Plastic jars, tubs and buckets can now be added to curbside recycling carts. Examples include yogurt and sour cream containers, plastic salsa jars and kitty litter buckets. This change applies to residents that are part of Pierce County’s solid waste management system, which includes all of Pierce County except for Tacoma, Ruston and Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Residents should look at a plastic item’s shape to determine if it can be recycled. Acceptable shapes include bottles with a neck that is smaller than the body and rigid jars, tubs and buckets.

Not all plastics are accepted in Pierce County’s curbside recycling program; not allowed are things like plastic bags and wrap, crinkly and lightweight plastic, and lids.

This is Pierce County’s first major change since it switched to commingled carts in 2005.

Pierce County’s curbside recycling program accepts a variety of items, including paper and cardboard, aluminum and metal cans, milk jugs and plastic plant pots. A list of accepted recyclables – including the new plastic items – is available at www.piercecountywa.org/recycle.