Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I take food scraps and yard waste?
When is the next Swap Meet?
I need moving boxes; can I get some from Sedona Recycles?
I saw a cat when I was at Sedona Recycles; who takes care of her?

Is Sedona Recycles owned/operated by the City of Sedona?

No. Sedona Recycles is a nonprofit organization founded by three Sedona women in 1989. Sedona Recycles does receive compensation for contracted services from City of Sedona, City of Cottonwood, Town of Jerome, Town of Camp Verde, Town of Clarkdale, and Yavapai County, but none of these entities are involved with running our operation.

Is Sedona Recycles affiliated with Verde Earthworks curbside recyclers?

No. Sedona Recycles is not affiliated with any curbside recycler or waste hauler. Kate Blevins, owner of Verde Earthworks, was one of the founders of Sedona Recycles and served as Executive Director of Sedona Recycles until 2007.

Where can I recycle?

We have 13 free 24-hour recycling drop-off sites throughout the Verde Valley. You can find the closest one here. We are always looking for new locations to provide this free service; please contact us if you are interested in hosting a drop-off site.

What can I recycle?

Check out our Recycling Guide to see what we do and do not accept.

Who can use the Sedona Recycles drop-off sites?

Anyone! Residents, visitors, and businesses are all welcome to use our drop-off sites, free of charge, 24 hours a day.

How should I sort my recyclables?

We collect our recyclable in five different bins:

• Cardboard – includes corrugated cardboard, brown paper bags, and paperboard
• Paper – includes newspaper, magazines, office paper, junk mail, shredded paper (bagged), and phonebooks
• Clear Glass – bottles and jars only
• Colored Glass – bottles and jars only
• Plastic and Cans – includes aluminum cans, steel cans, and plastics #1-7 (bottles, tubs, pots, cups, etc.)

What can I put in the bin for Clothing, Shoes, Toys, and Small Household Items?

Any quality material is acceptable. Stained or torn clothing, single socks and shoes, and scratched pots and pans are okay. Most items are sent to those in need overseas, but items in extremely poor condition are recycled into rags and other items. If your items won’t fit in the bin, don’t leave them.

Can lids be recycled?

Yes. You can leave your lids on any plastic container you recycle. In the old days, balers were too weak to compress a bottle with the lid screwed on, but our new strong baler can compact them just fine. Steel lids from glass jars can go in the Plastic and Cans bin.

Do I need to clean out my bottles and cans before recycling them?

A little rinse goes a long way towards keeping Sedona Recycles clean and fresh. You don’t need to worry about scrubbing every bit of peanut butter out of the jar, but please empty your containers and give them a quick rinse. Remember, every piece of metal and plastic we receive is handled by our employees, so try to recycle your items in a way that you wouldn’t mind handling after a few days outside.

Can I recycle a bottle that contained motor oil?

Yes. As long as the bottle is empty, we can recycle it. It’s okay if there is still a tiny bit of oil in the bottle, so don’t rinse it out. Let’s keep our waterways clean! And remember, you can recycle used motor oil at most automotive shops.

Are aerosol cans recyclable?

Yes. Aerosol cans are made of steel and can be recycled in the Plastic and Cans bin.

Can I recycle empty propane tanks and bottles?

Yes. Propane tanks and bottles are made of steel and can be recycled in the Plastic and Cans bin. Please make sure your tanks and bottles are empty before recycling.

How should I recycle shredded paper?

Please keep your shredded paper in a plastic bag to prevent litter. We will open the plastic bag once we are ready to bale the paper inside.

Does Sedona Recycles take paint, chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, or other hazardous waste?

No. If you live in Coconino County you can dispose of these items, free of charge, at the Hazardous Products Center in Flagstaff. Yavapai County residents have no way to dispose of this waste safely. Please call Yavapai County Solid Waste Department at (928) 771-3183 to find out about upcoming hazardous waste collection events and urge them to offer this service year round.

For more information about disposing of hazardous waste and other items, check out our A-Z Reuse and Disposal Guide.

Where can I recycle batteries?

