What items can Anderson County recycle?
Corrugated Cardboard
Corrugated cardboard is accepted at Glen Alpine, Wolf Valley, and Green Valley in Single-Stream compactors.
Aluminum Cans
All aluminum beverage cans, or aluminum food cans – such as cat food, and tuna cans, etc., are accepted at Glen Alpine, Wolf Valley, and Green Valley in Single-Stream compactors, or in designated small bins/garbage cans at the Marlow and Frost Bottom Convenience Centers. All items must be empty of fluids and food residue.
Steel/Tin Food Cans
All steel and tin food cans – such as soup cans, canned fruit or vegetable cans, dog food cans, etc., are accepted only at Glen Alpine, Wolf Valley, and Green Valley in Single-Stream compactors. All items must be empty of fluids and food residue!
Mixed Paper
Mixed Paper is accepted at all county convenience centers. This includes newspaper, office paper, notebook paper (remove wire spiral from notebooks), pressed papers – like cereal boxes, tissue boxes, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, milk cartons, etc. Used tissues or toilet paper with blood or other bodily substances must be thrown in the trash!
Mixed Plastics #1 - #7
Mixed Plastics #1 – #7 are accepted at all county convenience centers in Single-Stream compactors or specific Plastic #1 -#7 bins.
All types of plastic containers marked with the triangular arrow and number symbol – this includes plastic soda and water bottles, detergent and milk jugs, clear plastic clam-shells or other items with the recycle symbol on them. All items must be empty of fluids and food residue.
What Items are not recyclable in Anderson County?
Plastic shopping bags are not accepted at Anderson County’s convenience centers. Plastic shopping bags should be returned to retailers and grocery stores that have bins specifically for them at the front of the stores.
Plastic films, wraps, sandwich/Zip-Loc bags, any type of Styrofoam, used disposable diapers, plastic Band-Aids, or rubber items (such as hoses) are not recyclable. All those items must be thrown in the trash.
Glass is not currently a recyclable item for the East Tennessee Region. The local recycling processor no longer provides glass recycling due to the lack of markets for glass material in our area, and due to injuries to staff members caused by sorting broken glass.
What items are not accepted at Anderson County’s Convenience Centers?
If household paint is in a plastic container, it is generally going to be a Latex/Water-based paint and is not accepted. Additionally, if the label says keep from freezing or clean-up with soap and water, or has water in the ingredient list, it will be a Latex/Water-based paint and is not accepted.
Helpful Tips:
Latex/Water-based paint must be completely dried out and solidified, and then bagged up for disposal in your regular household garbage. Drying agents are available at home improvement and hardware stores and can be used, or a material like sawdust or cat litter can be used to dry the paint. This can be done in the can, BUT the easiest and least expensive way to dry Latex paint is to get a tub or a cardboard box and line it with a couple of garbage bags, then mix in the paint, and plain clay cat litter. This should be done in a dry, well-ventilated area away from children and pets. The cat litter will pull the moisture out of the paint and should be solid in a few days to a week. Be sure to use plenty of the cat litter. Then tie the bag shut and dispose of it in your household garbage. Empty cans should be bagged with the lids off for disposal in the regular garbage. This process can be done in the can, BUT please note that you may need to stir the paint/cat litter mixture occasionally, or add more cat litter since there is less exposure to the air in the can. With very small amounts of paint, you can simply take the lid off the can, again in a dry, well-ventilated area away from children and pets. But be aware that any paint not exposed to the air will remain liquid, so this process will require stirring to break the surface skin on the paint and get air to the remainder, and could potentially take months to completely dry out.
Drywall mud, spackle, grout and adhesives are not accepted, and should be allowed to dry in the container, then put in the regular garbage.
Ammunition is not accepted and should be taken to the nearest police station or law enforcement office.
Alkaline batteries are not accepted and should be put in the regular garbage.
Construction Materials such as lumber, drywall, brick, rock, toilets/tubs/showers, rolls of carpet, and other construction materials are not accepted at County Convenience Centers and must be taken to Chestnut Ridge Landfill. The ONLY exception to this is if you have small quantities of wood scrap, or pieces of carpet that can fit into a garbage bag, these MUST be in bags.
Regular incandescent light bulbs and LED bulbs are not accepted and should be put in the regular garbage. TIP: Compact fluorescent bulbs can be taken to The Home Depot and placed in the collection box near the entrance.
Scrap metal – While most scrap metal is accepted, please note that the following items are NOT ACCEPTED: chain link fence material other than posts (no concrete on posts), barb-wire, chicken wire, or other fencing, loose wire or cable.
If you have something that you are not sure of whether it can be recycled, please contact the Solid Waste Department for information, at (865) 463-6845.