Recycling Drop Off Program

In Summer 2023, rePurpose launched a recycling drop off program for hard-to-recycle items. The drop off program is a benefit of membership in rePurpose. As a member of rePurpose, you’ll be able to drop off up 1-3 bags of reusable or hard-to-recycle items per month depending on what membership level you choose. Become a member today!

Here’s a list of items we’re accepting. We’ll be adding more items as we are able to process them and with enough interest from members. Please continue to bring items that are empty, clean, and dry unless otherwise indicated, and fit in blue bag(s).

NEW! Now formally accepting starting in December!

  • Foam rubber (for reuse only)

  • Milk containers (opened, washed and dry)

  • Hard plastics

We accept the following materials: All acceptable items are repurposed and exchanged where possible, and are recycled otherwise.

  • #1 and #2 Clamshells (deli containers and bakery items)

  • #5 Plastics (dairy tubs and clamshells)

  • Alkaline batteries (keep separate from other items; tape only 9-volt batteries)

  • Art supplies (new, used, empty, or broken—brushes; watercolor palettes; crayons; charcoals; canvases; easels; markers; tape; and empty paint remover bottles)

  • Beauty, skin care, and hair care packaging

  • Bottle caps and lids (any and all bottle caps and lids, including metal and plastic)

  • Bras (new—or used and clean in good condition, no wires poking out or twisted, and elastic in good shape)

  • Cables, wires, cords, and string lights (any, except coaxial cables)

  • Cell phones and accessories (including cell phone batteries, and cell phone chargers)

  • Clothes (washed; any condition)

  • Coffee bags (dry, no need to clean)

  • Eye glasses (broken or intact prescription, reading, and sunglasses with frames; no cases)

  • Fine or cut papers (reusable and unused for drawing or art projects)

  • Gift packaging (reusable ribbons, bows, gift bags, intact gift wrapping, and cardboard tubes)

  • Ice cream tubs (lids okay; clean and separate lids)

  • K-Cups (dry, stored open air; keep separate)

  • LED and CFL light bulbs (household only, no large commercial bulbs, no incandescent bulbs)

  • Linens (washed; any condition)

  • Magazines for collage and scrapbooking (limit five per month)

  • Mailers (plastic padded mailers, plastic bag mailers, and paper-based padded mailers)

  • Menstrual hygiene products (clean and unused)

  • Reusable “interesting” plastics and packaging (for use in possible art projects)

  • Pet food, treat, and litter bags (rinsed and dry, or wiped out with damp cloth and dry)

  • Expanded polystyrene (EPS “styrofoam”—remove tape and labels; any color and size that fits in the blue bag—additional for suggested donation; bag packing peanuts separately)

  • Popsicle sticks (wooden, any size)

  • Prescription pill bottles (empty bottle, peel label off, and keep the lid with the bottle)

  • Shoes (dry and free of debris)

  • Small appliances (blenders, toasters, coffee makers, bread makers, and metal pots)

  • Soft foam (LDPE foam sheets and blocks, similar to styrofoam)

  • Small toys (intact or broken; old or reusable)

  • Tea bag wrappers

  • Aseptic “Tetra” packs (clean and extra dry, lids separated)

  • Thin films, stretchy (air mailers, bubble wrap, plastic bags that are used in packaging, single-use grocery/shopping bags, and bread bags)

  • Thin films, crinkly (clean candy and snack wrappers, chip bags, grape bags, shredded cheese bags)

  • Wine corks

  • Women’s underwear (donation—new, either with tags or in packaging)

We appreciate you taking acceptable items to local recycling transfer stations and thrift stores on the island, and using our services for reusables and hard to recycle items only.

Drop off times and locations

Please see our Events page for a calendar of upcoming drop off times and locations.

rePurpose co-founder Sarah Bergquist sorts hard to recycle items at Penn Cove Brewery event, September 2022.