Frequently Asked Questions about Recycling in Charleston, WV

Starting October 1, the City of Charleston is officially enacting their revised Recycling Ordinance, including offering “single stream” recycling. Single stream is a simple method to recycle commonly used across the country. With single stream, you may mix all of your recyclable items in one container, such as a bag or bin, instead of taking the extra time required to separate them. Charleston is also adding the option to use clear plastic bags instead of/in addition to your recycling bin (see Question 4) and adding cardboard to the list of recyclable materials they will pick up (see Question 9). Recycling in Charleston is now simpler than ever. If you aren’t recycling yet, this is the time to start.

About this FAQ

The questions listed here all pertain to the recycling that the City of Charleston picks up from your house. The materials they accept are limited in scope (Question 9). If you are interested in recycling other materials, such as glass, WV Recycling Services on Slack Street may accept them at their drop off site (see a full list of materials they accept). If your home is closer to Nitro, you may take your recyclables to WV Cashin Recyclables (see a full list of materials they accept). There are also businesses in the area that specialize in recycling items like metals and batteries, check out the page on our site with all locations to recycle items in the county.

If you have a question that isn’t answered here, email/call us or post it on our Facebook page.

Questions

1. What is single stream recycling?
2. When does single stream recycling pick up start?
3. Do I have to separate my recycling by material type / Is it helpful for me to continue separating?
4. How do I prepare my recyclables for collection using the new plastic bag option?
5. Where do I get the plastic bags?
6. Are the plastic bags recyclable?
7. How do I prepare my recyclables for collection using recycling bins?
8. The City of Charleston threw my recycling in with the garbage. Why?
9. What types of recyclable materials will the City of Charleston pick up from my house?
10. What types of recyclable materials will the city not pick up from my house?
11. My cardboard will not fit in a plastic bag. Can I still recycle it?
12. I thought we were only allowed to recycle narrow-neck plastic bottles. Can we recycle all plastic now?
13. Are we allowed to recycle glass now?

Answers

1. What is single stream recycling?

“Single stream” is a technical term that describes the way we arrange our recyclables. With single stream recycling, all of your recyclable materials (paper, plastic, cardboard, etc.) will be sent to the recycling facility mixed together instead of being separated out into different material types. Your materials will be separated by hand or with the help of a machine at a facility.

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2. When does single stream recycling pick up start?

The city will officially enact the revised Charleston Recycling Ordinance on October 1, 2014. This ordinance includes the following changes to the recycling service: offering the options to recycle using clear plastic bags and the single stream method (Question 4); adding cardboard to the list of accepted materials (Question 9); and adopting the use of packer trucks to collect recycling (Question 8).

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3. Do I have to separate my recycling by material type / Is it helpful for me to continue separating?

You no longer have to separate your recycling. This will be taken care of for you.

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4. How do I prepare my recyclables for collection using the new plastic bag option?

• Beginning October 1, you may use clear plastic bags to dispose of your recyclable materials. (See Question 7 for details on using bins.)
• Use the clear plastic bags the City of Charleston provides on a complimentary basis via their voucher system (Question 5) or purchase your own. The bags must be clear in order for City employees to identify the contents as recyclable.
• Place all of your recyclable materials in one bag - do not separate them.
• If cardboard items do not fit into the plastic bag, you may place them on the curb next to your recycling.
• On collection day (recycling and trash are collected on the same day in Charleston), place your recyclables on your curb alongside your trash bags.

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5. Where do I get the plastic bags?

Clear plastic bags will be distributed by the City of Charleston through their voucher system. Two vouchers for black plastic trash bags + 1 voucher for clear plastic recycling/yard waste bags are distributed every 6 months in the mail. If you already have clear plastic bags from the City (previously designated for yard waste), the same bags may be used for recycling. Click here to go to the City of Charleston website list of locations to pick up trash and recycling bags. Contact the City Collector’s Office at (304) 348-8024 if you have not received your vouchers.

You may also purchase your own clear plastic bags.

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6. Are the plastic bags recyclable?

Yes. The recycling facility that processes the City of Charleston’s residential recycling is sorting and processing the plastic bags along with the recyclable materials found in them.

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7. How do I prepare my recyclables for collection using recycling bins?

You may continue to use your city-issued recycling bin, or you may purchase your own bin at a store such as Home Depot or Lowe’s. The City of Charleston will no longer provide complimentary recycling bins. Before purchasing a bin, contact the Charleston Refuse and Recycling Department to request size and color requirements. They may be reached at (304) 348-6832.

Use the same method to prepare your recyclables for collection as outlined in Question 4 for plastic bags. There is no need to separate your recyclables if using a bin.

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8. The City of Charleston threw my recycling in with the garbage. Why?

There are two common reasons why this scenario may occur. If you are able to rule both of these possibilities out, please call the City of Charleston Recycling and Refuse Department at (304) 348-6832 to report what happened.

(a) Recycling is collected in “packer” trucks after October 1. To help with efficiency, recycling will be collected in trucks that “pack” or condense materials in order for more items to fit in each load. Packer trucks for recycling are identical to the trucks that have always been used for collecting trash. Packer trucks for recycling will be labeled with a sign. Look for a sign that says "City of Charleston Recycling" in green on the side of the truck.
 
(b) City employee identified items in your recycling that are not accepted as part of the curbside recycling service. Please review the list of recyclable materials the city will accept (Question 8) and will not accept (Question 9). Hang the list of accepted materials in a location close to your recycling collection at home. We created a printable flyer with this information to help residents remember: click here to view and print the flyer.

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9. What types of recyclable materials will the City of Charleston pick up from my house?

Charleston will accept:

• Plastics #1 - #7 (recycling code # typically located on bottom of item) – Bottles, milk jugs, 6-pack rings, plastic bags, Styrofoam
• Paper – Newspapers, junk mail, phone books, magazines
• Paperboard – Cereal boxes, tissue boxes
• Cardboard – Mailing boxes, furniture boxes
• Aluminum Cans – Soda cans
• Steel Cans – Soup cans

Call (304) 348 – 6832 one day in advance of your collection day to schedule pickup for the following:

• Electronics – TVs, VCRs, computers
• Appliances – Refrigerators, microwaves
• Tires – Car tires (Collection day is Friday)

We’ve created an easily printable flyer to hang in your kitchens that explains how to recycle and lists the materials Charleston accepts. Click here to download the PDF file.

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10. What types of recyclable materials will the city not pick up from my house?

Charleston will not accept: glass, PVC Pipe, shower curtains, flooring, plastic toys with non-plastic parts, home siding, window and door frames, disposable diapers, carpet and building insulation. Also any items that have contained hazardous waste, such as paint or motor oil.

Call us at (304) 342-4477 if you have a question about whether or not an item is recyclable.

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11. My cardboard will not fit in a plastic bag. Can I still recycle it?

Yes. Place cardboard materials next to your recycling bags on collection day.

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12. I thought we were only allowed to recycle narrow-neck plastic bottles. Can we recycle all plastic now?

Yes – if the plastic is #1 - #7, you may recycle it. Plastic items are typically labeled on the bottom with a number. #1 - #7 plastics encompass the majority of the plastics available on the market for residential use. Items in the #1 - #7 plastic categories that are not recyclable through the City of Charleston include PVC Pipe, shower curtains, flooring, home siding, window and door frames, disposable diapers, carpet and building insulation.

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13. Are we allowed to recycle glass now?

The City of Charleston will not pick up glass from your house. You may recycle glass by dropping it off at the West Virginia Recycling Services facility at 600 Slack Street (more info here) or taking it to Target in Southridge.

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