Reusable Tote Bags for Multi-Family Recycling

Thanks to a grant from CalRecycle, we are happy to offer a reusable tote bag to help make carrying recyclables to your complex’s recycling area that much easier. These tote bags come with clear guidelines on what can and cannot be recycled with additional resources. Property managers or owners of buildings of 5 or more units with multi-family bin service can request FREE tote bags for their tenants by filling out the tote bag request form.

Get your CRV beverage container deposit back at calrecycle.ca.gov/bevcontainer.

Mockup MFD totebag

Reusable Recycling Bag (19” x 15” x 7”) are made from 30% post-consumer laminated recycled material, making them easy to clean.

“Why should I recycle?”

Recycling is important because it reduces waste, keeps recyclable materials out of the landfill, and helps protect the environment. Recycling also saves energy, valuable natural resources and creates jobs.

For Residents

Use this tote bag to collect your recyclables and bring to your complex’s recycling area, or use it to collect CRV beverage containers to bring to a drop-off location for a cash refund. A transparent bag with an emptied soda bottle, emptied condensed milk can, emptied soda can and emptied juice bottle bagged inside on a red background and white crossed out icon, alongside the text “No loose plastic bags and no bagged recyclables”.

Ask your property manager to request tote bags for your property if you haven’t received them already.

The tote bag is a simple alternative to using plastic bags, which cannot be recycled in San José. Placing non-acceptable items like plastic bags or bagging your recyclables in plastic can tangle our recycling equipment and can cause safety hazards for workers, who have to manually untangle them. This slows down the process and can result in increased recycling costs for our community.

Redeem Beverage Containers for CRV Refund

Plastic water bottle, glass juice bottle, glass soda bottle, and and aluminum soda can.

Consumers pay California Redemption Value (CRV) when they purchase beverages from a retailer. Consumers receive CRV refunds when they redeem the containers at a recycling center. Most beverages sold in glass, plastic, or metal (other than milk, medical food, and infant formula) are subject to CRV.

Get your CRV beverage container deposit back at CalRecycle.ca.gov/bevcontainer.

Junk Pickup

Large items DO NOT go in the recycling. San José residents can schedule NO COST appointments to have large items (such as mattresses, sofas, refrigerators, tires, and more) picked up by calling GreenTeam at (408) 282-4400 or contacting your property manager. Make sure to ask your property manager where your designated Junk Pick Up set out location is.

Household Hazardous Waste

Lightbulb, dirty oil canister, chemical spray bottle, paint bucket with paint spilled on the side, and batteries.

Household Hazardous Waste DOES NOT go in the garbage or recycling. San José residents can schedule a NO COST drop-off appointment to get rid of batteries, chemicals, electronics, fluorescent light bulbs, helium and propane tanks, paint, syringes, and more at hhw.org or by calling (408) 299-7300.

If you’re unsure of what goes where, look it up at SanJoseRecycles.org.

For Property Managers

Fill out the Request MFD Tote Bag form to request free tote bags.

Help keep your recycling areas tidy and highlight your commitment to a clean recycling program. Provide tenants a reusable tote bag to transport recyclables. Each bag contains information about what is and is not recyclable as well as clear instructions for use. This simple solution is an alternative to plastic bags, which cannot be recycled in San José and is one of the top non-acceptable items found in our recycling stream.

Reusable Recycling Bag (19” x 15” x 7”) are made from 30% post-consumer laminated recycled material, making them easy to clean.

Fill out the Request MFD Tote Bag form to request free tote bags.

Recycling can be confusing

Ask yourself three things before placing something in your tote bag:

Is it a recyclable plastic #1-5 or 7? #6 and items labeled compostable are not recyclable.
Has it been emptied and scraped? No food, no liquid.
Is it recyclable? Look it up at SanJoseRecycles.org.

There are 3 images. 1: Items on green background with white check with text, “recycle clean bottles, cans, paper and cardboard.” 2: Group of old food on red background with text, “keep food and liquid out of your recycling.” 3: Phone with text “Look up what’s recyclable SanJoseRecycles.org”

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Recycling can be confusing