How to dispose of plastic flower pots is trickier than it looks. Nursery pots and trays are often made of polypropylene (#5) or polystyrene (#6), and many are black. Black plastic is hard for optical sorters at recycling facilities to detect, so many curbside programs reject it. The best options are reuse, garden center take-back programs, and checking whether your local program accepts them.
Reuse first
- Start seeds or pot up divisions and cuttings.
- Give them away to gardeners, plant swaps, community gardens, school gardens, or plant sale volunteers.
- Return them to nurseries or farmers market growers who reuse pots.
- Use them for storage in garages and sheds.
Wash and sanitize pots before reusing them for plants to avoid spreading disease.
Garden center take-back
Some home improvement stores and independent garden centers offer bins for plastic pots and trays, especially in spring. Some recycle them; others reuse them. Ask at the customer service desk or check the store’s sustainability page.
Curbside recycling
| Pot type | Curbside status |
|---|---|
| Black #5 or #6 nursery pots | Often not accepted |
| Colored or white #5 pots | Sometimes accepted |
| Thin flexible trays and cell packs | Often not accepted |
| Large rigid plastic pots | Sometimes accepted as rigid plastic or bulky plastic |
| Pots with soil | Not accepted; empty them first |
Check your city’s list. If pots are accepted, empty and rinse them.
Other pot types
- Terra cotta and ceramic: reuse or donate; broken pieces can be used for drainage or go in the trash. They do not belong in glass recycling.
- Fiber or peat pots: compostable in many cases.
- Resin or fiberglass decorative pots: trash or bulky pickup if broken.
- Fabric grow bags: reuse for years.
Soil and plants
Empty old soil into garden beds or compost before handling pots. See how to dispose of potting soil. Diseased plants should go in the trash rather than compost.
Trash as a last resort
Stack pots to save space and put them in the trash when no reuse or take-back option exists.
Cleaning pots for reuse
Knock out old soil and roots, scrub pots with soapy water, then soak them for about 10 minutes in a diluted bleach solution, often about one part household bleach to nine parts water, and rinse well. Let them dry in the sun before stacking. Clean pots are much more welcome at plant swaps and community gardens, and they lower the risk of passing fungal diseases to new seedlings.
Seasonal timing
Spring planting season is when nurseries and garden centers most often run take-back bins and when gardeners want extra pots. Holding a stack until then can turn a trash bag of plastic into something useful.
How to dispose of plastic flower pots FAQ
Can plastic plant pots go in the recycling bin?
Sometimes. Many programs reject black nursery pots. Check your local list.
Do garden centers take back plastic pots?
Some home improvement stores and nurseries have take-back bins, especially in spring.
Why aren’t black plastic pots recyclable?
Optical sorters often cannot detect black plastic, so it gets missorted.
What do I do with broken terra cotta pots?
Reuse pieces as drainage or mosaics, or put them in the trash.
Can I donate used plant pots?
Community gardens, schools, plant swaps, and growers often welcome clean pots.
The bottom line
How to dispose of plastic flower pots: reuse or give them away, return them to garden centers with take-back bins, and recycle them curbside only if your program accepts that type. Empty soil first and trash pots only as a last resort.
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