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Mayor’s List of Recyclables and Compostables

Mayor’s List of Recyclables and Compostables
The Mayor’s List of Recyclables and Compostables[PDF] is a requirement of the Sustainable Solid Waste Management Amendment Act of 2014. The purpose is to provide a single comprehensive list of recyclable and compostable materials for DC residents and businesses.
 
Effective Date
The Mayor’s List went into effect on January 1, 2018. All residential and commercial properties – including multi-family dwellings, office buildings, and restaurants – are now required to recycle the full suite of materials on this list. And to make things simple, the items that should be recycled are now uniform throughout DC—whether you’re at home, work, or school.
 
The District strives to achieve a goal of diverting 80 percent of citywide waste from landfills and waste to energy facilities. The increased number of recyclable items and focus on resident education aims to assist in achieving this goal.

New items added to the list of recyclable items in the District include: pizza boxes; paper and plastic plates, cups, lids, and to-go containers; plastic produce, deli/bakery containers, and trays. Through the addition of these items, the District joins a select group of cities that accept foodservice packaging for recycling, thereby supporting the development of local and national solutions to recycling new materials.
 
Plastic bags, wraps, and film are not accepted in the District’s recycling. These items clog facility equipment, imposing downtime and safety hazards to recycling facility employees. Many supermarkets and large retailers have plastic shopping bag return/recycling bins in their stores. Residents are asked to place recyclables into their blue bins loose, or in paper bags. 
 
Tools & Resources
For more information and resources related to recycling in the District, please visit zerowaste.dc.gov.
 
For More Information
Please email [email protected] with questions or comments.

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