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Recycling Program
Recycling Programs - Drop-off and Collection
Recycling Drop-Off Center
- 3rd Street (Borough Yard), off Brunswick Avenue
Spotswood Residents Only - Monday through Friday
7 am to 3 pm - Saturday
8 am to noon - Sundays and Holidays - Closed
It is important that you know what can and cannot be recycled in our municipality.
Many residents just recycle everything, thinking they are doing their part to help the environment. The fact is that placing items in your curbside recycling bin that cannot be recycled wastes time, energy, and money. Recycling facilities have to pay to sort and dispose of items that should have been thrown in the garbage in the first place. This increases costs to every taxpayer. Non-recyclable materials are also prohibited at the recycling drop-off center.
Please follow these simple rules:
Do Not:
- Include garden hoses, VHS tapes, used syringes, toys, carpet, plates, shoes, clothing, cups, utensils, or plastic bags in your Curbside Recycling Bin
- Recycle any boxes or papers that are covered in food, grease or liquids
- Recycle any bottles that contained hazardous materials (empty motor oil, pesticide, antifreeze, or paint containers)
Do:
- Reuse your plastic bags at home, or see if the local grocery store accepts them for recycling
- Recycle your pizza boxes if they do not have grease or other food on them, or consider only recycling the top of the box
- Recycle your clothing at clothing drop-off boxes
- Pour out liquids from food and beverage bottles/cans before putting in recycling bin
- Aerosol Cans
- Anti-Freeze
- Car Batteries
- Drain Cleaners
- Driveway Sealer
- Gas/Oil Mix
- Gasoline
- Household Batteries
- Latex Paints
- Lighter Fluid
- Oil-Based Paint
- Paint Thinner
- Pesticides/Herbicides
- Photographic Chemicals
- Pool Chemicals
- Propane Tanks
- Stains/Varnishes
- Thermometers (mercury)
- Glass, Aluminum, Bi-metal Cans (must be rinsed and free of food particles)
- Newspapers tied with string or cord (no paper or plastic bags)
- Cardboard (must be flattened)
- Motor Oil (sealed in gallon containers)
- Textiles (clothing/fabric)
- Plastic Containers (only those identified with the recycling logo Number 1, Number 2, or PET-HDPE)
- Mixed Paper/Junk Mail
- Consumer Electronic Devices (CEDs), see note
Note: Metal and consumer electronic devices (CEDs) may be brought to the recycling drop-off center on Third Street, or you may schedule curbside pickup by calling 732-416-1829. CEDs include computers (desktop and laptop), monitors, desktop printers, fax machines, and televisions only. Items such as scanners, modems, cables, and keyboards should be included in household trash and will not be accepted at the recycling center.
The Middlesex County Improvement Authority's Program collects recyclables in single-stream fashion. Now all curbside recyclable items, such as bottles, cans, paper and small flat cardboard can be mixed together in a single recycling container as long as they are kept separate from trash. Recycling is collected every other Wednesday.
Recycling Hotline: 800-488-6242 (MCIA)
Check with the Department of Public Works for changes in collection schedules due to weather emergencies or other emergency situations. You may also check for changes to the schedule, or find additional information about the MCIA Program on their website.
Residential Cooking Oil Recycling Program
The Middlesex County Solid Waste Management's residential cooking oil recycling program allows residents to safely recycle their used cooking oil at the following locations:
- East Brunswick Reclamation Center
357 Dunhams Corner Road
Every Saturday
8 am to noon - Monroe Department of Public Works
76 Gravel Hill Road
Every Friday
8 am to noon - Old Bridge Public Works
1 Old Bridge Plaza (Route 516 and Cottrell Road)
Every Saturday
8 am to noon - South Plainfield Recycling Center
Kenneth Avenue
Every Friday
8 am to noon - Woodbridge Public Works
225 Smith Street, Keasbey (under GS Parkway/Rt9 Bridges)
Every Saturday
8 am to noon
This program is open to residents only, no businesses. Proof of residency is required.
Liquid vegetable oils only; no shortening, coconut oil, lard, or motor oil. Residents must see an attendant before unloading their vehicles.
For more information please call (732) 745-4170, or visit their website.
Have something someone else may need? Look for it in the MCIA Reuse-It Book - Middlesex County's Guide to "Freecycling" (PDF).