Celebrate America Recycles Day
Published on November 14, 2025
In the United States, every Nov. 15 is America Recycles Day, a day dedicated to making a big impact from everyday small actions. At home, at work, at school and everywhere in between, you can help reduce waste and save our planet's resources.
Since 1960, the country's recycling rate has increased from less than 7% to 32%, and the Environmental Protection Agency has a goal of hitting 50% by 2030.
Recycling is an initiative that all Charlotteans can proudly take part in, and here's how you can help!
What You Can Do
- Make sure you know what items are eligible for recycling and what needs to go in the trash. Pizza boxes can be recycled (as long as they're clean), but to-go containers belong in the garbage.
- Print a copy of the 2025 recycling calendar to hang on your fridge, so you know when your recycling collection is scheduled.
- Since your plastic bags, plastic film, plastic wrap and similar items aren't eligible for curbside recycling, you can drop them off at retail stores.
- Donate your plastic and wire hangers to a recycling clothing store or return them to the cleaners.
- If you want to drop off your own recyclables, there are four full-service and five self-service locations you can visit.
- Learn to compost.
- Practice sustainability around your home.
- Try out reusable cleaning materials.
- Invest in reusable water bottles.
- This holiday season, wrap gifts in recycled or reused paper.
City of Charlotte Recycling Guidelines
Recyclables are collected every other week on the same day as garbage and yard waste collection. You can find a recycling collection procedures how-to video on the city website.
- Do not bag recyclables. Place them loosely in the green, city-issued recycling cart.
- Cut or tear cardboard and place it loosely in the recycling cart. Do not fold or leave cardboard outside the recycling cart. Cardboard outside the recycling cart will not be collected.
- Do not overfill carts or place items outside of the cart. Items outside the rollout cart will not be collected.
- Please place recycling cart within 6 feet of the curb and with the handle facing toward your property. Do not block the sidewalk.
- Please allow 3 feet of space between collection items and other obstacles such as mailboxes, phone poles and vehicles.
- Place recycling cart at the curb no later than 6 a.m. on your scheduled collection day and no sooner than the day before collection. The cart must be removed from the curb by midnight on the day of collection.
Happy America Recycles Day! Remember that you can find recycling information year-round on the city's website.