material
• No books (hard or paperback)
• No gift wrap
• No blueprints
• No photographs
• No carbon paper
• No boxes lined with foil or plastic
• No plastic bags or string
• No paper ream wrappers
• No dark or fluorescent colored paper
• No wrapping paper or tissue paper
• No tissues or paper towels
• No Kraft paper with golden brown color
• No shredded paper
• No hanging file folders
• No frozen food containers
• No Styrofoam egg cartons
• No paper bags (except brown Kraft bags)
• No paper plates or cups
• No pet food, kitty litter, fertilizer or charcoal bags

If in doubt, throw it out!  Don’t guess.

COMMINGLED CONTAINERS

To download a printable version of Commingled Containers guidelines in English

click here.

To download a printable version of Commingled Containers guidelines in Spanish

click here.

YES

• Steel (tin) cans
• Empty aerosol cans
• Aluminum cans & foil
• Metal jar lids & bottle caps
• Paper milk cartons & drink boxes
• Glass bottles & jars of all colors
• Screw-topped plastic bottles with a #1, #2 or #5 on the bottom
  (remove & discard plastic bottle caps)

 
Please empty and rinse all containers
Flatten large plastic bottles
Don’t ball up aluminum foil
Labels are OK

NO

• No trash
• No scrap metal
• No plastic lids, bags or 6-pack holders
• No film canisters
• No vitamin or prescription bottles
• No motor oil bottles
• No yogurt, margarine or other wide-mouthed tubs
• No deli or salad bar “clamshell” boxes
• No #3, #4, #6 or #7 plastics
• No frozen juice containers or straws
• No small drink containers with plastic or foil
• No microwave trays or drink pouches
• No drinking glasses, windows, light bulbs, plates or vases
• No mirrors, ceramics or Pyrex®

If in doubt, throw it out!  Don’t guess.

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CO-COLLECT BAG GUIDELINES

These guidelines apply to customers who live in rural or mountain areas and subscribe to our co-collect bag service.

To download a printable version of the guidelines for co-collect bags in English click here.

To download a printable version of the guidelines for co-collect bags in Spanish click here

This program is designed so that you can mix everything together in one bag.  All recyclables included in the guidelines above, except glass items, can be placed in the bag.  You may mix your newspaper, junk mail, cans and plastic bottles.  Glass is not allowed in this program to protect our drivers and sorters.

How to Maximize Your Recycling at Home (and Decrease Your Trash)
The key to efficient recycling is an easy-to-use storage system that fits into your daily routine. Recycling can take effort, but when you make it convenient and create a system for it, recycling gets to be an easy habit. Here are some tips that will help you recycle more and trash less:

• Make recycling convenient. Have a place to store recyclables wherever they are generated. Example: place a box under your desk in your home office for office paper, set a bin under your kitchen sink for commingled containers.
   
• Set up an intermediate holding location for each level of your home using separate bins for mixed paper, commingled containers and trash. These bins can then be easily emptied taken to the trash and recycle area outside.
   
• Have a dedicated storage area outside for your recyclables. If you have recycle carts, they can be placed almost anywhere: garages, carports, on the side of your house, etc. The carts have lids and friction locks to protect materials from the wind and weather, and they are difficult for animals to access.
   
• Place a copy of the recycle guidelines wherever you have a recycle container so you can easily identify what materials are acceptable guidelines.
   
• Place a copy of the recycle collection calendar where it is convenient and easy to find. Examples: attached with a magnet to your refrigerator or thumb tacked to your garage wall above your recycle carts. 
   
• Start “waste reduction” at the store:
  • Select products with minimal packaging
  • Use products in containers that can be recycled locally
  • Reuse plastic and paper grocery bags or bring your own canvas or net bags
  • Bring your own containers to stores that sell products in bulk

• Compost your food scraps and yard waste. For larger quantities of yard waste, consider these alternatives:
  • Utilize the annual City of Boulder Spring cleanup at curbside to dispose of yard waste
  • Bring materials to the year-round yard waste drop-off sponsored by the city of Boulder and Boulder County—located at Western Disposal’s Trash and Recycle Center.
  • Deliver your leaves to your municipality’s fall leaf recycling program

• Reuse items when possible. Donate clothing, furniture, etc., to any of the following charities. 

Organizations that pick up reusable items free of charge:

• Vietnam Veterans of America 800-775-8387
• Association for Retarded Citizens 303-238-5263
• Salvation Army 800-958-7825
• ARES Thrift Shops 303-651-6066 (Longmont) or 303-444-8088 (Boulder)
• Disabled American Veterans 303-288-8387 x303

Drop-off centers:

• Bargain Basement Thrift  720-494-0987 (Longmont)
• Birds of Prey Rehabilitation Foundation Thrift Shoppe  720-890-4311 (Louisville)
• Boulder County Recycling Center
• Boulder Humane Society Thrift Shop 303-415-0685
• Flatirons Habitat Thrift Store  303-404-2008 (Broomfield)
• Goodwill Industries 303-650-7700
• HospiceCare & Share Thrift Shop  303-604-5353 (Boulder)
• Longmont Humane Society Thrift Store  720-494-8348
• Savers  303-499-6979 (Boulder)
• 2nd Hand Revival  303-258-7240 (Nederland)
• Sister Carmen Community Center  303-665-4342 (Lafayette)
• Get your entire household involved. If you have children, make recycling an educational opportunity. Make recycling easy and fun. Reward your household for a job well done.
• Explore this website or call the Recycle Boulder Hotline at 303-441-4234 for additional help and information.

Have another good idea? Please e-mail it to us at recycle@westerndisposal.com.

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