Residential Recycling

Residential Single-Family Recycling
The CVSan community is on track to meet our goal of zero waste by the year 2029! Recycling materials by separating them out of the garbage is one way we will achieve this. By separating plastic, metal, paper, cardboard and glass, and placing them in the blue recycling cart, they can be processed for reuse and diverted from garbage and the landfill. Everyone benefits from the efforts we make to reduce our waste!

For details about what belongs in the recycling cart and is serviced by Alameda County Industries, click here.

CVSan’s Dirty Dozen
Be sure to keep your recycling cart free from the Dirty Dozen! These are 12 of the most common household items that contaminate the recycling cart/bin and harm the recycling process.


FOOD SCRAPS Organics Tip: Plan ahead when cooking your meals to use ingredients you already have before they go bad.	FOOD-SOILED PAPER Organics Tip: Instead of paper napkins, plates, and cups, choose to use reuseables.	SHREDDED/SMALL PAPER Organics Tip: Small paper includes anything smaller than a sticky note. Put shredded paper in a larger paper bag and then place in the organics cart/bin.

ANIMAL WASTE Organics - Place vegetarian animal waste in here from animals like rabbits and hamsters. Garbage - Place non-vegetarian animal waste in here from animals like dogs and cats.	MIXED MATERIAL MAILER BAGS Garbage Tip: Consider saving and reusing mailer bags for future shipments instead of placing them in the garbage.	SNACK BAGS & WRAPPERS Garbage Tip: Choose snacks that use compostable packaging or create your own snacks.

PLASTIC UTENSILS Garbage Tip: Invest in lightweight reusable utensils to use during get-togethers.	PERSONAL HYGIENE ITEMS AND DIAPERS Garbage Tip: Look into companies that sell zero waste hygiene products. Also, consider using reusable diapers!	PLASTIC BAGS/FILM Recycling – Place in here ONLY IF bundled in a larger plastic bag. Garbage – Place in here if bags/film are loose.

CDs, DVDs, VHS TAPES Garbage Tip: Consider donating usable CDs, DVDs and VHS tapes to a local charity or thrift store.	ELECTRONICS & BATTERIES Special Handling Place in your annual Bulky & Reuse Pick-Up, Drop off at a CVSan Recycles Day event or at a Household Hazardous Waste facility.	HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE Special Handling Drop off at a CVSan Recycles Day event or at a Household Hazardous Waste facility.

Watch a segment from Zero Waste Week’s “What Goes Where?” webinar to learn about the main materials that go in the garbage here.

For more information on what to do with items you’d like to recycle, click here.

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What recyclables are accepted in the blue cart?

All #1-7 Plastics Recycling
Place all plastic food and beverage containers in your blue recycling cart recycling. Plastic buckets and Tupperware are also accepted. (Styrofoam of any shape is not accepted.)

Please note: biodegradable plastics which are derived from renewable resources such as corn starch or sugar cane are often marked with a #7 (Other). These plastics, including bio-bags, are not recyclable in Castro Valley. Place these items in your organics cart/bin.

Watch this short segment from our “What Goes Where?” webinar to learn why it is important to rinse recyclables such as plastic containers here.

Aluminum Foil, Pans, and Scrap Metal
In addition to aluminum, steel, tin, and empty aerosol cans, balled-up aluminum foil, pots and pans, and scrap metal smaller than two (2) feet in any direction, are accepted.
Bag-A-Bag Plastic Bag Recycling
Reduce the amount of plastics bags you accumulate by remembering to Bring Your Own Bag when you shop. For all other clean plastic film wrap and bags, simply bundle them in a bag and place them in your blue recycling cart or bin.

The Bag-A-Bag recycling program is the only program offered by CVSan where a plastic bag is used to bundle recyclables. (Plastic bags may not be used to bundle other recyclables or organics.)

All Clean Paper and Cardboard
All clean paper, including but not limited to: mixed paper, newspaper, office paper, magazines, notebook paper, catalogs, envelopes, wrapping paper, junk mail, telephone books, paper bags, etc. and all clean cardboard, including but not limited to: corrugated cardboard, paperboard, paper egg cartons, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, shoe boxes, etc. are accepted.

Most receipts from store or restaurant purchases are made of paper that is coated with plastic and cannot be recycled or composted. Refuse receipts if possible and place them in the garbage.

Watch this short segment from our “What Goes Where?” webinar to learn more about recyclable paper here.

Paper that has been food-soiled, such as pizza boxes, coffee cups, fast-food paper wrappers and containers, paper towels & napkins, paper plates & cups, refrigerated beverage cartons, etc. cannot be recycled and are accepted in the green organics cart.

Shredded paper also cannot be recycled. Collect all shredded paper into a paper bag and place it in the green organics cart.

Glass Bottles, Jars, and Containers
All glass bottles, jars, and containers of all colors are accepted. Windows and mirrors are not accepted.
Shelf-stable (Foil-lined) Cartons
Clean shelf-stable (foil-lined) cartons are accepted in the blue recycling cart or bin.

I have extra cardboard that won’t fit in my recycling cart. What do I do?

How do I recycle Used Motor Oil? Filters? Other auto fluids?

How do I recycle batteries?