Business Recycling Guide
Recycling is usually not a focal point for companies. Limited time is available for searching for information on how to achieve higher recycling rates and implement good practices. We, at County of Los Angeles Public Works, have developed the Smart Business Recycling Program to assist businesses on how to recycle more. We hope this program will facilitate recycling in many businesses and contribute to greater industrial and commercial recycling practices in the Los Angeles County. For more information, click here
Business Tips
Install recycling containers to make it easy for your employees to participate. Include containers for other materials your employees might bring from their homes, such as beverage cans and bottles; these items will be thrown out if there is no convenient place to recycle them.
What items are accepted?
● Newspapers and inserts: magazines, catalogs, and glossy pages only.
● Aluminum and steel (tin) cans: empty cans must be rinsed. Labels may remain on cans. Aerosol cans must be empty (pesticide and chemical cans are prohibited, but can be disposed of at any household hazardous waste mobile collection site).
● Mixed Paper: white or pastel paper (neon colored paper is NOT accepted), non-corrugated boxes (paperboard from cereal and frozen food boxes) with liners removed, phonebooks, carbonless (NCR) forms, envelopes (with and without windows), junk mail, construction paper (without glitter/glue), greeting cards (no foil), brochures, office waste paper, computer paper, fax paper, paper bags, candy boxes (remove liners), wrapping paper (no foil), lined school paper.
● Plastics: all plastics with a number of 1-7 on the bottom of the container. Discard caps from bottles. No filmy plastic, grocery bags, vinyl, or Styrofoam will be accepted.
● Corrugated cardboard: Break boxes down to no larger than 4' x 4'.
● Wood: All wood free of metal (nails, staples, and screws are okay.)

What items are not accepted?
● Paper plates & cups
● Styrofoam/Packaging
● Tissues
● Paper Towels
● Napkins
● Food-contaminated containers as well as milk or juice cartons
● Pizza boxes and foil-lined items like cookie and chip bags
● Plastic Bags - e.g. dry cleaning, grocery & carrot bags
● Paint & other cans with caution words on labels

Hazardous Waste
Hazardous wastes that require handling by trained professionals are beyond the scope of this guide. Such wastes pose a hazard to human health or the environment and are subject to special storage, handling, recycling and disposal requirements. To find out more please click here.