We accept a variety of materials in a variety of ways!
What can I bring to be recycled? Which facilities take special items? Learn more by using the expandable sections below!
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Recyclables Accepted
Please make sure all materials are clean and dry.
Accepted
- #2 & #4 Plastic Films
- Plastic Grocery Bags
- Ziploc-type Storage Bags
- Produce Bags
- Dry Cleaning Bags
- Bread Bags
Not Accepted
- Compost Bags
- Woven Bags
- Cloth Bags
- Frozen Food Bags
- Pre-washed Salad Bags
- Cling Film
- Metal Foils
Please make sure all materials are clean and dry.
Accepted
- Soda Cans (can be flattened or whole)
- Beer Cans (can be flattened or whole)
Not Accepted
- Aluminum Foil
- Aluminum Trays
- Aluminum Pet Food Cans
- Aerosol Cans
Please make sure all materials are clean and dry.
Accepted
- Newspapers
- Comic Section / Funny Pages
Not Accepted
- Glossy Inserts or Magazines
- Junk Mail
- Bags or String
- Cardboard
Please make sure all materials are clean and dry.
Accepted
- Aluminum Plates, Trays, & Foil
- Pet Food Cans
- Tin Cans
- Steel Containers
- Empty Aerosol Cans
- Metal Coat Hangers
Not Accepted
- Liquids
- Batteries
- Hazardous Material
- Toxic Material
- Appliances
Please make sure all materials are clean and dry.
Accepted
- Office Paper (white)
- Staples & Paper Clips
- White Paper Envelopes (clear windows are okay)
- Shredded Office Paper
- Engineering Plans (can be shredded)
Not Accepted
- Colored Paper
- Junk Mail
- Magazines
- Manila Envelopes
- Plastic, Cardboard, Spiral or Metal Binders
- Plastic Dividers
- Binder Clips
Please make sure all materials are clean and dry. Remove all lids, caps, or corks.
Accepted
- Glass Bottles (clear or colored)
- Glass Jars (clear or colored)
Not Accepted
- Ceramics or Porcelain
- Caps, Lids or Corks
- Mirrored Glass
- Laminates
- Plate (window) Glass
- Lightbulbs
- Drinkware, Glassware, Serving Dishes, Cookware
Please make sure all materials are clean and dry. Remove all lids, caps, or corks.
Accepted
- #1 Plastic Containers
- Water / Soda Bottles (Clear or Colored)
* Caps and labels can remain - Deli / Food Packaging (Clear part only)
Not Accepted
- #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7 Plastics
- Food Residue, Grease, or Liquids
- Metal Foils
- Opaque Food Trays (only accept the clear portion)
Please make sure all materials are clean and dry. Remove all lids, caps, or corks.
Accepted
- #2 Plastic Containers
- Plastic Milk Jugs
- Detergent Bottles (Clear or Colored)
* Caps and labels can remain
Not Accepted
- #1, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7 Plastics
- Food Residue, Grease, or Liquids
- Children’s Toys
- Storage Bins
- Coat Hangers
Additional Notes
The screens at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) that process plastics sees “flat” plastics (e.g., plastic political yard signs, very shallow trays, sheets of plastic) as flat fiber – paper. The screens then divert the flat plastic material into the fiber where they become contaminants. For plastics to be processed correctly, #1 and #2 plastics need to have a three-dimensional shape.
Please make sure all materials are clean and dry.
Accepted
- Food Boxes
- Craft Paper
- Magazines
- Junk Mail
- Colored Paper
- Books (Telephone, soft and hard bound)
Not Accepted
- Frozen Food Boxes (Treated w/ waterproof coating)
- Metal Foils
- Waxed Coatings
- Plastic Spouts
- Milk Cartons
- Tetrapaks (Asceptic Containers)
- Greasy or Wet Paper
Please make sure all materials are clean and dry. No need to flatten boxes.
Accepted
- Corrugated Cardboard
- Pizza Boxes (with all plastics removed)
Not Accepted
- Single Layer Packaging
- Waxed Cardboard
- Metal Foils
- Grease
Recycling FAQs
For more information on what can and can’t be recycled, visit our Recycling FAQs page.
Special Acceptances Per Facility
In addition to the items listed above, each facility accepts special items.
McIntire Recycling Center
- Compostable Food Waste
- Oyster Shells
- Pizza Boxes
- Used Cooking Oil
Ivy Convenience Center at ISWRC
- Motor Oil
- Antifreeze
- Compostable Food Waste
- Tag-a-bag Refuse
Note: Disposal charges may apply.
Curious about Tag-a-Bag? Learn more here.
Hazardous Waste Disposal
Household Hazardous Waste Collection at the Ivy Solid Waste & Recycling Center will be held 9am-3pm on:
| Spring 2025 | Fall 2025 |
|---|---|
| Friday, April 25, 2025 | Friday, September 19, 2025 |
| Saturday, April 26, 2025 | Saturday, September 20, 2025 |
HHW collections are free only to residents of Albemarle County, Charlottesville, and Town of Scottsville, and available to Nelson County residents who obtain a voucher from Nelson County government.
Each year the RSWA holds a larger scale household hazardous waste collection day. On this day, RSWA accepts additional hazardous substances and ensures that they are properly categorized and directed to a permitted offsite hazardous substance management location. The materials accepted on this day include:
- Acids
- Adhesives
- Antifreeze
- Batteries
- CFLs
- Floor and furniture polish
- Fluorescent tubes
- Gasoline
- Household cleaners
- Kerosene
- Motor oil
- Paint and paint-related products and solvents
- Pesticides
- Typical Household Hazardous Waste Items
We do not accept at any time:
- Radioactive waste
- Medical waste
- Explosives
- Ammunition
The next special commercial hazardous waste collection day at the Ivy Solid Waste & Recycling Center will be held on:
Thursday, April 24, 2025, and
Thursday, September 18, 2025
Qualifying businesses* must register with MXI Environmental to obtain an appointment. To Register, call or email Peggy Snead at (276) 628-6636, extension 203 or peggys@mxiinc.com.” There is a fee associated with disposal.
*This event is only open to qualifying Albemarle County and City of Charlottesville Businesses and commercial establishments. Qualifications are defined by federal law to include businesses that (1) generate no more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) hazardous waste in a month, (2) generate no more than 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) acutely hazardous waste in a month, and (3) store not more than 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) hazardous waste.
Composting
Compostable food waste is accepted in compostable bags. Complimentary bags are offered to users of this program at center composting kiosks.
Collect
- Find a small pail or countertop container
- Place it under your kitchen sink or near your kitchen trash can
- Line your container with a compostable bag provided for free at McIntire or Ivy SWRC
- Collect your compostable items in container
Store
- Store your bags of compostable items in an accessible location.
- If it becomes smelly, place in the freezer or tie it off and use a second compostable bag
Bring
- Bring your compost in compostable bags to one of our Facilities.
Question or concerns?
Learn more using the brochures below or email info@rivanna.org.
What items are appropriate for composting?
- Fruits & vegetables
- Nuts, grains & rice
- Egg shells
- Flowers
- Coffee grounds & filters
- Proteins — meat & bones
- Fats, cooking oils & greases (incidental)
- Milk & yogurt
- Uncoated paper (napkins / towels)
- Certified Compostable Packaging
The following items are NOT compostable and should not be included:
- Trash
- Diapers
- Clothing
- Fats, cooking oils & greases (larger amounts, free-flowing, ex: cooking oil from a fryer)
- Styrofoam
- Pet waste
- Cigarette butts
- Snack bags
- Candy wrappers
- Plastic bags of any kind
- Yard waste
If you have a question on a particularly confusing item that you are not sure is compostable, please leave it out.
Have questions about composting? Learn more on our FAQ page!
Special Collections
Special Collections are free and available only to residents of Albemarle County, Charlottesville and Town of Scottsville. These events are held each fall and spring.
Household Appliances Include Only:
- Refrigerators
- Freezers
- Washers
- Dryers
- Stoves
- Furnaces
- Water heaters
- Air conditioners
- Dehumidifiers
- Heat pumps
- Microwaves
- Toasters
No oversized tires will be accepted. Only 12 tires per household will be accepted.
No commercial waste will be accepted.
Note: The Ivy facility will accept furniture, appliances, and tire items during normal operation though a disposal fee will be charged. Tipping fees for the furniture, appliances, and tires will apply.
