recyclingWhether you have curbside recycling or take your recyclables to a facility, some items are not allowed in the bins. Your service provider typically provides a list of items that they will accept.  Some bins have stickers on them to show the acceptable items.

There are items however, that need to be discarded but are not on the list of accepted items.  Donation to a favorite charity is always an option for recycling for gently used items. You want to be a good steward of the earth and keep as much out of the landfill as possible, but may not know where to take these items.

There are a wide variety of little-known recycling locations around the St. Louis area. Below is a list of these locations that I’ve learned about in my endeavors as a professional organizer.  If you know of other recycling locations that accept items that are not bin-worthy, please post them in the comments section below.

Plastic bags & other plastic film:

  • Schnucks, Target or Walmart (all locations)
  • University City Recycling Drop-off: 975 Pennsylvania 63130

Tires (a small fee may apply):

  • Woodard’s Automotive BP: 7360 Forsyth 63105; 314-725-7558
  • Car-X Tire & Auto: 7720 Olive Blvd 63130; 314-727-7270

 Motor oil:

  • Valvoline, Jiffy Lube, Advance Auto Parts, Auto Zone, O’Reilly Auto Parts – all locations

 Car parts & scrap metal:

  • Wellston Scrap Metal: 6540 Dr. Martin Luther King Dr., 63133; 314-389-2526
  • Brock Auto Part & Recycling: 1907 Keinlen Ave., 63133; 314-371-4818

 Bulbs, batteries & small electronics:

  • Batteries Plus: all locations
  • University City Hall 3rd floor: 6801 Delmar Blvd 63130; 314-505-8560(no fluorescent tubes)
  • Centennial Commons: 7210 Olive Blvd 63130; 314-505-8560(no fluorescent tubes)

 Books:

  • Central Paper Stock: 6665 Jonas Pl., 63134; 314-521-8686(call first)

 Construction debris(commercial ONLY):

  • ECO Recycling: 6515 Page 63133; 314-862-3335
  • LEDR Recycling: 60 MB Corporate Park 63301; 636-925-0304(call first)

 Yard waste:

  • IESI MO Champ Yard By-Product Compost: 2320 Creve Coeur Mill Rd 63043; 314-291-0887(M-F: 7 am-4 pm only, no Saturdays)

 Prescription medicines:

  • Olivette Police Dept.: 1140 Dielman Rd 63132; 314-645-3000
  • Overland Police Dept.: 2410 Goodale Ave 63114; 314-428-1221
  • Visit ncada-stl.org for more locations

Electronics (a fee applies for CRT TV’s & monitors): 

  • Best Buy: all locations
  • Spectrum Ecycle: 1521 Page Industrial Blvd 63132 314-428-0777

 Corks (from wine & glass bottles only):

  • Bristol Seafood Grill: 11801 Olive Blvd 63141 314-567-0272
  • Whole Foods Market: 1601 Brentwood 63144; 314-968-7744 or 1160 Town & Country Crossing Dr 63017; 636-527-1160

 Mattresses (a fee applies): 

  • Earthbound Recycling: 25 Truitt Dr 63025; 636-938-1188

Textiles:

  • University City Recycling Drop-off Area: 975 Pennsylvania(parking lot) 63130; 314-505-8560

Bicycles: 

  • The Alpine Shop: all locations
  • Bworks: 2414 Menard 63104; 314-827-6640

Carpet(a small fee may apply): 

  • Flooring Systems, Inc.: 4130 Meramec Bottom Rd., 63129; 314-329-9300

 Hazardous materials(by appointment only): 

  • HHWSTL: 291 E. Hoffmeister 63125 or 400 Seven Hills Dr 63033 – schedule a drop-off by calling 314-615-8989 or online at HHWSTL.com

Styrofoam/expanded Foam: 

  • Foam Products Corporation: 2525 Adie Rd., 63043; 314-739-8100 – (no Styrofoam peanuts or items that have been in contact with food or drink)

Medical equipment: