Do: Recycle clear, green or brown glass jars and bottles, any size.

How:  Remove all caps. Discard plastic caps in the garbage.  Place metal caps and rinsed glass jars and bottles in the same recycling bin with plastic and metal containers.  Labels need not be removed.

Don't:  Glass that is not used for food or beverages, such as light bulbs, drinking glasses, crystal, window and mirror glass, ceramic ware, kitchen cookware, pesticide/herbicide bottles, etc., are not recyclable.  Put these items in the garbage. 

Automotive recyclables that require special handling are motor oil, oil filters and vehicle batteries. 

Motor Oil*
Take used motor oil to a service station or to a retail outlet that sells motor oil.  State law requires most service stations and retailers to accept, free of charge, up to five (5) gallons of motor oil per person per day.

Drain oil into a clean unbreakable plastic container with a tight-fitting lid.  Do not mix oil with any other fluid, such as antifreeze, brake fluid or gasoline. Be certain that the container you use is thoroughly rinsed so that nothing will contaminate the motor oil.

Oil Filters
Drain oil from filter.  This should be done in an area where the temperature is higher than 60° F.  Oil drains more easily and thoroughly at warmer temperatures.  Drained filters should then be wrapped in newspaper and disposed of in the garbage.

Vehicle Batteries*
Take vehicle batteries to a retailer that sells them.  State law requires such retailers to accept, free of charge, up to (2) vehicle batteries per person per month.  You can also call local scrap metal dealers or your local Recycling Office and ask if they will accept your battery.

* Note: If a service station or retailer refuses to accept your motor oil or vehicle battery, you have the right to report the facility to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Enforcement Division by calling (845) 256-3013.

You can also refer to our Special Household Waste page for guidelines on other household items that require special handling.

As of January 1, 2015 in New York State, consumers are no longer allowed to dispose of certain types of electronic equipment as garbage. New York State DEC has compiled a list of covered electronic equipment manufacturers and their associated acceptance programs for New Yorkers to utilize to recycle electronics.

Many electronics retail centers and most manufacturers offer take-back programs. You can learn more about each manufacturer’s plan through information provided by the New York State Department of Conservation or by visiting the manufacturer’s website.

Donating used electronics is another option that extends the lives of valuable products and maximizes the energy and resources that went into making the products. Search for local donations centers that accept old electronics. Be sure to check out the Environmental Protection Agency's Electronics Donation and Recycling webpage for more information.

Westchester County accepts electronics at the Household Material Recovery Facility (H-MRF) where residents can book an appointment online and drop off electronics for recycling. Many municipalities also host electronic waste pods. Contact your local municipal office to find out if there is an e-waste pod near you.

Since 1998, District Municipalities have had the option to participate in the Organic Yard Waste Program through a program-specific inter-municipal agreement. Municipalities can opt to host an organic site, but to benefit from having collection directly from their municipal yard, the host municipality must permit other IMA municipalities to deliver organic yard waste to the site.

The cost for organic yard waste is subsidized by the District so that the per ton cost is less than the cost to dispose of solid waste, thereby encouraging participation. The yard waste is collected by sub-contractors of MRF Operator, which haul the materials to commercial composting facilities.

In 2021, participating municipalities collected 97,906 tons of yard waste. Municipalities that currently host an Organic Yard Waste site are: Briarcliff Manor, Cortlandt, Croton, Eastchester, Greenburgh, Harrison, Irvington, Larchmont, Village and Town of Mamaroneck, Mt. Kisco, Mt. Vernon, New Rochelle, Ossining Village, Peekskill, Port Chester, Rye City, Scarsdale, Sleepy Hollow, Tarrytown, White Plains, and Yonkers.

At-home Composting

You can further reduce waste by composting fallen leaves, branches and organic wastes at home. The benefits of composting fall leaves, rather than putting them out for collection, include improving the health of your lawn and gardens as well as cost savings to your community. Grasscycling, which means recycling grass by leaving clippings on the lawn, and GreenScaping, to reduce lawn and yard maintenance, are other easy ways to make a difference.

Food scraps can also be composted along with yard waste in a compost bin or pile and transforming everyday kitchen and yard waste into rich, beneficial compost material. Cornell Waste Management Institute provides information for at home composters and educators seeking to promote composting. Residents, school groups, municipal leaders, and all those interested in learning more about compost are encouraged to tour the District's new CompostED Facility in Valhalla. The County's first small-scale food scrap composting demonstration and education site!