As fall colors return to West Michigan, the Kent County Department of Public Works is encouraging residents to clean up more than just leaves. The county’s 2025 Fall Recycling Guide is now available, offering seasonal tips and disposal guidance to help residents keep everyday items out of landfills — and out of the wrong bin.
Kent County DPW notes that autumn brings a unique mix of waste — think aluminum pie pans, candy apple clamshells, and back-to-school leftovers — and not everything belongs in the recycling bin. While many items are accepted curbside, others need a second home through donation, special collection events or local drop-off centers.
From easy curbside wins like cardboard décor and cider jugs to trickier items such as worn-out sweaters or garage chemicals, the guide helps residents dispose of household items the right way.
What belongs in your curbside bin? Paper cups; broth, soup and creamer cartons; metal cans and foil; cider jugs (glass or plastic); rigid plastic like caramel dip containers or candy apple clamshells; and cardboard boxes.
“Making small changes in our waste and recycling habits can have major impacts on our environment,” said Dar Baas, director of the DPW. “Knowing what belongs in your recycling bin helps keep these materials out of landfills and supports Kent County’s landfill waste diversion goals. Across Kent County, we can all do our part to keep valuable resources out of the trash.”
And what doesn’t belong in the bin — but still doesn’t need to end up in a landfill? Costumes and wigs can be reused or donated to a costume swap or thrift store. Yard waste is not handled by DPW, so residents should contact their municipality for proper disposal. Sweaters, coats and other textiles can tangle in recycling equipment and should be donated to a coat drive or secondhand store. Garage items like gasoline, oil, pool chemicals and propane tanks should be dropped off at a SafeChem location. Back-to-school items like outgrown uniforms, lunch boxes and backpacks can be donated. Scrap metal such as lawn mower blades, grills and tools should be dropped off at a scrap metal recycler like Padnos.
The Kent County Department of Public Works operates multiple programs and facilities — including the Recycling & Education Center, SafeChem drop-off sites and Waste-to-Energy systems — all designed to help reduce landfill waste and keep materials in use. Check out the full list of recycling and disposal tips in the 2025 Fall Recycling Guide. For additional items, visit the DPW’s Recycling & Waste directory.
