MCIA Recycling - Curbside Recycling

The Mercer County Improvement Authority operates a curbside recycling program for residents and small businesses in Ewing, Hamilton, Hightstown, Hopewell Borough, Hopewell Township, Lawrence, Pennington, Princeton Borough, Princeton Township, Trenton, Washington Township, and West Windsor.

Recyclables are collected curbside every other week with the exception the following holidays (List of Recyclables): New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Residents whose recycling day falls on a holiday, will have their recyclables picked up on Sunday following the holiday. Schedules can be viewed here.

For information on recycling in East Windsor, contact the Public Works Department at 609-443-4000.

Residents of multi-family complexes, including condominiums and townhouses should contact the management office for information on recycling.

Remember: Quality is as important as quantity. It is better to leave something out of a recycling bucket than to include an item that does not belong. A single wrong item can often contaminate a whole load of recyclables. When in doubt, throw it out!!

Mercer County Curbside Recyclables
Yellow & Green Buckets Same Day Pick-Up Every 2 Weeks
MUST BE AT CURB BY 7:00AM

Yellow Bucket

Glass Food Jars & Bottles
Aluminum & Metal Food &
     Beverage Containers
Pet Food Cans
Plastic Soda Bottles
     Only those marked
     with a #1 on the
     bottom; no other
     #1's
Plastic Milk, Water,
     Laundry, Detergent,
     Bleach, Shampoo &
     Fabric Softener Bottles
     Only those marked
     with a #2 on the
     bottom; no tubs or
     other #2's
Juice Drink Boxes
Milk & Juice Cartons

DO NOT PUT OUT FOR
RECYCLING

Pie Tins & Aluminum Foil
Window Glass/Drinking
      Glass
Yogurt, Margarine, Sour
     Cream & Cottage
     Cheese Containers
Books (hard or soft cover)
Aerosol Cans marked with
#'s 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7

Green Bucket

Newspapers & Inserts
     May be put in bucket
     or tied & placed at
     curb
Magazines & Junk Mail
Paper: Stationery,
     Computer & Copier
Boxes: Cereal, Cookie,
     Cracker, Detergent,
     Shoe & Gift Boxes
     (REMOVE LINER)
Telephone Directories
Paper Bags
Greeting Cards and
     Wrapping paper (no
     foil paper)
Corrugated Cardboard
     (Place next to bucket,
      36" square max)

DO NOT PUT OUT FOR
RECYCLING

Carbon Paper
Waxed Paper
Fax Paper
Window Envelopes
Tissue Paper, Napkins,
or Paper Towels
Pizza, Soda, Beer Boxes
Frozen Food Boxes
Paper Plates
Packing Paper
Paper in Plastic or
Coated with Plastic
Styrofoam

DO NOT PLACE RECYCLABLE MATERIAL
IN PLASTIC BAGS!

Lawn Care experts recommend leaving grass clippings on the lawn when mowing to return the valuable nutrients in the clippings back to the soil. This reduces waste and is the best way to recycle the clippings. Remove only the top 1/3 of the grass blade and mow when dry. Leaving the clippings on the lawn will not cause thatch. For more information, contact the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service of Mercer County at (609) 989-6830.

Backyard composting is a wonderful way to reduce waste and produce a valuable product to make your gardens grow better. It can be done right at home with little space or care using any one of several methods. To find out more about how to backyard compost, visit the Mercer County backyard compost demonstration site located at the Equestrian Center, 413A Federal City Road in Hopewell Township. The compost demonstration site is open from dawn to dusk. For information, contact the Mercer County Master Gardeners at (609) 989-6853. Their web site is located at http://www.princetonol.com/groups/mg.

For the schedule on removal of brush, leaves, and yard debris in your municipality, contact the Public Works Department. Your municipal Public Works Department should also be contacted about collection of large items and appliances.

Household batteries may be placed in your normal trash due to the fact that mercury levels have been significantly reduced and fall within DEP standards.

Small businesses are eligible to participate in the curbside recycling program if they meet the following criteria. They must place no more than 4 recycling buckets (either green or yellow) and 15 units of corrugated cardboard out for collection on each scheduled recycling day. Companies who have more than 4 but less than 10 buckets (either type) on any scheduled recycling day can participate in the program for a fee of $150 per year. Please contact the MCIA recycling office at (609) 278-8100 for information and stickers.

A Household Chemical Waste Disposal day will be held in the spring and then again in the fall -- click here for more information.

Commercial and institutional establishments who are not eligible for the small business program are required to make their own arrangements for recycling. Contact a waste hauler for information on what recycling services the company can provide. Please be sure that the hauler provides documentation on the amount of materials collected for recycling. Municipalities must provide tonnage information to the State of New Jersey each year. Information on recycling by commercial establishments must be included. For more information, contact the MCIA at (609) 278-8100 or the recycling coordinator in the municipality in which the business is located.

Have we accidentally missed your house for pick-up on recycling day? Call our Recycling Coordinator, Michele Seiler between the hours of 8:30am and 4:30pm to correct the problem. Her direct line is (609)278-8086. Her number is also given when you call the HOTLINE. Michele and Recycling Chief Daniel Napoleon are dedicated to serving our recycling customers