Recycling in Boise
Recycling in our community is an easy way to give everyday materials a second life, reduce waste sent to the landfill and conserve resources.
Accepted Items
- Cardboard: Flatten boxes and place inside your cart or container
- Paper: Newspapers, magazines, and paperboard (cereal and tissue boxes), and office paper (envelopes, copy paper, scrap paper)
- Metal (Aluminum & Steel): Beverage cans, food cans, pie tins and foil
- Plastics: #1 and #2 bottles, jars and jugs (crinkly plastic water bottles, peanut butter jars, milk jugs) and #5 food tubs (yogurt, butter, cottage cheese tubs)
- Hefty ReNew Orange Bags: For additional plastics #4-7
Items Not Accepted
- Glass (recycle glass separately)
- Food scraps and residue (compost food)
- Household Hazardous Waste (dispose of HHW separately)
- Plastic bags, films, and foam materials (only allowed in Hefty ReNew orange bags)
- Plastic clamshell containers (berry boxes and salad containers must go in the trash)
For more examples, refer to the Curb It Sorting Guide.
How to Prepare Your Recycling
- Place clean and dry items loose into your recycling cart or dumpster
- Flatten cardboard boxes
- Do not bag your recyclables (unless in Hefty ReNew orange bags)
Glass Recycling
Glass collection is available to Boise residents and businesses. Learn how to sign up for a glass-specific recycling cart to your account or find nearby free drop-off sites.
Glass RecyclingHefty ReNew Orange Bags
Collect plastics not accepted loose in recycling, including plastics #4–7 (plastic bags, wraps, foam materials, etc.). Learn more about where to purchase bags, what goes inside, and how to place in your recycling.
Hefty ReNew Orange Bags
Residential Recycling Service
Recycling service for residents living in single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes with curbside service. Recycling goes in your blue cart.
Collection Schedule
Recycling is collected every other week on your designated trash day. To find your collection day, visit Republic Services’ collection day map.
Collection is delayed by one day within the week if your pickup day falls on or after the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. If the actual holiday falls on a weekend, your collection schedule will not change.
View the current collection calendar and holiday schedule:
Cart Sizes
Carts are available in 48, 65, and 95 gallons. Please note the weight limits for your carts: 48-gallon (169 lbs.), 65-gallon (200 lbs.), and 95-gallon (335 lbs.). To request, change, or report a damaged or missing cart, contact Utility Billing Services.
Residential Curb It Guide
This printable guide is your reference for all residential Curb It programs.
Residential Recycling Guidelines
Set-Out Guidelines
- Set carts out by 6:00 a.m. and remove within 24 hours
- Place carts at the curb or alley with the handle facing your home, and don’t block sidewalks
- Keep carts at least three feet away from other objects (carts, mailboxes, fire hydrants, low hanging trees or shrubs, parked cars, etc.)
- Do not place hot ashes in or on carts
Extra Recycling
- Occasional extra recycling can be placed in a cardboard box, no larger than 2’ x 2’ or in a sturdy container such as a tall 20-32-gallon kitchen trash can. All overflow containers must be labeled “RECYCLING” and cardboard must be flattened.
- If you don’t have room in your cart for all your recycling, consider adding a second recycling cart for less than three dollars per month.
- Refer to our Drop-Off Map for the drop-off locations.
Missed Collection
If you have had a missed trash, recycle or compost cart pick-up, please email our service provider Republic Services or call at (208) 345-1266.
Apartment Recycling Service
Recycling services for residents in apartments, townhomes, condos or other multi-family communities without residential recycling service.
Collection Schedule and Availability
Recycling access, container locations and collection schedules vary by property. Your community may have shared recycling containers, individual carts or no on-site recycling service. Contact your property manager for details about your community’s recycling services.
If recycling is not available at your community, consider working with your property manager to start a program. Use this Sample Letter to initiate recycling in your community.
Apartment Curb It Guide
This printable guide is your reference for all multi-family Curb It programs.
Apartment Recycling Guidelines
Follow your property manager’s guidelines for on-site recycling.
If recycling is not offered on-site at your community, or you have extra recycling, you can take your materials to a local recycling drop-off location.
Refer to our Drop-Off Map for locations and additional information.
Recycling FAQs
Send a Message to Curb It
Please note: For missed trash, recycling, glass or compost service, please contact Republic Services or call (208) 345-1266.
For questions about your utility bill, account changes, or to report a broken or missing cart please contact Utility Billing or call (208) 608-7460.
For all other Curb It questions, including item sorting and Household Hazardous Waste, please complete the form below and a member of our team will follow up with you.