Residential recycling collection

Every-other-week recycling began July 5, 2011

New roll-out carts make recycling easier

• Each resident receives, at no charge, one new 96-gallon black recycling cart (with a lid to keep material dry and prevent litter!). All recycling goes in this cart together. The cart is property of the City of Concord.
• The new black recycling carts are easier to use and place at the curb than bins, hold more items, increase collection efficiency, and reduce the cost for recycling, allowing the City to save valuable tax dollars.
• The new black cart is the same size as your garbage cart; it will hold over 5 times more recyclables than the 18-gallon bin (the increased capacity will hold two week’s worth of recycling for most residences).
• The new black cart replaces the old 18-gallon green bins. Due to the new automated collection process, the old bins are no longer collected.
• You can place your green bins next to your new black cart for recycling, or keep them to reuse for something else.
• We encourage everyone to recycle as much as possible, but please wait until January 1, 2012 before requesting an additional black recycling cart. After January 1, 2012, the City will supply a second black recycling cart to anyone who needs one at no cost (call 704-920-5555).

More items than ever are now recycled curbside

Residents can recycle many new items to further reduce the waste going to the landfill. Please rinse all food, drink, or other residues from items first. Here’s an updated list of recyclable items:

NEW! Empty Aerosol Cans (no paint cans)

NEW! All Plastics (no Styrofoam, bags, or film)

NEW!  Wide-Mouth Plastic Containers & Lids  

NEW!  Rigid Plastic Containers & Small Hard Plastic Toys  

NEW!  Milk & Juice Cartons, & Juice Boxes 

NEW!  Shredded Paper (placed in clear bag)

• Aluminum Cans
• Metal Food Cans & Lids
• Glass Bottles & Jars
• Cereal & Food Boxes
• Cardboard Boxes
• Mixed Paper, Newspapers with Inserts, & Junk Mail
• Paperback Books
• Magazines & Phone Books
• Spiral Paper Cans (with plastic lids detached)

Proper cart placement (click on the picture to read the caption)

The following should not go in your black cart

• Household garbage 
• Computers, printers, and old televisions: As a new service, the City recycles e-waste for no extra fee!  Call 704-920-5555 to schedule curbside pickup.
• Small appliances like toasters, vacuum cleaners, and blenders: Call 704-920-5555 to schedule curbside pickup.
• CFL light bulbs (spiral energy saving bulbs): Do not place them in your recycling cart or garbage cart (they contain mercury) – take them to Cabarrus County Public Libraries, the County Manager’s Office, or the Household Hazardous Waste Facility.
• Pizza boxes (or other cardboards with food residue)
• Plastic bags, plastic film, or plastic wrap (recycle shopping bags at participating stores)
• Styrofoam
• Caps (only wide-mouth plastic and steel can lids can be recycled)
• Audio and video cassettes, and photographic film
• CDs and DVDs
• Rubber or tires (call 704-920-5555 to schedule curbside pickup of tires)
• Paint cans
• Household glassware
• Clothing (or other fabric)

Have more questions?  Please visit the FAQ page.