Can you recycle plastic bags in Austin, TX?

Not in your recycling cart. Bags and film wrap around the sorting equipment at the facility Austin Resource Recovery uses, which is why they're excluded almost everywhere. Take clean, dry bags back to a grocery-store drop-off, or put them in your trash cart.

What do I do with batteries in Austin, TX?

Batteries never go in any of your Austin, TX carts — not the recycling cart, not the trash cart. They're household hazardous waste and a genuine fire risk in the truck. Tape the terminals and take them to a local e-waste or household-hazardous-waste drop-off.

Recycling rules in Austin, TX

📍 Austin Resource Recovery · 3-cart program

Who collects your recycling in Austin, TX

Austin, TX collects its own residential waste: Austin Resource Recovery operates the carts directly rather than contracting the route to a private hauler. Households get three carts — a recycling cart for recyclables, a compost cart for food scraps and yard trimmings, and a trash cart for everything else.

Curbside food-scrap collection is still uncommon in the US, so the green cart here is worth using.

The quick answer for Austin, TX

Plastic bottles & jugs	♻️ Recycling cart	Empty; keep the cap on.
Aluminum & steel cans	♻️ Recycling cart	Give them a rinse.
Flattened cardboard	♻️ Recycling cart	Clean, dry sections only.
Glass bottles & jars	♻️ Recycling cart	Lids off.
Food scraps	🌱 Compost cart	Fruit, veg, leftovers, bones.
Greasy pizza box	🌱 Compost cart	A clean box can be recycled instead.
Plastic bags & film	🗑️ Trash cart	Store drop-off is better.
Batteries	⚠️ Hazardous	Never curbside — tape the terminals.

This is the short list. The full A–Z of what is and isn't recyclable is on what can I recycle? — or scan the item and get the answer for Austin, TX directly.

📷 Scan an item

Austin, TX recycling FAQ

Can you recycle plastic bags in Austin, TX?: Not in your recycling cart. Bags and film wrap around the sorting equipment at the facility Austin Resource Recovery uses, which is why they're excluded almost everywhere. Take clean, dry bags back to a grocery-store drop-off, or put them in your trash cart.
What do I do with batteries in Austin, TX?: Batteries never go in any of your Austin, TX carts — not the recycling cart, not the trash cart. They're household hazardous waste and a genuine fire risk in the truck. Tape the terminals and take them to a local e-waste or household-hazardous-waste drop-off.

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Still not sure?

Rules vary by material and by hauler, and the sorting line is strict — one wrong item can contaminate a whole load. When in doubt, point your camera at the item for a verdict, or check the official Austin Resource Recovery guide.