Sedona Recycles holds a battery collection event the first Thursday of each month from 11am-3pm at New Frontiers Natural Marketplace in Sedona. If you can’t make the battery collection event, bring your batteries to Sedona Recycles during business hours.

Auto batteries can be recycled at local automotive parts stores.

Where can I recycle electronics?

Sedona Recycles accepts all household electronics (except large appliances like dishwashers and refrigerators) at our facility during business hours. Even items like hairdryers and VHS tapes can be recycled! Check out our electronic recycling page for more information. Other electronic recyclers can be found in our A-Z Reuse and Disposal Guide.

Does Sedona Recycles accept plastic bags?

No. All local grocery stores recycle plastic bags, so please take your bags to your favorite store. You can even include dry-cleaning bags, Ziploc bags, plastic wrap, cereal bags, and most other film plastics.

Sedona Recycles doesn’t take plastic bags because they make a big mess at our outdoor facility, blowing away and littering Carroll Canyon wash and contaminating our other products. We do our best to recycle the bags that we do receive – we take them to the local Bashas’ store – but we appreciate your help in keeping Sedona Recycles bag-free.

Does Sedona Recycles accept Styrofoam?

No. We would love to recycle Styrofoam, but we would need to invest at least $20,000 in equipment and facility upgrades in order to accept it for recycling. We do not feel this is feasible in the near future, so we encourage the public to refuse Styrofoam whenever possible.

We do take Styrofoam packing peanuts and egg cartons for reuse at our facility in Sedona only. Please bring these items inside the facility during business hours only. Do not put them in the Plastic and Cans bin.

Does Sedona Recycles accept milk/juice (waxed) cartons?

No. We are constantly looking for ways to take additional items. Sadly, recycling is dependent on markets and we first have to find a buyer before we can begin taking new materials. Waxed cartons are difficult to recycle because the wax can clog machinery and stain recycled paper. We are still looking for a way to recycle this, so check back often.

Does Sedona Recycles accept soy milk/broth (aseptic, TetraPak) containers?

No, not yet. Aseptic containers are complicated to recycle because they are made of paper, plastic, and aluminum sandwiched together, so we are having a difficult time finding an outlet to recycle them. Recycling is dependent on markets and we first have to find a buyer before we can begin taking new materials. As soon as we find an appropriate buyer for aseptic packaging we will begin taking it. Stay tuned!

Does Sedona Recycles accept plate (window) glass?

No. Plate glass is compositionally different from bottle glass and cannot be recycled at Sedona Recycles. Sadly, there is no place locally to recycle plate glass, so it should just go in the garbage.

Why can plastic and cans be recycled in the same bin?

Plastic and cans are sorted on our material sorting line every day from 8:30-12:30. Separation of these materials, especially plastics, can be complicated, so we do the hard work for you!

We sort our mixed plastics and cans into the following categories: aluminum cans, steel cans, frosted #2 plastic bottles (milk jugs), colored #2 plastic bottles (detergent-type), bottle-shaped #1 plastic, and non-bottle shaped plastics #1-#7. By sorting these materials ourselves, we can ensure the highest quality material with little to no contamination.

Where can I take food scraps and yard waste?

To your backyard compost pile! There is no public compost facility in Yavapai or Coconino counties, so it’s up to the public to compost their food and yard waste. Learn more about composting here.

When is the next Swap Meet?

We hold the Swap Meet every May and October.

I need moving boxes; can I get some from Sedona Recycles?

Absolutely. Feel free to take as many boxes from the bins as you need. We do not set aside boxes, so it’s up to you to find the boxes you like.

I saw a cat when I was at Sedona Recycles; who takes care of her?

We do! Malika has lived at and around Sedona Recycles since 1998. She used to be very shy, but now she loves attention from people of all ages. We provide plenty of food and water for Malika; if you would like to donate food please talk to one of our staff. Malika has hyperthyroidism and requires medication twice daily, so please do not feed her. It’s very important that she has an appetite when we give her medicine. She has numerous beds around the center including her heated bed inside the front door and her bed in the garden.