The Complete Guide to Cleveland Recycling & Waste Disposal

Find the Right Cleveland Recycling Center for Common Debris

Do your part to keep the city of Cleveland green by recycling as much of your debris as possible. From tires to mattresses, use this guide to find the right recycling center in Cleveland for items that can’t be tossed in your curbside bin. 

Construction Materials | Automotive | Electronics | Paper & Plastic | Household Items

Construction & Remodeling Debris 

Working on a home improvement project? Don’t throw out your leftover debris or materials. Find the right recycling center in Cleveland that will reuse or properly dispose of your construction debris.

Shingles

While shingles can be thrown away, they can also be recycled or potentially reused for another project by local companies. 

Scrap Metal

Not only can scrap metal be recycled, but it is often bought by recyclers due its high value. Find a scrap metal recycling drop-off near you to offload your scrap and possibly make a few bucks.

Miscellaneous

If you have other unused construction materials, find an organization that will accept them as a donation. If you have debris to get rid of, find the correct facility for recycling or disposal below.

Automotive

Has a breakdown left you with an old car battery or leftover parts to get rid of? Don’t toss them in your trash can. Safely dispose of automotive waste by taking them to a recycling drop-off near you instead of the landfill.

Tires

Getting rid of old tires can be tricky as they are not allowed in Cleveland-area landfills. When you go to purchase new tires, choose a retailer that will recycle your old ones for you or use the list below to find a recycling resource in your area.  

Batteries

Car batteries contain hazardous chemicals and metals that require proper handling and disposal. Fortunately, you can recycle dead car batteries at most auto parts stores or scrap yards in the Cleveland area, including the locations below.

Cars

Getting rid of an old car? Consider donating it to a charitable organization to help families and individuals in need.

Gasoline, oils, & lubricants

Gasoline and other automotive fluids should not be disposed of in your trash. Find an auto parts store or a recycling center in Cleveland that can safely recycle or dispose of your old fuel, motor oil and other fluids.

Electronics & Appliances

Old cellphones, computers and other appliances contain natural resources that are valuable and should be recycled. Instead of tossing your outdated hardware, find a collection site for electronics recycling in Cleveland. 

Check out our electronics and appliance disposal guides for more information.

Cell Phones

That old phone might not be valuable to you anymore but it might be to someone else. Donate your cellphone to a charitable organization or recycle it to keep it out of a landfill.

Computers

Give your old desktop or laptop new life by finding the right facility for computer recycling in Cleveland with these resources.

Refrigerators & Appliances

Upgrading your refrigerator? Don’t send your old appliances to the landfill. Find a donation or recycling center in Cleveland to repurpose them instead.  

Check out our appliance disposal guide for more information.

Televisions

TVs are made of glass, plastic and a few potentially hazardous components. If possible, donate or recycle old TVs to keep them out of the landfill. Use the list of locations below to find a resource for TV recycling in Cleveland. 

Paper & Plastic Recycling

Paper and plastic recycling in Cleveland is simple. The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District offers single-stream curbside recycling throughout the area. Simply rinse your recyclables and toss them in your recycling bin. If your residence does not offer recycling, find a recycling drop-off in your community. 

Find a full list of items accepted in curbside recycling on the Solid Waste District’s website. 

Household Items

Many of your household items still have value once you’re finished with them. Instead of sending old housewares, clothes and furniture to the dump, find the correct Cleveland recycling facility or donate them to charity.

Clothing

When you’re decluttering your home, pull out the pieces in good shape and donate them to one of the charitable organizations below.

Mattresses

Mattresses are tricky items to get rid of in many places. Fortunately, most cities in Cuyahoga County accept mattresses as part of their curbside bulk waste collection. Check with your local trash pickup service to make sure they'll take yours. If not, you may be able to donate your mattress to a local charity.

Check out our mattress disposal guide for more information.
 

Medications

If medications are thrown away, they can potentially contaminate the water system or be accidentally ingested. Whenever possible, medications should be disposed of at a designated drop-off facility.

If there is not a designated collection location near you, follow these steps before placing your medications in the trash: 

1. Remove pills from their original bottles and place them in a disposable container with a lid. 
2. Mix the medications with an undesirable substance like coffee grounds or cat litter so it will not be accidentally ingested. 
3. Place the disposable container in the trash. 

Sharps

Used syringes and needles could potentially spread disease. When you need to get rid of sharps, place them inside a sturdy plastic container with a lid, such as an empty laundry detergent bottle. 

Fill it up and then tightly secure the lid and seal with duct tape. Label the container with the type of waste inside, and put it in your garbage. Do not use a see-through container for sharps. 

Yard Waste & Tree Stumps

There are plenty of options for getting rid of yard waste in Cleveland without resorting to a backyard bonfire. Any of the businesses below will take your yard waste and use it as compost or mulch.

Additional Disposal & Recycling Options in Cleveland 

Household Hazardous Waste

The average home contains a variety of debris and materials that are considered hazardous waste, including: 

You can dispose of these items through the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste Management District’s household hazardous waste disposal program.

Local Landfills

If you can’t find the right recycling center in Cleveland for your hard-to-recycle debris, find a landfill or transfer station near you.