Recycle Coffee Cups in Austin: What's Allowed | IREP Resale
Can You Recycle Coffee Cups in Austin? Yes, and Here Is How
You grab a coffee on South Congress, finish it in the car, and stare at the cup. Trash or recycling?
For years, the answer in Austin was trash. That changed. You can now put coffee cups, paper takeout boxes, and milk cartons in your blue cart. Most people still do not know it. Here is what belongs in the cart, what does not, and where to take the rest.
Can you recycle coffee cups in Austin?
Yes. City of Austin curbside customers can now recycle food and beverage cartons and coated paper products, including coffee cups, in their blue recycling carts. The rule started in June 2025, and it applies to single-family homes up to four-plexes. Empty the cup, rinse out the leftovers, put the lid back on, and drop it in the blue cart. City of Austin
Wait, the lid stays on?
Yes, and this trips people up. Most cities tell you to pull the lid off. Austin does not. Austin Resource Recovery says to empty the carton or cup, leave the cap on, and place it in your blue cart. There is no need to flatten or crush it. City of Austin
So skip the crushing. Skip the lid removal. Just empty it and toss it in.
What changed at the recycling center
Coated cups were never banned because people did not want them. They were banned because the machines could not sort them.
These coated materials have traditionally been difficult to recycle and require special equipment at recycling facilities. The paper is coated with a layer of material, often a plastic like polyethylene or wax, that makes it resistant to moisture. That coating is great for your latte and terrible for a paper mill. City of Austin
Austin's sorting facility fixed both problems. Grant support from the Foodservice Packaging Institute, the Carton Council of North America, and the NextGen Consortium paid for the equipment needed to sort and bale these items for sale. No buyer, no recycling. Now there is both. Closed Loop Partners
What goes in the blue cart, and what does not
| Put it in the blue cart | Keep it out |
|---|---|
| Paper coffee cups, hot and cold | Styrofoam cups and clamshells |
| Milk, juice, soup, and creamer cartons | Plastic bags and plastic wrap |
| Paper plates and paper takeout boxes | Anything with food still in it |
| Hard plastic containers | Batteries |
| Metal cans, glass bottles and jars | Electronics |
| Paper, cardboard broken down to 2 feet by 2 feet | Bagged recycling of any kind |
Two rules people break constantly. Do not bag your recycling, and place your cart at the curb by 5:30 a.m. on collection day. A bagged blue cart often gets pulled out and landfilled. austintexas
One more thing. If your paper plate is soaked in barbecue sauce, it belongs in the green compost cart instead. Austin's curbside composting takes food scraps, yard trimmings, food-soiled paper, and natural fibers.
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Live in Kyle, Buda, San Marcos, or Round Rock?
Check before you toss. This rule covers the City of Austin curbside customers. If you live south down I-35 in Kyle or Buda, or north in Round Rock, Cedar Park, or Pflugerville, your city or your private hauler sets the list. Some take cartons. Some do not.
Call your hauler or pull up your city's solid waste page. Two minutes now saves a contaminated load later.
Where to take what the blue cart will not take
Styrofoam, plastic film, and packing peanuts still cannot go curbside. Austin residents can drop those items at the Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center to be recycled or disposed of safely. The center sits at 2514 Business Center Dr., Austin, TX 78744, and it also takes household batteries. austintexasaustintexas
We make it easier for the smaller stuff. Our shop at 7601 South Congress Ave #550A in 78745 runs a recycling drop-off, so you can hand off items and shop the racks in one trip. See our recycling drop-off hours and accepted items before you load the car.
Cleaning out a whole garage, office, or rental instead? That is a different job. Our
junk removal crew in Austin sorts every load for donation and recycling first, and sends it to the landfill last.
Why one cup actually matters
The pollution math is better than most people expect. Paper made from recycled fibers creates 35% less water pollution and 74% less air pollution than paper made from raw wood pulp. Those recycled fibers get turned into paper towels, tissues, office paper, and roof tiles.
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The city also has a goal behind it. Austin aims to reach zero waste by 2040, which means cutting the trash sent to landfills by 90%. austintexas
We take that seriously on our end. IREP kept more than 350 tons of material out of Central Texas landfills in 2024 through resale, donation, and recycling. Every washed jacket on our floor and every sorted truckload counts.
Your cup is a small piece. So is ours. They add up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you put coffee cups in the recycling bin in Austin?
Yes. City of Austin curbside customers can put paper coffee cups in the blue cart. Empty the cup and rinse out any leftover liquid first. This includes hot cups and cold cups from coffee shops, plus paper plates and paper takeout containers.
Do I have to take the lid off my coffee cup?
No. Austin Resource Recovery asks you to empty the cup, put the cap back on, and place it in the blue cart. You do not need to crush or flatten it. This is different from many other cities, so check the rules if you move.
Can I recycle Styrofoam to-go containers in Austin?
Not curbside. Styrofoam cups, clamshells, and packing peanuts do not belong in your blue cart. Take them to the Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center at 2514 Business Center Dr. in Austin instead, where staff can recycle or dispose of them safely.
Ready to clear out more than a coffee cup?
Bring your recyclables and your donations to 7601 South Congress Ave #550A. We are open Sundays with live sales when most shops are closed, and we drop prices on Thursdays and Fridays. Call or text us with what you have, and we will tell you what we take.
