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1. How should I dispose of my used syringes?

Used syringes are a common contaminant at our recycling center and also a dangerous one that puts the safety of our workers at risk! Therefore, they do not belong in your recycling container. Never put them in recycling. To safely dispose of used syringes, check with your doctor about a prescription for containers for used sharps or you may buy them online. If you do not wish to pursue either of these options, place the clipped needle and syringe in a sturdy plastic container such as a detergent bottle. Put a warning label stating "WARNING: USED SYRINGES" on the container. Seal the bottle and tightly recap it as well as duct tape it. To correctly and safely dispose of the container, please bring it to a participating hospital or place it in your regular trash. DO NOT RECYCLE THIS CONTAINER. For more information, please visit our safe syringe disposal webpage at http://co.burlington.nj.us/DocumentCenter/View/3871/Safe-Syringe-Flyer-2020?bidId=

2. Who should recycle?

Residents
All Burlington County residents, including residents of apartments and condominiums, are required to recycle cardboard, paper, food and beverage cans, glass bottles and jars, and plastic bottles # 1 and # 2 type only.

Apartment Landlords/Condominium Associations
Apartment Landlords and Condominium Complex Associations are required by municipal ordinance, to provide recycling containers in convenient areas for their residents. Recycling areas and containers must be clearly labeled and residents routinely advised of recycling requirements. The County Recycling Office does provide recycling literature to those Complexes that are serviced by the Occupational Training Center, via the Burlington County Regional Recycling Program. If a Complex contracts privately for recycling services, their recycling service company should provide them guidance on what materials are accepted and how they should be prepared for recycling.

Businesses
All owners, lessees, or occupants of public and private businesses, commercial and/or industrial establishments are required by local municipal ordinance to recycle paper, corrugated cardboard, bottles and cans. Businesses are required to contract privately for recycling services.

Institutions
Owners, lessees, and occupants of all municipal and state government facilities, all religious, education, and health care facilities, all public and/or private civic organizations, and all non-profit and/or profit organizations are required by local municipal law to recycle corrugated cardboard, paper, and bottles and cans. Institutions are required to contract privately for recycling services.

3. Can I put plastic packing material from cardboard boxes in my recycling?

NO!  The recyclable labeling is misleading. Plastic air pillows, bubble wrap and Styrofoam, etc. cannot be recycled in municipal recycling programs, including ours.

Local grocery stores and large retailers that take back and recycle plastic bags may take the air pillows and bubble wrap.  Check with store manager on what is acceptable at their plastic bag dropoff.

There are no local options to recycle most foam packaging which is coded #6 inside the "recycling" symbol.

4. Can I put metal and plastic hangers in curbside recycling?

NO, the metal hangers damage recycling sorting equipment and we have no market for the plastic hangers.

Most scrap yards will recycle metal hangers.  You can visit Earth911 and search “metal hangers” to find the closest scrap yard location.  You can also try to other options listed below: 

• Contact your town to see if they have a scrap metal dropoff or will take them on scrap metal collection days.
• Bring them to the Convenience Center at the Burlington County Resource Recovery Complex, 22000 Burlington-Columbus Road, Florence, NJ  08518.

Unfortunately, at this time, we are unaware of any programs that recycle plastic hangers. Other than finding creative ways to reuse them, they should be put in your household trash.

5. Since I can no longer put my shredded paper in my recycling, what can I do with it?

New Shredded Paper Guidelines

6. Why can’t I recycle the boxes from frozen foods?

The boxes from frozen foods have various types of coatings which cause problems when paper mills try to separate the fiber (paper) layer.  They are unlike the shelf stable cartons used for boxed juice and broth and the refrigerated cartons for milk and orange juice, which are coated with a single layer of polyethylene.

7. Why should I recycle?

• Recycling is the law, enforced through the local municipal ordinances.
• Recycling saves money. When municipalities send less to the landfill, they spend less of your tax dollars on disposal fees.
• Recycling reduces trash. It will extend the life of the landfill.
• Recycling conserves natural and nonrenewable resources.
• Recycling saves energy. Making products from recycled materials use less energy than from raw materials.

8. I want to recycle, but do I have to spend time removing all those staples?

No, staples do not have to be removed from papers before recycling. Just remove large metal clips and binders.

9. Does it help to flatten my aluminum cans?

No. Our processing system works best with whole aluminum cans. Cans crushed completely flat may not get sorted properly and get mixed with the wrong recyclables.

10. Should I separate all my magazines, newspaper, junk mail, and cereal boxes into separate paper bags for recycling?

There is no need to separate. All paper types and cardboard are collected by the same truck.

11. Can I recycle wrapping paper from holidays and special occasions?

Yes, wrapping paper and tissue paper used for packing or wrapping gifts can be recycled with your regular mixed paper recycling. No foil or plastic wrapping paper, and remove ribbon and bows.