Many of us are using more cleaning and personal protective items these days and it can be confusing which items go in the garbage and which can be recycled.
Here’s a quick guide
Garbage:
Face masks and face shields
Used facial tissues and paper towels
Plastic gloves
All wipes (even those labelled flushable or biodegradable) and wipe bags and boxes
Empty hand sanitizer bottles smaller than 6 oz
Make sure all garbage is bagged and securely tied to avoid litter to protect the safety of waste collectors and the community.
Recycling:
Cardboard boxes from tissues, soap and gloves
Cardboard tubes from paper towels and toilet paper rolls
Plastic bottles from cleaning supplies (empty, rinsed)
Plastic hand sanitizer bottles larger than 6oz. (empty, rinsed)
Plastic cylinder shaped wipe containers (see picture). Discard the lid for extra points
Reuse:
For hand sanitizer and hand soap, consider buying a larger bottle and refilling the smaller bottles you use every day. This prevents packaging waste and can save money.
Questions?
Have a question about an item that’s not listed here? Ask here: wasteinfo@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-7202.