Fact vs. Trash: 5 Recycling Myths in Arlington

Published on September 22, 2026

By the Office of Communication

While Arlington community members remain passionate about keeping waste out of landfills, common misconceptions about what belongs in the green residential recycling carts can sometimes lead to processing delays, machine breakdowns and batch contamination.

"Our residents have great intentions, but 'wishcycling'—putting non-recyclable items into the cart in hopes they will be processed—actually harms our local recycling ecosystem," said Carie Williams, the City's solid waste and recycling community outreach and education coordinator. "By understanding a few simple rules, every household can make a difference in keeping Arlington clean, efficient and green."

To keep local sorting machinery running smoothly and maximize recycled materials, the City of Arlington addresses the top five residential recycling myths:

Myth 1: "If it has the recycling symbol, it belongs in the blue cart."

The Fact: The chasing arrows symbol identifies resin types, not curbside collection capability. Items like plastic toys, Styrofoam, garden hoses, and pool liners are not accepted. Hoses, cords, and wires act as "tanglers" that wrap around sorting equipment, bringing operations to a halt. Remember: if an item is not explicitly listed as accepted, place it in the trash cart.

Myth 2: "Bagging recyclables keeps items clean and organized."

The Fact: Plastic bags and film wrap around high-speed gears at processing facilities, forcing emergency shutdowns for manual removal. All recyclable items—paper, cardboard, metal cans, glass, and plastic bottles—must be placed loose directly inside your green cart. Plastic shopping bags should be returned to local retail drop-off bins.

Myth 3: "Pizza boxes can never be recycled due to grease."

The Fact: Cardboard pizza boxes are accepted in Arlington as long as they are free of food residue, wax paper, and heavy grease. Simply remove remaining crusts, tear off and discard any heavily greased bottom panels, and place the clean cardboard top into your recycling cart.

Myth 4: "Any glass or metal household item can go into the cart."

The Fact: Most types of food and beverage containers made from glass and metal are ideal for recycling. Accepted items include aluminum cans, tin food cans, and glass jars or bottles. However, cookware, ceramics, mirrors, windowpanes, light bulbs and scrap metal cannot be processed curbside and must be disposed of separately.

Myth 5: "You must remove bottle caps and scrub containers spotless."

The Fact: Over-washing wastes water; containers simply need to be empty, clean, and dry. A quick rinse is sufficient. Additionally, residents should keep plastic caps screwed onto bottles. Loose caps fall through sorting screens, but attached caps are correctly scanned and processed alongside the bottle.

Quick Guide: What Belongs in Your Arlington Blue Cart?

• Accepted Items (Loose, Empty, Clean & Dry):
• Paper & Cardboard: Folded boxes, pizza boxes (clean sections), mail, newspapers, magazines.
• Plastics: Plastic bottles, jugs, and jars (screw caps left ON).
• Metal: Aluminum beverage cans, steel/tin food cans, empty aerosol cans.
• Glass: Glass food and beverage bottles and jars (all colors).

Residents seeking additional information on waste collection schedules, hazardous household waste disposal, or detailed sorting guides are encouraged to visit arlingtontx.gov/recycle.