Recycling

The City of Monroe provides recycling collection for our residents every other week on the same day as your garbage collection. Please use your 96-gallon black recycling cart only for the items we accept in our program. Solid Waste staff will audit carts for contamination. Failure to recycle right could result in your cart being removed and/or fines for not following our recycling guidelines.

Recycling Calendar

View the 2025-2026 Recycling Calendar (PDF). 

If you are unsure if you have a "green week" or "blue week" pickup window, please email Laurie Broome or call (704) 282-4565 for help!

Collection Tips

  • Items should be placed in your recycling cart loose and not contained in a plastic bag. 
  • Never place items with a battery or loose batteries in your recycling cart. Visit our Bulk and E-waste page to see if you can schedule to have your battery-powered item picked up as e-waste. 
  • Do not place grass clippings, yard waste, medical waste, construction and building materials, auto parts, electronics, or hazardous waste in your recycling cart. 
  • Flatten cardboard only, do not crush bottles or cans. 
Please Do Not Bag Recyclables, leave them loose in your cart.

Collection Specifications

Accepted Recyclable Items

  • Plastic bottles, tubs, jugs, and jars that are empty and lightly rinsed — Leave the cap on, but if there is a pump, please throw the pump in the garbage
  • Metal food and drink cans that are empty and lightly rinsed
  • Paper, cartons, and cardboard that has been flattened

For visual examples, check out our Recycling Accepted List (PNG) or Recicla Estos Articulous (PNG)

Not Accepted in Curbside Recycling Program 

  • Plastic bags — Do not bag recyclables and do not put loose bags, wrap, or film into your recycling cart. Most grocery stores have a collection bin for used bags.
  • Food scraps
  • Disposable cups, including plastic and paper to-go cups
  • Takeout containers, including to-go plastic and paper boxes
  • Batteries 
  • Clothes, shoes, and textiles — Thrift stores and clothing drives accept gently used items
  • Diapers
  • Glass is not accepted curbside — Glass can be dropped off at any Union County Residential Waste and Recycling Center for free
  • "Tangler" items, including cords, rope, hoses, and wires, which get stuck in the sorting machinery at the recycling facility
  • Scrap metal, wire hangers, auto parts, and tires
  • Electronics or e-waste — Please visit our Bulk and E-Waste page to see what items qualify for e-waste collection
  • Hazardous or medical waste
  • Used oil is not accepted curbside — The City of Monroe collects used oil from residents at 2401 Walkup Ave