One aspect of sustainable urban living in Philadelphia that we try to highlight is recycling. Not only is recycling a fairly simple process, not much different than throwing out your garbage, but it can also help us reduce our environmental footprint.

The city has supplied recycling bins to residents since 1993. While the program has grown immensely in the past two decades, the supply of bins does not always meet resident demands. To help you navigate the world of recycling in Philadelphia, we’ve assembled a how-to guide for getting your bin and what you can and can’t recycle.

Getting A Recycling Bin

1. City-Issued Recycling Bins – The first avenue to explore when trying to procure a recycling bin is your nearest sanitation center. There you can get your bin which comes free with proof of Philadelphia city residency. There is a great article over on Billy Penn with tips on getting your recycling bin this way, a list of the Sanitation Centers so you can find the one closest to you, and accompanying phone numbers.It is recommended that you call the Sanitation Center before making the trek over there because, while 40,0000-60,000 bins are given out by the city each year, it is still difficult to keep up with demand, and many centers run out frequently.
2. DIY Recycling Bins – For this route to recycling it is recommended that you label “Recycling” clearly on the bin or that you grab a city-issued recycling sticker for the container.If you aren’t able to procure an official bin, either because they’ve run out or you’re unable to get to one of the Sanitation Centers, you will be glad to find out that any bin up to 32 gallons is permissible for use as a recycling bin.
3. Temporary Recycling Bins – A good holdover until you’re able to either get an official city issued recycling bin or establish your own container is putting your recycling out in paper bags. In some neighborhoods this is an acceptable method, although there is no guarantee that your recycling will always be picked up this way. This method should only be used as a temporary option, however, because it does come with a whole host of problems. These issues are particularly apparent in the winter or other bad weather conditions where bags are compromised and recycling is scattered through the streets.
4. Alternative Recycling Bin Distributors – Many offshoot organizations also distribute recycling bins locally. A few of the groups are community development corporations and neighborhood associations. If you’re having trouble getting your hands on a bin, we recommend checking in with your local neighborhood association or CDC to see if they can help you out.
5. Solo Real Estate Bins – We at Solo Real Estate are always looking for new ways that we can help create a more sustainable Philadelphia. With all of our projects and endeavors we strive to hold ourselves to the highest standard of sustainable practices. In light of our eco-friendly goals, we have our own program for doling out recycling bins. We provide these bins for our clients, tenants, and neighbors. To get a bin for your household you can check out our stock at Greensgrow in Fishtown, the Kensington Food Co-Op, neighborhood associations throughout the city, or even stop by our office at 2017 Chancellor Street near Rittenhouse Square to pick one up.  

Philadelphia Recycling Dos & Don’ts

The good news is, now that you’ve got your very own recycling bin, the hard part is behind you because in Philadelphia recycling is about as easy as disposing of your usual garbage –  something that we all have to do.

Philadelphia has a single-stream recycling system which is great because it means the days of sorting different materials and numbers of plastics are in the past. There are, however, still some do’s and don’ts of single-stream recycling.

Some major items found in most households that fall under the don’t recycle category include light bulbs, paper products like tissue, paper towels, napkins, and anything wax-coated. Another big one that people often overlook are food-soiled goods such as cardboard boxes and aluminum foil. Sorry folks, but those greasy pizza boxes are destined for the trash can. Some common plastics found in the home that are not recyclable are plastic bags, packing peanuts, and Styrofoam.

Green Philly also has a great guide of the do’s and don’ts of recycling on their blog.