Check out information on reuse, recycling, and reducing your waste. Find recycling and disposal options by item and service type. Scroll down to find some sustainability guides and statewide directories.
Click on the image of the Recycling Guide to access the latest published PDF of the guide.
Use the hyperlinked “What Do I Do With…” list of items to quickly find item-specific information.
Acids & Bases
Aerosol Cans
American Flags
Ammunition, Firearms, & Weapons
Anti-freeze
Appliances
Asbestos
Asphalt
Automobiles
Batteries
Books
Cardboard Beverage Cartons
Cell Phones
Cleaning Chemicals
Concrete
Construction Materials
Cooking Oil
Electronic Cigarettes/E-Cigs
Electronics
Explosives
Eye Glasses
Fire Extinguishers
Fuels
Garden Flats & Pots
Hazardous Chemical Waste
Hearing Aids
Helium Tanks
Ink & Toner Cartridges
Junk Mail
Lighting
Markers
Mattresses
Medications
Mercury
Oil & Oil Filters
Oral Care Waste (i.e. toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, etc.)
Paint
Personal Beauty & Hygiene Products
Pesticides, Herbicides, Fungicides, Insecticides, and Rodenticides
Plastic Bags
Plastic Drums & Barrels
Propane Tanks & Cylinders
PVC
Railroad Ties
Scrap Metal/Salvage
Sharps
Shred Paper
Smoke Detectors
Solvents
StyrofoamTM/Polystyrene & Packing Materials
Tires
Vapes
VHS Tapes
Vinyl Siding
Wheelchairs, Canes, Crutches, & Walkers
Yard Waste
❋ Ask your auto shop if it accepts anti-freeze, if that is more convenient than the locations below!
❋ Be sure to call ahead before dropping off antifreeze.
Working
Not Working
Household:
Automotive:
❋ Before donating, please ensure the books are in good condition because the libraries often use the donated books for book sales.
❋Oil must be free of all contamination (e.g. dirt, water, etc.) in order to be accepted.
❋Contact your auto shop to see if they accept oil or oil filters if that is more convenient!
❋The following landfills will accept railroad ties depending on the condition of the ties and the quantity.
**excludes propane tanks**
**includes empty fuel tanks**
❋Sharps must be in Sharps Container or in thick plastic jug (e.g. detergent bottle) labeled “Sharps” if there is not a sharps container already provided by the disposal service
❋ Local credit unions often offer “shred days” periodically throughout the year. Visit the website link or call your local credit union to inquire about days you can drop off paper that needs to be shredded.
Reuse – repurpose products for new uses or donate products for further use by others
Recycle – collect and process materials to turn them into new products
Refuse – municipal solid waste (household garbage)
Use the links below to learn where to reuse, recycle, and dispose of various items.
Van Buren County Recycling Guide
A convenient listing of waste reduction and recycling opportunities along with tips on safer disposal alternatives for potentially hazardous waste. Download the printable Recycling Guide here or come into the district office or your township/village/city office to get your copy!
Sustainable Product Guide
A guide to cleaning product alternatives
Sustainability-oriented Guides
A collection of guides with sustainability tips about glass, plastic, banking, pet ownership, and more!
Safer Choice Program Product List
To access a list of safer cleaning and other products, visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice Program Product List!
Composting 101
Put your food scraps to use by starting your own compost pile!
Curbside Recycling & Garbage Disposal Services
Contact service providers in your are to determine what is available to you and at what cost.
Food Pantries
Food pantries can be a great place to donate non-expired food that you cannot use.
Thrift Shops & Consignment Stores
Donating items that are no longer needed or wanted is a great way to keep items out of the landfills.
Transfer Stations in Van Buren County
When curbside recycling & garbage disposal isn’t meeting all of your needs, look for a transfer station that can help.
VBCD-sponsored Cardboard & Mixed Paper Recycling Drop-off
At no direct cost, you can recycle cardboard and mixed paper in Gobles.
Properly disposing of your medications protects human, animal, and environmental health. Flushing medications down the drain leads to trace amounts of drugs being found in our water.
One directory is geared towards residents, and the other directory is geared towards businesses.
If you’re a resident, check out the Michigan Recycling Directory by clicking on the banner!
If you’re a business, check out the Recycled Materials Market Directory by clicking on the banner!