Have you ever wondered what happens to the items you toss into your blue-bin? At CSWD, we’re committed to ensuring recyclables are processed efficiently and turned into new products. Our Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Williston, VT sorts and separates materials before selling them on the recycled commodities market. All blue-bin materials from the CSWD MRF are sold to markets in North America – U.S. or Canada. Where each material ends up depends on market demand, and while our markets do change periodically, here’s a breakdown of where your blue-bin recyclables typically go—and what they become—once they leave your home!
Cardboard & Paperboard
📍 Destinations: Kruger Inc. and West Rock
♻️ Recycled Into: New cardboard & paperboard (e.g., pasta and cereal boxes), and paper towel cores
Glass Bottles & Jars
📍 Destinations: Glass2Sand and Whitcomb Construction (Colchester, VT)
♻️ Recycled Into: Road base, engineering projects, and mix for concrete blocks
Plastic Recycling
🔹 Plastic #1 – Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) (e.g., single use beverage containers, salad mix containers (thermoform containers))
📍 Destinations: KWP Plastics, Unifi Manufacturing, Mohawk Industries
♻️ Recycled Into: New single use bottles, thermoform containers, carpet, and fleece
🔹 Plastic #2 – High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) (e.g., milk jugs, detergent bottles)
📍 Destinations: KWP Plastics, Envision Plastics
♻️ Recycled Into: New bottles, drainage pipes, and toys
🔹 Plastic #5 – Polypropylene (PP) (e.g., yogurt cups, takeout containers)
📍 Destinations: KWP Plastics
♻️ Recycled Into: Paint containers, rope, pallets, and food containers
Aluminum and Steel or Tinned Cans
📍 Destinations: NH Kelman Inc.
♻️ Recycled Into: New cans and a variety of steel-containing products, including rebar, appliances, and bike parts
By recycling correctly, you’re helping to conserve resources and keep valuable materials out of the landfill. Curious where other recyclable materials go? Click here to see the full list of materials accepted at our facilities and their final destination.