If you receive curbside recycling, there are some things to keep in mind to ensure your recyclable items don’t end up at a landfill.

First and foremost: Don’t bag your recyclables. Plastic bags and product wrap are not recyclable. To keep your recycling out of the landfill, ditch the bag and keep your items loose in the bin.

Now that you’ve ditched the bag, what can go in your recycling bin? You can find a full list of items and whether or not they belong in your recycling bin in our Recycling 101 guide, but here’s a quick overview.

Do put these items in your recycling bin:

• Plastic bottles and containers (Note: Plastic trays and clamshells are no longer accepted)
• Paper, flattened cardboard and paperboard
• Food and beverage cans
• Cartons
• Aluminum foil (as long as it’s clean)
• Pizza boxes (no food waste)

Don’t put these items in your recycling bin:

• Plastic utensils, plates and straws
• Food wrappers
• Single-serve coffee cups and plastic lids
• K-cups
• Paper napkins, towels and tissues
• Paper plates and cups

Brandon Hearn, environmental health specialist with the Department of Health and Environment, also has these valuable fall and winter recycling tips.

Glass can’t go in your recycle bin, but it can be recycled. Ripple Glass has purple bins that you can find in grocery store and liquor store parking lots across the community. Hearn has some important guidance for recycling glass as well.

If you’ve been busy raking leaves and mowing the lawn before winter hits, you may be wondering what to do with all of the yard waste. There are several options for disposing of grass clippings, dead leaves and other debris.

Mow your leaves into mulch

Johnson County K-State Research and Extension recommends mowing directly over leaves. Mow with up to one inch of fallen leaves at a time. The leaves will filter into the soil and break down over the winter into compost.

Drop off your yard waste at a composting facility

You can also drop off your yard waste at a nearby composting facility. No plastic bags allowed. You can find a list of drop-off locations on the Department of Health and Environment’s Yard Waste and Composting webpage.

Start your own compost

Adding compost to your soil can greatly improve its health come springtime. Grass clippings, lawn and garden weeds, and fruit and vegetable scrapes are common compostable items. Find tips from K-State Research and Extension for starting your backyard compost in this article.

In addition to the typical household items you’re looking to dispose of this fall, you may also have products that are considered household hazardous waste. That’s because these products, when no longer needed, can be dangerous to us and the environment.

There’s good news if you need to dispose of these items. The Department of Health and Environment operates a Household Hazardous Waste Facility off College Boulevard and Mastin Street in Overland Park. The facility offers drop-off by appointment only. You can schedule an appointment online. Commonly accepted items at the facility include:

• Aerosols
• Automotive fluids (used oil, brake fluid, antifreeze, etc.)
• Batteries
• Cleaning products
• Lawn and garden chemicals
• Paint

The City of Olathe also operates a Household Hazardous Collection Facility that currently accepts items from all Johnson County residents. Several other counties offer household hazardous waste collection as well. You can find more information on area programs through RecycleSpot.