Berkeley Recycling Center

Materials Preparation Requirements
Please prepare materials before you arrive at the buyback.

WE ACCEPT the following materials
Cardboard	Dry and flattened (preferably) cardboard; brown paper bags okay; no waxed cardboard.
Newspaper	Dry newspaper; a few magazines okay.
Mixed Paper	All dry paper okay except newspaper; junk mail okay.
Aluminum cans	Empty aluminum cans only; no liquids; flattened or whole okay.
Bimetal cans	Empty bi-metal cans only; no liquids; Sapporo beer is an example of a bi-metal can.
Glass	Empty bottles and jars with no liquids; all glass must be sorted by color; please remove all caps!
Plastic: narrow- neck bottles only	Empty narrow-neck bottles only; "narrow-neck" means the neck of the bottle is smaller than the base of the bottle; includes soda bottles, water bottles, milk and juice jugs, detergent bottles, shampoo bottles to name typical examples; no liquids and sorted by #1, #2, #3 through #7; Please remove all caps!
Aluminum foil	Aluminum foil with no food waste; includes rinsed aluminum cat food cans.
Tin cans	Empty tin cans with no liquids; labels okay.
Scrap metal	Most scrap steel okay including appliances (except NO refrigerators); no electronics; no computers or peripherals. See below for more detailed guidelines.
Books	All books accepted, including soft and hard back, computer manuals, etc.
Clothes	Clean and dry clothing accepted; shoes, hats and some accessories okay; preferred in bags.
Cell phones	Cell phones and accessories only; NO cordless or corded phones.

Prohibited Materials

Plastic: The following types of plastic are NOT recyclable: five-gallon buckets; plastic flower pots; "clam-shells" and plastic food containers; other non-redemption plastic #3 through #7.

Scrap Glass: The following types of glass are NOT recyclable: mirrors, light bulbs, automobile windshields, window glass, laboratory glass, crystal, plates, ceramic cups, glass ovenware, drinking glasses, opaque (milk) glass or clay flower pots. Bottle tops are not recyclable.

Miscellaneous: NO garbage or trash allowed. NO pesticides, motor-oil, paint cans, thinners, cleaners, petroleum products, antifreeze, construction and demolition debris, tires etc.

Prohibited Materials	Examples
Electronics	Televisions, microwaves, stereos, radios, electronic toys, etc.
Computers	Monitors, printers, CPUs (See recycling resources below.)
CFCs or freon	Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners (household and auto)
Batteries	Car batteries, household, rechargeable, etc.
Ballasts	Fluorescent light fixtures including fluorescent or halide tubes
Asbestos	Insulation, heat ducting, old furnaces
Capacitors	Microwave ovens, most small appliances
Cylinders	Gas or propane cylinders, compressed air, etc.
Tanks and drums	Gas tanks, 55-gallon drums
Mercury switch	Automobile hood, freezers
Miscellaneous	Transformers, printed circuit boards, lead or heavy metals;
Scrap Metal	Many scrap metals, especially from older components, are contaminated with hazardous or toxic materials that cannot be recycled. To avoid polluting the environment, be sure your materials are free of all prohibited substances (summarized below). Contact recycling resources for disposal information.

Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Hotline:
(800) 606-6606