Recycling can be confusing. We’re breaking down the details so you can make sure you’re recycling in the most effective way possible.
The following information is for Kansas City, MO, but applies to most other programs in the area.
♻️ Do I need to sort my recyclables?
Most recycling systems in the US have gone single-stream, including Kansas City. That means your recyclables can go in 1 bin/paper bag — with 1 exception.
Glass is hard on recycling trucks and machinery + potentially dangerous to workers. KC doesn’t accept glass, but you can separate it out from the rest of your recycling and take it to a Ripple Glass drop-off site.
♻️ Give us the do’s + don’ts.
KC Recycle gives you the full list of what you can and can’t recycle. Our highlights:
✅ Plastic bottles marked 1-7 are all recyclable in Kansas City — just leave the lids attached. Otherwise, they slip through the cracks + get missorted.
✅ Uncrushed aluminum and tin cans are good to go. Crushing cans confuses automatic sorting, meaning they’ll likely end up in the landfill.
⚠️ Food/drink containers should be visibly clean. Rinse milk cartons + soda cans, and run peanut butter jars through the wash (or give them to your dog first).
❌ Plastic bags are the No. 1 thing people try to recycle — but they fly off trucks, become litter + jam sorting rollers. Instead, donate them to the Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church, which uses them for its food pantry, or see if your local grocery store has a bag recycling program..
And if you ever need a refresher, KCMO has you covered.
♻️ Thinking outside the blue bins.
Recycling doesn’t stop at the blue bins — KC offers safe disposal services for paint, oil + hazardous waste, electronics, mattresses, and more.
