Lakewood's recycling programs are funded by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Recycling & Litter Prevention.  The Lakewood Recycling & Litter Prevention Office coordinates residential, business and school programs for increasing recycling, reuse and litter prevention throughout Lakewood. It administers the "Adopt-a-Spot" flower gardens and coordinates Keep Lakewood Beautiful activities.  It provides expert guidance on recycling everything from used motor oil to old computers.

The Office also distributes an excellent and free quarterly recycling newsletter to Lakewood residents.

Recycling & Litter Prevention Office
Lakewood City Hall
12650 Detroit Ave.
Phone 529-6170

What & How to Recycle in Lakewood...

There’s no end to what can be recycled in Lakewood, and it’s convenient with weekly curb-side and treelawn pick-ups!  (In between pick-ups, you can drop off recyclables if you want.  See the "Old Lakewood Incinerator" info at bottom of this page).

Recyclables include glass, plastic bottles, aluminum, steel and tin cans, newspaper, and now cardboard, too.  Like regular garbage, recyclables should be near the curb by 6:30 a.m. on your regular collection day, but not before 6:00 the night before.  Here are guidelines for recycling a variety of items (in alphabetical order) that are picked up curbside every week.
 

Blue Bag Recycling - Curbside Collection Instructions...

Recycle the following items together in the same blue or clear plastic bag.

GLASS BOTTLES AND JARS
(brown, green and clear):
• Remove all tops and caps (these belong in the refuse)
• Empty and wash out all bottles and food jars
• No broken glass, light bulbs, window glass, ceramics, etc.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE CONTAINERS
(aluminum, tin, steel cans and aluminum trays):
• Empty and wash out food containers and beverage cans
• Please flatten to save space

PLASTIC BOTTLES - "CHECK FOR THE NECK"
Only plastic bottles that have a neck:
• Remove tops and caps (these belong in the refuse)
• Rinse out plastic bottles
• Please flatten to save space

Limit bag size to 13 to 30 gallon capacity - if using plastic grocery bags, tie together for ease of collection.  Limit weight to 30 pounds.  If collecting only glass bottles, be careful not to overfill causing bag breakage.  Tie top of bag securely with built-in handles. Do NOT use twist ties.


Newspaper, Cardboard & Mixed Paper Recycling
Curbside Collection Instructions...

Recycle these paper products:
 - Boxboard (food, detergent, tissue)
 - Cancelled Checks
 - Catalogs
 - Corrugated Cardboard
 - Gift and toy boxes
 - Greeting cards
 - Junk mail
 - Magazines
 - Newspaper
 - Office, computer, school paper
 - Pages from books (but no hard covers)
 - Paper egg cartons (but no styrofoam)
 - Paper gift wrap (but not foil wrap)
 - Paperback books
 - Pizza boxes (no food residue)
 - Pop & beer cartons (no foil lined)
 - Shredded paper
 - and telephone books

DO...
• Pack tightly in paper grocery bags so nothing will fall out.
• Pack tightly in small cardboard boxes (no larger than 2' x 2') and close lid securely.
• Mark "Paper Recycle" on outside of closed boxes, or other unmarked containers.
• Tie string around openings of bags or boxes to prevent paper from blowing out.
• Tie newspaper, junk mail, magazines, flattened cardboard, and other recyclable paper together into manageable bundles with string (no tape or wire).
• It is okay to mix paper products together in manageable bundles!
• Flatten cardboard boxes and bundle securely with string (no larger than 2' x 3' x 1').
• Maximum weight for boxed or bundled material is 30-pounds.
• Place recyclables on the curb after 6:00 p.m. the night before your collection day or by 6:30 a.m. on your collection day.

Remove & discard these contaminants from cardboard boxes & paper products before recycling...
  • Food soiled paper
  • Hard covers from books
  • Metal & foil
  • Plastics such as bindings, handles, etc.
  • Spiral notebook bindings
  • Styrofoam
  • Waxed paper & bags

Do NOT place the following in paper recycle...
  • Dishwasher detergent boxes
  • Foil & plastic lined products
  • Frozen food packaging
  • Juice boxes or frozen juice cans

Do NOT Use Plastic Grocery Bags
for Newspaper, Paper & Cardboard Recycling...
It is okay if cardboard and papers get wet!  It is very important to package material securely so that it does not get loose and create a litter problem. It is equally important to package material properly, keeping in mind size and weight limitations, to allow for efficient, economical collection.

ORGANIC YARD WASTE

You can recycle grass clippings, trimmings, leaves, plants, branches for curb pick-up.  Loose yard waste must be placed in large brown paper yard bags, available at Lakewood supermarkets, hardware and drug stores.  Yard waste in plastic bags will NOT be collected.  Tree and shrub branches and trimmings are to be tied securely with twine or rope (no metal fasteners, tape or wire) in bundles no more than 4 feet in length and 2 feet in diameter. Logs are to be cut no more than 18 inches in length and 6 inches in diameter. 

Three pick-ups of leaves raked to the tree lawn are scheduled during each Fall. In other seasons, leaves and other loose yard waste should be placed in paper yard bags available at Lakewood supermarkets, hardware and drug stores. Bagged and bundled yard waste should be placed on your treelawn before 6:30 a.m. on your regular garbage day or after 6:00 p.m. the night before your scheduled pick-up.
 

Christmas Trees
Are picked up from treelawns and chipped. Metal stands, nails, tinsel and plastic bags must be removed from trees. For exact scheduling information call 521-7580.

Recycling Drop-Off at "The Old Lakewood Incinerator"

Between weekly curbside pick-ups, you can recycle just about everything here...  anti-freeze, blue-bag recycling, car batteries, clean and useable clothing, newspapers, many types of residential construction debris, cardboard, computers, office paper plastics, fluorescent lighting, junk mail, glass bottles, phone books, most cardboard, magazines, car tires off the rims and motor oil.

No service station drop-offs are accepted.

Drop-off hours on weekdays are from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.  On Saturdays, the center is open from 8 a.m. to noon for Lakewood residents' recycling only.  It's closed on Sundays and major holidays.

Refuse & Recycling Division
(aka, "The Old Lakewood Incinerator")
12920 Berea Road
(across from Pat Catan's, next to the railroad tracks)
Phone 252-4322