Terracycle Zero Waste Bags
Helping you recycle hard-to-recycle items. Recycle up to 24 waste streams, from all plastic packaging to milk and juice cartons, coffee capsules, and more!
Recycle more from your doorstep
Recycle up to 24 waste streams, from all plastic packaging to milk and juice cartons, coffee capsules, and more. Buy individual bags and we will collect them with your regularly-scheduled pickup.
After we collect your items in their Zero Waste Bag, we send them to TerraCycle for recycling. TerraCycle guarantees that they recycle all compliant materials that are collected. The items are received by material recovery partners, where they are sorted into individual material components. Each material is then recycled into a raw format that can be used to make new products.
Accepted items
IMPORTANT: Only use one category of item per bag! You can use any size bag for any waste stream. The chosen waste stream category MUST be indicated on the front of the bag, either by checking the appropriate box or writing the waste stream (example: “All plastic packaging”) on the front of the bag with a permanent marker.
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Collect with Large or Extra Large Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Air packaging, bubble wrap, padded envelopes or mailers, cereal bag liners, food storage & takeout containers, candy & snack wrappers, plastic shopping bags, Ziploc® bags, plastic wrap, shrink wrap
Not accepted: Glass, wood, foamed plastics, biodegradable plastics, PLA text goes here
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Collect with Large or Extra Large Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Any size of flexible aluminum and plastic food and drink pouches
Not accepted: Juice boxes, plastic containers, other beverage containers
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Collect with Small Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Any brand of empty cosmetic, hair care, skincare, or gel/roll-on deodorant packaging beyond standard recyclable containers
Not accepted: Wood & bamboo, wooden eyeliner pencils, cardboard, aerosol & pressurized cans, partially full and full
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Collect with Large or Extra Large Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Coated paper beverage cartons, including milk, juice, lemonade, iced tea, ice cream, and other freezer item cartons
Not accepted: Paper contaminated with food, organics
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Collect with Small Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Coffee capsules, pods, K-Cups, packs, or discs
Not accepted: Electronics, loose coffee grounds, tea & coffee filters, coffee or tea accessories
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Collect with Small Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Natural beverage corks, synthetic beverage corks
Not accepted: Bottle caps, screw tops, foil, aluminum champagne twists, bottles
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Collect with Small Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Rolling paper, ash, cigarette filters, all parts of extinguished cigarettes, cigar stubs, outer plastic packaging, inner foil packaging
Not accepted: Cardboard packaging, cigarette boxes
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Collect with Large or Extra Large Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Flexible multi-layered pet food packaging
Not accepted: Pet accessories, pet food
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Collect with Large or Extra Large Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Styrofoam shipping packaging, Styrofoam food packaging
Not accepted: Containers contaminated with food, organics
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Collect with Small Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Contact lenses, glasses, sunglasses, swim goggles, ski goggles, safety glasses, broken spectacles
Not accepted: Wipes, eyewear cleaning products, cases, contact solution, eyeglass chains
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Collect with Large Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Textiles, fabric, clothing
Not accepted: Textiles with fill, liners, shoes, bags, hats, electronic heating blankets, purses
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Collect with Small Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Ink cartridges, toner cartridges
Not accepted: Printers, printer parts, printer accessories
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Collect with Small Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: 8-track tapes, CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, Blu-ray discs, floppy disks, external hard drives, memory sticks, cassette tapes
Not accepted: Computers, record players, 8-track players, cassette players, TVs, CD players, DVD players, VCRs, CD cases, DVD cases
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Collect with Large Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Desk organizers, binder clips & fasteners, correction supplies, label backing, paper cutters, card filers, binders, staplers, tape dispensers
Not accepted: Lithium-ion batteries, oil-based paint & pressurized canisters, expired medication, organics, broken glass, pesticides, biomedical waste & sharps, light bulbs of any kind
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Collect with Small Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Toothpaste tubes, toothpaste caps, toothbrushes, toothbrush outer packaging, toothpaste tube outer packaging, floss containers
Not accepted: Other oral care waste
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Collect with Large or Extra Large Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Tissue paper, gift wrap, straws, ribbons & bows, napkins, storage containers, party decorations, punch bowls, single-use cups & plates, utensils
Not accepted: Electronic products, food & beverage containers, permanent glassware, permanent flatware
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Collect with Small Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Non-woven disposable plastic-based masks (including 3-ply, KN95, N95), latex gloves, nitrile gloves, vinyl gloves
Not accepted: Medical waste, cloth masks, dipped synthetic gloves, coated synthetic gloves, biodegradable PLA gloves, leather gloves, fabric gloves, cloth gloves
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Collect with Large or Extra Large Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Dustpans, empty spray bottles, empty detergent bottles & nozzles, empty cleaning product bottles, lid tops, dryer sheets, brooms, mops, buckets
Not accepted: Solvents, drain cleaners, oven cleaners, disinfectant, toilet cleaners, detergents, fabric softeners, aerosol cans, bleach, all-purpose cleaners, degreasers, electric vacuum cleaners
Batteries, bulbs, liquids, hazardous items are not accepted
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Collect with Small Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Water filters
Not accepted: Air filters, device using the filter
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Collect with Small Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Any plastic bottle cap
Not accepted: Metal bottle caps, other beverage packaging, bottles, liquids
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Collect with Large Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Sandals, boots, shoes, heels
Not accepted: Ski boots, inline skates, shoelaces, socks
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Collect with Large Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Training equipment, netting, sports clothing, sports safety equipment, cones, yoga mats, resistance accessories, whistles, bags
Not accepted: Live bait, fish, large gym machines
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Collect with Large Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: Plastic building blocks, puzzle pieces, electronic handheld devices, electronic plush toys, flexible packaging, board games, playing cards, plastic & metal figures, remote-control vehicles
Not accepted: Toys with batteries still inside
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Collect with Small Zero Waste Bags
Accepted items: TV cords, extension cords, cable wires, USB cables, computer cords, telephone cords, HDMI cables, ethernet cords
Not accepted: Batteries
Frequently Asked Questions
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Please only put recyclables from one specific waste stream in each Zero Waste Bag. Mark the checkbox for that waste stream on the bag to indicate what’s inside.
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No, you will need to purchase additional Zero Waste Bags. Drivers do not carry extra Zero Waste Bags. Zero Waste Bags can be purchased at any time.
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TerraCycle recycles all compliant materials that are collected. The items are received by TerraCycle’s material recovery partners, where they are sorted into individual material components. Each material is then recycled into a raw format that can be used to make new products.
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No, our collection process ensures that the bags and contents arrive safely at our facility.
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Your Zero Waste Bag will be delivered on your next swapout date.
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There is no limit on the number of bags you can have collected each month. You can purchase additional Zero Waste Bags at any time through our website.
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All items must fit in the provided Zero Waste Bag and the bag must be able to stay closed. We do not collect loose items or open Zero Waste Bags. If you need more Zero Waste Bags, you can order them any time. All Zero Waste Bags list the stream that bag can be used for. Please select only one waste stream to include in that bag.
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You do not need to clean the waste before putting it in the Zero Waste Bag, but please remove as much of the remaining product as possible. If possible, please rinse out containers before including them in your recycling.
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Different waste streams are accepted by different size Zero Waste Bags. Choose one stream listed on your Zero Waste Bag to collect that stream in the bag. If you are unsure or have a specific product question, please email us at compost@theurbancanopy.org