Knowledge Base

Manatee County uses single-stream recycling, which means all clean recyclable paper, glass, and plastics go together in your recycling cart — no need to sort! Once collected, materials are separated for reuse at a local materials recovery facility.

• Only place accepted recyclables in the cart. If unsure, use the Waste Wizard tool.
• Accepted materials:
  • Paper
  • Unbroken glass
  • Plastics (milk jugs, water bottles, 2L bottles)
  • Clean, dry, flattened cardboard
  • Aluminum cans and other metals
• Do not:
  • Bag recyclables or use plastic bags — they cause contamination.
  • Include wet or dirty cardboard (like pizza boxes).
  • Put plastic wrap or plastic bags in the recycling cart.
• Avoid overpacking the cart — tightly packed materials may not empty properly.