Single Stream Recycling

What material can you recycle in single-stream?

  • All containers should be empty of food or liquid. Food containers should be rinsed.
  • Caps or lids should be put back on containers after rinsing.
  • Ideally, your recycling is placed clean and loose in your recycling toter. A liner is not necessary and is not recyclable so if you use a bag to line your indoor receptacle it is best to dump recyclables out of the bag into the outside bin and re-use the bag to line your indoor recycling or trash bin.
  • Containers don’t need to be crushed.
  • No Styrofoam of any kind.  
  • CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST PRINTABLE FLYER WITH SINGLE STREAM RULES AND OTHER TOWN OF BEDFORD DISPOSAL SOLUTIONS.

Acceptable Recycling Materials

Paper

Clean, dry, and unsoiled.

    • Address labels and stickers
    • Bags
    • All boxes, paperboard, waxed board (like cereal or tissue boxes)
    • Corrugated cardboard boxes
    • Cereal boxes
    • Computer and office paper, all kinds
    • Egg cartons (no Styrofoam)
    • Envelopes (clear windows OK)
    • Juice or milk containers, with plastic caps and rings
    • Mail, magazines, catalogs
    • Newspapers
    • Office paper, file folders
    • Packing or craft paper
    • Phone books
    • Sticky notes
    • Shredded paper (must be placed in sealed bag)
  • Wrapping paper
Metal
    • Aerosal spray cans (must be empty)
    • Aluminum cans
    • Aluminum foil
    • Caps and lids (bottles, jars, cans)
    • Paint cans (must be empty or dry)
    • Pie pans, trays, to-go containers
    • Scrap metal (any size as long as it fits in bin)
  • Steel (tin) cans
Glass

Must be empty, light rinse only. No Pyrex, ceramics or mirrors.

    • Bottles and jars (metal caps and lids are OK)
    • Drinking cups
  • Jars
Plastics

Solid plastics can be recycled. There is no need to check the number on the plastic.

    • Antifreeze bottles
    • Bottles and caps
    • Buckets (metal handle OK)
    • Cups, lids and plates (no Styrofoam)
    • Containers, clamshells and to-go packaging
    • Garden/flower pots and trays
    • Hazardous chemical containers (only if empty)
    • Jugs
    • Laundry detergent bottles
    • Medicine bottles (only if empty)
    • Molded plastic packaging
    • Motor oil bottles (only if empty)
    • Rigid Plastics (like Little Tykes Toys)
    • Toys (no electronics, metal or batteries)
    • Tubs, trays and lids (like yogurt containers and Tupperware)
  • Utensils

Unacceptable Recycling Materials

As of 2018 these items marked in red are temporarily not accepted for recycling. Place these items in the trash.
Items marked in green are accepted at the Community Compost Program.

    • Batteries
    • Ceramic dishware
    • Clothing, linens and rags
    • Construction debris
    • Corks, plastic and cork
    • Electronics
    • Food scraps
    • Hazardous materials or chemicals
    • Light bulbs: incandescent, fluorescent and LEDs
    • Ink or toner cartridges
    • Major appliances
  • Medical waste or medicines
    • Mirrors
    • Plates and vases
    • Pyrex
    • Soiled paper napkins, tissues, towels
    • Styrofoam
    • Tires
    • Tiles
    • Trash
    • Window panes
    • Wire hangers
    • Wood
  • Yard waste, leaves, trimmings
Unacceptable Plastics
    • Bags: all plastic bags and wrapping of any kind
    • Boat wrap
    • Bubble wrap
    • CDs, DVDs, CD-ROMs and cases
    • Plastic-coated paper plates
    • Shrink wrap and thin-film plastic
    • Six-pack holders (cut up before disposal)
    • Wax paper
  • Wrappers: all plastic wrapper or lining bags

Now that plastic bags are no longer accepted in single stream recycling, what should we do with them?

The large grocery stores and Town of Bedford Recycling center still collect them.  If you throw them in the trash, they are hauled to be burned at the incinerator in Peekskill.

For information on how to dispose of non-recyclable items safely and legally, visit our Recyclopedia.

Download a printable PDF of the Single Stream information.

Click here for our June 2018 Press Release announcing changes to Single Stream Recycling.