The quick answer
- Single stream recycling means one bin for all your recyclables. Paper, cardboard, cans, bottles and jugs go in together, and a sorting plant separates them later.
- The opposite is dual stream or multi-stream, where you keep paper apart from containers or sort into several bins. The EPA mentions both setups and says programs differ in which one they use.
- One bin does not mean anything goes. Plastic bags, batteries, electronics, broken glass and food-soiled items cause the most trouble.
- Your local list wins. What a program accepts depends on its hauler and sorting plant, so check your city, county or hauler before you trust any general guide, including this one.
What single stream recycling means
In a single stream program, every accepted recyclable goes loose into the same cart or bin. The truck takes the whole mix to a materials recovery facility, where machines and workers pull out each material so it can be baled and sold. Our guide to what a materials recovery facility is explains how that sorting line works, from the tipping floor to the baler.
You may also see it called “single-sort,” “all-in-one” or “commingled” recycling. The names mean the same thing for you at home: one container, no sorting by material. The cart is still separate from your trash, though. Programs that pull recyclables out of mixed garbage are a different, less common setup.
Single stream vs dual stream
The difference is how much sorting you do before the truck comes.
- Single stream: one bin. It is the easiest system for households, which is a big reason many curbside programs use it. The trade-off is that paper and containers ride together, so a wet bottle or a greasy item can soil paper on the way.
- Dual stream: two bins, usually paper and cardboard in one and bottles, cans and jugs in the other. It takes a little more effort at home, and the plant starts with cleaner paper.
- Multi-stream or source-separated: several bins or drop-off slots, one per material. You see this most at rural recycling centers and county convenience sites.
Neither system changes what can be recycled in your area; that comes down to the local hauler and its buyers. It only changes where the sorting happens. One small difference the EPA points out: in single stream areas, do not crush aluminum cans, because flattened cans are harder for the plant’s equipment to pick out. In multi-stream areas crushing is not a problem.
What usually goes in the cart
Most single stream programs take these, though any of them can be left off a local list:
- Paper: newspaper, magazines, mail (envelopes with plastic windows are fine, according to the EPA), office paper and paperback books.
- Cardboard and paperboard: shipping boxes, cereal and shoe boxes and some egg cartons. Flatten boxes so they fit and sort properly.
- Pizza boxes: the EPA says they can be recycled even with grease on them, as long as you scrape out food scraps and flatten the box. Some local programs still say no, so check.
- Metal cans: aluminum drink cans and steel food cans. Clean foil is often accepted too.
- Plastic bottles and jugs: the EPA notes that caps and labels can usually stay on bottles. Other plastics depend on the resin and the program.
- Glass bottles and jars, where the program takes glass. Many curbside programs mix colors together and sort them at the plant.
What to keep out
These are the items that most often do not belong in a single stream cart:
- Plastic bags, wraps and film. The EPA says they can be recycled but not in your household bin. Many grocery and retail stores collect them; see how to dispose of plastic film and bubble wrap. Do not bag your recyclables unless your program says to.
- Batteries, especially lithium-ion. The EPA says most batteries should not go in household trash or recycling bins; take them to a store collection bin or a household hazardous waste site instead. Our page on universal waste covers where batteries and similar items go.
- Electronics, cords and hoses. Electronics cannot go curbside, and anything long and stringy, like cords, hoses and holiday lights, tangles sorting equipment.
- Broken glass. The EPA says it should not go in the bin because shards can hurt workers and damage equipment. Wrap it and put it in the trash, or follow your local rule.
- Foam cups and packaging. Very few curbside programs take polystyrene foam.
- Compostable plastics. The EPA says they are not meant for recycling and can contaminate the plastics that are.
- Food, liquids, diapers, clothing and yard waste. These are trash, compost or donation items, not recycling.
- Shiny or laminated gift wrap, which the EPA says often cannot be recycled.
Two items depend heavily on where you live: shredded paper and plastic tubs or cups. The EPA says both come down to the local program. The number in the little triangle on a plastic item only names the resin. It does not mean your program accepts it.
How to prep items
- Empty and rinse lightly. The EPA’s rule of thumb is “spatula-clean”: scrape or rinse out food, but there is no need to run containers through the dishwasher.
- Keep it loose. Put recyclables in the cart loose, not tied up in a bag, unless your program asks for bags.
- Flatten boxes and break down big cardboard so the lid closes.
- Leave caps on plastic bottles if your program allows it, but take metal caps off glass bottles and recycle them separately, as the EPA advises.
- When in doubt, check the list. If an item is not on your program’s list and you cannot confirm it, put it in the trash or find a special drop-off.
Why contamination matters
Tossing in items you hope are recyclable, sometimes called wishcycling, does not help. The EPA says unrecyclable items can damage sorting equipment, have to be picked out and sent to a landfill at extra cost, and can contaminate a whole load so that all of it gets thrown out. In a single stream system that risk is shared by everyone on the route, because all the material arrives mixed together. A clean, well-sorted cart keeps the paper dry, the line running and the program’s costs down.
No curbside pickup? Use a drop-off
Many rural areas and some towns have no curbside recycling. Their recycling centers and county convenience sites are often multi-stream, with separate bins or roll-offs for cardboard, mixed paper, cans, plastics and glass, so plan to sort before you go. To find a recycling center, transfer station or landfill drop-off near you, search the Dumpmapper map or try dump near me, then call the site to confirm its hours and what it takes. For a broader look at what different sites accept, see what you can take to the dump.
Single stream recycling FAQ
What is single stream recycling?
It is a recycling system where all accepted recyclables, such as paper, cardboard, cans and bottles, go loose into one cart. A materials recovery facility sorts them by material later.
What is the difference between single stream and dual stream recycling?
Single stream uses one bin for everything. Dual stream keeps paper and cardboard in one bin and bottles, cans and jugs in another, which takes more effort at home but gives the plant cleaner paper.
Can plastic bags go in single stream recycling?
Usually not. The EPA says plastic bags, wraps and film cannot go in household recycling bins. Many grocery and retail stores collect them for recycling instead.
Should I crush cans for single stream recycling?
Generally no. The EPA says crushed aluminum cans are harder for single stream sorting equipment to detect. In multi-stream programs, crushing is not an issue.
Do I need to rinse recyclables?
Empty them and scrape or rinse out leftover food. The EPA calls this spatula-clean, which is clean enough. Containers still caked with food can spoil other material.
Is glass accepted in single stream recycling?
It depends on the program. Many curbside programs take glass bottles and jars of mixed colors, but broken glass should not go in the bin. Check your local list.
The bottom line
Single stream recycling puts all your accepted recyclables in one cart and leaves the sorting to the plant. That makes it easy, but it works only when the cart holds the right things: clean paper, flattened cardboard, empty cans and bottles, and glass where it is taken. Keep bags, batteries, electronics, cords, broken glass and food out, follow your local list over any national guide, and use a drop-off center when there is no curbside pickup.