So, first of all, I am in no way a pro-recycler. When it comes to being “green”, I’m more of the trendy teal variety working towards it. I do, however, WANT to be green SO super bad! So, at the end of 2018, I set a family resolution to be more green!
I had seen the green cans through town, but I think I looked into it years ago and, for some reason, it wasn’t available to me. Possibly because I was living in an apartment. I’m not sure. This time, when I looked on the City of Idaho Falls website, Curbside Recycling through Western Recycling seemed to be available. This is the city website link to recycling information: https://www.idahofallsidaho.gov/1162/Recycling I’m possibly air-headed, but the information wasn’t super easy to find.
Once I found the information on the website, I followed the bread crumbs to the Western Recycling website http://www.westernrecycling.net/curbside.php and signed right up on the website. I was expecting a phone call to confirm that all was well, but I didn’t get one. Instead, I just noticed a pretty, green trash can in my driveway about a week later that appeared as if by magic! I was SO excited to recycle ALL the things!!!
I’ll give you a quick rundown of how it works, but you can get more detailed info on the Western Recycling website:
- It costs $10 per month billed quarterly for residential and begins at $17 per month for businesses
- They provide a 95-gallon rolling container which will be picked up every other week (on an A and B schedule)
- Pickup is the same day as your regular trash day in most cases, but your can has to be out by 7:30am and be 4 feet away from your trash can
- All materials can be comingled!! That means NO SORTING!!!
- This applies to all addresses within city limits, but areas outside of city limits may be included in the program
So, I got super ahead of myself and was really excited to start recycling EVERYTHING. Do not do this. Your curbside recycling can only accept the following: 
- Mixed Paper Products :: Newspapers, Magazines, Phone Books, Catalogs, Cardboard Boxes, Cereal Boxes, Frozen Food Boxes, Paper Towel Cores , Office Paper, Note Pads, Index Cards, Coated Paper, Brochures, Envelopes, Manila Folders, Junk Mail, etc.
- Plastics – All plastic beverage and household cleaner containers #1 and #2 only (must be rinsed of contents)
- Tin and Aluminum Cans (must be rinsed of contents)
This means glass, plastic bags, plastics number 3-7, medical waste, food waste, and packaging materials CANNOT go in your curbside recycling can! But FEAR NOT, most of those CAN still be recycled in Idaho Falls!
I’m sure there are a few more places, but these are the ones I have found:
- Glass, other plastics, and plastic bags can be recycled at Target! Any excuse to go to Target is a good excuse in my opinion.
- There are also glass recycling bins located at every City of Idaho Falls Recycling Collection Area!
The City of Idaho Falls has a total of 13 recycling collection locations. They are conveniently spread around town and accept different items at each. They accept cardboard, tin, aluminum, and glass with the exception of mirros, ceramic/porcelain, and light bulbs! They DO NOT accept plastic or paper! This has changed, so even though you maybe did this in the past, it is no longer available!
The City of Idaho Falls has a great map available online, but I’ll also break it down for you here:
- Eagle Rock Post Office- Tin, Aluminum, Cardboard, and Glass
- Central Park- Tin, Aluminum, Cardboard, and Glass
- Smith’s Food King- Tin, Aluminum, Cardboard, and Glass
- North Tourist Park- Cardboard and Glass
- EITC- Cardboard and Glass
- Mel Erickson Sunnyside Park- Tin, Aluminum, Cardboard, and Glass
- Taylorview Junior High School- Tin, Aluminum, Cardboard, and Glass
- Community Park- Tin, Aluminum, Cardboard, and Glass
- Tautphaus Park- Tin, Aluminum, Cardboard, and Glass
- Yellowstone Ave+B Street- Cardboard and Glass
- Skyline High School- Tin, Aluminum, Cardboard, and Glass
- Old Butte Soccer Complex- Glass
- Freeman Park- Tin, Aluminum, Cardboard, and Glass
There it is, friends. Recycling in Idaho Falls 101. Maybe you want to go green, maybe you have an extra $10 to spend every month, maybe you can add a ‘glass only’ trash can in your pantry, maybe you shop online compulsively and have 2-5 cardboard boxes delivered to your house daily…. Just me? …. ANYWAYYYY… Happy Earth Day, mamas!!!
