In a nutshell, Class A recyclables in New Jersey are metal, glass, paper, plastic packaging, and cardboard. In fact, the way we put it simply is that Class A recyclables in New Jersey are more or less the types of recyclable materials that you would put in a can on your sidewalk or take to your local recycling center. To top it all off, the State of New Jersey classifies recyclable solid waste materials into four groups or classes, which are not intuitively obvious or easy to decipher. While the main recyclable materials have remained the same, some municipalities have different specifications for what is acceptable.

For this reason, the County and its municipalities have stepped up their educational efforts to keep these items out of the recycling stream. When it comes to opening or managing a recycling center in New Jersey, understand what kind of recyclable material you plan to use. Always check with your local recycling coordinator for the latest news and updates on your local program. As before, glass bottles and jars, cans, newspaper, mixed paper and cardboard, if clean, go to the recycling bin.

It may not seem like much, but it’s easier and more cost-effective for homeowners to rinse a single bottle or can than it is for recycling center workers to add that step for literally tens of thousands of pounds of recyclables. NO. Unfortunately, shredded paper cannot be recycled on the sidewalk, as this material cannot be processed properly, as the equipment in the recycling plant is not designed to handle shredded paper. Remember that it’s always a good idea to read the labels and look for the most up-to-date information about your municipality’s recycling program.

The fact is that these non-recyclable items were never supposed to be placed in your recycling bin. So, while your typical roadside recycling bin generally contains what New Jersey considers Class A recyclables, there is a bit of a gray area when it comes to larger metal recycling facilities. Curbside recycling programs follow the same basic rules throughout New Jersey, and your local program may include additional materials.