Waste Reduction/Recycling

• Reuse...containers and products
• Reduce...amount of trash discarded
• Recycle...and use recycled materials

There are several ways to prevent certain materials from entering the waste stream, including:

Source Reduction: changing the way products are designed, manufactured, or used to reduce the amount or toxicity of what gets thrown away.

Recycling: is the reprocessing of materials into new products. Recycling generally prevents the waste of potentially useful materials, reduces the consumption of raw materials and reduces energy usage.

Composting: decomposing organic materials such as food scraps and yard waste.


Recyclable materials, also called "recyclables", are sorted and separated into material types and may originate from a wide range of sources. They include:

• Glass Products: bottles, mirrors, and other glass products
• Cardboard: boxes, paper rolls, egg cartons, and other cardboard products
• Plastic Containers: clean water bottles, clean soda bottles, clean milk containers, clean shampoo and conditioner bottles, clean soap bottles, and other clean plastic containers
• Fabric: from clothes, clean rags, rugs, and other fabric products
• Paper Products: computer paper, copier paper, folders, newspaper, magazines, post-its, tablets, colored paper, phonebooks, fax paper, envelopes, junk mail, and other paper products
• Electronics: computer and t.v. monitors, printers, DVD players, and other electronic products
• White Goods: refrigerators, freezers, ovens/stoves, washers, dryers, dish washers, and other white goods
• Ferrous materials: (containing iron), such as steel
• Non-ferrous materials: (not containing iron), such as aluminum, brass, copper, and tin
• Biodegradable waste: garden and food waste
• Household hazardous waste (HHW), car oil, cleaning products, pesticides, and fluorescent light bulbs, are also recyclables.

The CNMI has a collection program at the Lower Base Refuse Transfer Station for Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) to reduce the potential harm posed by the chemicals produced by each product. HHW consists of cleaning products, automotive products, lawn and garden products, indoor pesticides, workshop/painting supplies, flammable products, and some miscellaneous products, such as mercury thermostats and thermometers, fluorescent light bulbs, and household batteries.

What Can't Be Recycled:

• Waxed juice/milk boxes
• Contaminated take-out boxes
• Rubber bands
• Styrofoam products
• Plastic bags

The following documents are available regarding this topic:

Solid Waste Management Permit Application (registration and renewal)

Application for Commercial Waste Haulers (registration and renewal)

CNMI Recycling Facilities

Public Law No. 11-122

What is Recycling? ( 4-fold Brochure)