Items Collected & Sorting Recyclables

How to Sort

Curbside

Separate the items below in separate sacks. Do not tie sacks. Items not properly separated will be left at the curb.

Items Accepted (Curbside)

  • Paper
  • Plastic
  • Metal
  • Flattened corrugated cardboard

Drop-Off Recycling Center

Items Accepted (Drop-off Recycling Center)

  • Glass (in purple container only)
  • Paper, plastic, metal (in mixed containers only)
  • Flattened corrugated cardboard (in cardboard container only)

Where & How to Recycle These Items

  1. Glass
  2. Aluminum & Tin
  3. Plastic
  4. Paper
  5. Cardboard

Glass is not accepted curbside.

Acceptable (in purple drop-off bins only)
All colors of glass bottles & jars (including clear, blue, green, and brown)

Not accepted:

  • Window/pane glass
  • Laminated glass/windshields
  • Porcelain, ceramic, China/leaded glass, milk glass
  • Pyrex, Corningware, dishware
  • Mirrors 
  • Light bulbs 

Note: Rinse; labels may remain on. Place in the purple glass recycling bin only. 

Put only glass in the purple glass recycling bin. Paper, trash, or non-glass items can contaminate the load.

If the purple glass bin is not on site, it is being emptied and will return soon. Do not leave glass on the ground and do not place glass in any other bin.  

Purple glass recycling bin

 Area glass drop-off recycling locations (look for the purple container):

  • Coralville Drop-off Recycling Center (950 Hughes St., Coralville)
  • Upper City Park (200 Park Rd, Iowa City)
  •  Robert A. Lee Recreation Center parking lot (220 S. Gilbert St., Iowa City)
  • East Side Recycling Center (2401 Scott Blvd. SE, Iowa City)
  • South Riverside Recycling Center (1200 South Riverside Dr., Iowa City) 
  • Iowa City Landfill and Recycling Center (3900 Hebl Ave. SW, Iowa City) 

Not Accepted (Neither Curbside Nor Coralville Drop-Off)

Other options may be available

Plastic Bags 
  • Coralville recycling does not accept plastic bags, plastic film, and Styrofoam. Plastic bags/film are generally made of HDPE (# 2 plastic) or LDP (# 4 plastic). 
  • Products like plastic bags/film tend to get tangled up at recycling processing plants and slow down or damage the processing equipment. Generally, recycling processing plants do not want or accept plastic bags /film due to possible damage to their equipment. 
  • What you can do: Recycle plastic bags at participating area retailers.
Aseptic Containers
  • Coralville does not accept aseptic (soup, milk, etc.) containers. These containers are made with layers of plastic, paper, and aluminum sandwiched together.
  • What you can do: Aseptic containers may be recycled at the East Side Recycling Center and Iowa City Landfill and Recycle Center. Area recycling drop-off locations
Other Items
  • Gift wrap paper, hardcover books, napkins, tissues, non-biodegradable paper cups/plates, photos, packing paper, styrofoam (including foam egg cartons), packing peanuts, or toys are not accepted. 
  • What you can do: Place these in your garbage.

More Information

For more information about recycling, call 319.248.1740.