Recycle

Should I Recycle Old Recycling Bins in Philly?

Our Where Can I Wednesday reader question reads:

“I am getting a bigger recycle bin, but am not sure what to do with my old one. Can you help?

Thanks,
Amy”

What to do with old recycling bins

We’re happy to answer this, Amy! Once you’ve recycled your heart out (or maybe even invest in a new, bigger container – with a lid!), you don’t want to sentence your old bin to landfill purgatory.

What to do If the Recycling Bin is in decent condition:

If the bin still works, I’d recommend giving it to a friend or putting it on Freecycle / a Facebook Buy Nothing giveaway movement. That’s just good karma: a lot of people want the bins and don’t have them. (And might be a little too lazy to pick one up themselves, even though we have a WHOLE list of free bins here.)

what to do If you have a broken recycling bin:

Recycle the recycling bin! You can place it curbside to recycle it IN your Single-stream recycling.

Hope your bin ends up in a happier place, Amy!

If you have a recycling question, submit it to contact(at)greenphillyblog(dot)com or on Twitter/ Facebook.

Julie Hancher

Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake.

Recent Posts

SEPTA restores service, rally for clean air, secondhand clothes, & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news:  SEPTA uses capital funds to avoid cuts for…

5 days ago

SEPTA’s crisis didn’t happen overnight. Meet the long-time advocates who’ve been fighting all along.

For years, advocates have warned about SEPTA’s future. Their fight for permanent funding continues beyond…

6 days ago

Can I eat that? Local mushroom enthusiasts answer foraging questions from taste to preserving biodiversity.

New to foraging? We took a walk with the Philadelphia Mycology Club to find out…

7 days ago

SEPTA pauses cuts, Mini-grants for walkable neighborhoods, & more

Catch up on the latest sustainability news:  Announcing the SustainPHL nominees. Green Philly is hosting…

2 weeks ago

Announcing the SustainPHL 2025 Nominees

Celebrating the leaders, visionaries, and changemakers shaping a more sustainable Philadelphia Even in tough times,…

2 weeks ago

P.A.S.H.I.’s reusable pads project is reviving a legacy of sustainability and self-reliance in women’s health

How one Philly nonprofit is uplifting women’s health with handmade, eco-friendly feminine hygiene products In…

2 weeks ago