How to Get Recycling Bins

Having good recycle bins is essential to any serious recycling efforts. Many people find that they outgrow their bin and need a new one, or maybe you're entirely new to recycling and need a bin to get started. Either way, if your community does not supply bins it will be up to you to find recycling bins on your own. This is a fairly simply process, as long as you know where to look.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Check with the city recycling center. Many areas have mandatory recycling with pick-up service scheduled by the city. In these instances, the city will typically provide each household with one recycling bin, sometimes two. If you live in a community with mandatory recycling, call the city's recycling center and tell them you need a bin.

2. Purchase a recycle bin from an Internet website. A number of websites specialize in selling trash cans and recycle bins. Trashcansandmore.com and Trashcansource.com are both known for have a particularly good selection of recycle bins to choose from.

3. Buy recycling bins from a local store. Any hardware store or home improvement store will have an assortment of recycle bins for sale. Lowes and Home Depot both offer a large assortment of recycle bins. Office supply stores are also a great place to get recycling bins.

4. Consider purchasing a generic bin to use for recycling. A bin does not necessarily need to be stamped with a recycling logo in order to be used for recycling purposes. Discount retailers often have a large assortment of durable storage containers that are ideal for use as recycling bins. Make sure the bin you purchase conforms to any specifications required by your city.

Tips & Warnings

• Some communities use green recycle bins while others use blue. In actuality, any color will work just fine as long as it is a reusable container capable of holding your recyclable materials. Note that some communities will only accept recycled materials that are placed into authorized bins. Refer to your city's recycling guide for specific rules that apply to your recycling program.

References

• Where do I buy the blue recycle bins?
• What and How of Recycling
• Cubside Recycling Basics

Resources

• Recycling Bins and Products
• Trash Cans and More
• Trash Can Source