Cans & Bottles
Recycling & Solid Waste collects a wide variety of materials as part of its cans & bottles stream.
What is acceptable as cans & bottles
- Plastic bottles, jars, and jugs
- Plastic dairy tubs (yogurt, sour cream, etc.)
- Glass bottles and jars
- Steel/tin cans
- Aluminum cans (do not crush)
- Milk, soy milk, and juice cartons
- Aseptic food packages
Please put lids into the trash and empty and rinse containers before recycling them.
Note: the number in the “chasing arrows” on the bottom of many plastic food containers identifies the plastic resin content. However, the cost of collecting, sorting, and remanufacturing exceeds the value of some recycled plastic, and so many plastic items currently cannot be recycled by our vendor. To avoid confusion and contamination, ignore the numbers and remember only plastic bottles, jars, jugs, and dairy tubs are permitted.
What is not acceptable as cans & bottles
- Compostable food serviceware
- Plastic cups and lids
- Plastic dishes and utensils
- Plastic deli clamshell containers
- Lab glass
- Broken glass
- Ceramic cups
- Aluminum foil
- Plastic wrap
- Plastic bags
- Trash and other contaminants
Where to recycle your cans & bottles on campus
Classroom/Conference Room Bins
Recycling & Solid Waste is in the process of placing bins throughout classrooms and conference rooms on campus. The cans & bottles bin is typically placed in a room as part of a set, which also includes bins for mixed paper and waste. The classroom/conference room bins are serviced by Custodial Services.
Public Area Bins
In public areas of campus buildings, there are grey metal Cans & Bottles Public Area Bins. The old style bins are varying heights and the new style bins are the same height. Public Area Bins are serviced by Custodial Services. Note: at this time, Recycling & Solid Waste has no additional inventory of either the old style or new style Public Area Bins.
Smart Cans
Smart Cans are outdoor combined litter/recycling receptacles. The top portion of the container is for cans & bottles and the bottom portion is for garbage. Smart Cans are serviced by Recycling & Solid Waste.
Dumpsters/Toters
At building loading docks, there are blue dumpsters or toters labeled for “cans and bottles”. All cans & bottles collected by Custodial from within a building are consolidated into these containers. The toters and dumpsters are serviced by Recycling & Solid Waste.
Special Events
Recycling & Solid Waste provides cans & bottles containers for special events on the Seattle campus. For more information and to request containers, see the Special Event Bins Request Form.