In July, ReCollective members came together to donate gently used clothing and shoes to Note in the Pocket, a nonprofit that provides children and families with quality clothing in a dignified way. Donations collected during pickups were aggregated at our Durham warehouse and delivered directly to Note in the Pocket. Thanks to our members, more families across the Triangle are receiving the support they need.

Compostable plastics may sound like a good solution, but single use is still single use. They often don’t break down as promised and can lower the quality of finished compost. This is why The ReCollective doesn’t accept them and instead promotes better alternatives like reusable containers and fiber-based compostables. Read more about the challenges with compostable plastics and better options to consider. Read more about the challenges with compostable plastics and better options to consider.

Many of you know Nic, who’s been out on the routes doing ReCo’s recycling doorstep pickups for the past two years, almost since the very beginning. What you may not know is that Nic also plays with The Phoebes, an award-winning North Carolina band that blends rock and blues. They were recently featured live on Fox 8! You can check out the performance here.

Last school year, four classrooms recycled with The ReCollective—a great way to introduce students to sustainability at school and at home. See a sample lesson plan here. For 2025–2026, the program expands: classrooms can join for just $8.50/month (50% off our standard rate).

All teachers also get 10% off home service. New or existing members can contact us anytime to apply the discount.

Fall with the cooler temps is a great time to start composting! Did you know existing Hard-to-Recycle members can add composting for as little as $21/month? We call it OneStop, combined recycling + composting. Plus, Hard-to-Recycle members get their first month of composting free! Available in most but not all areas. Head over to the Member Dashboard shop to sign up and check your options. Also, consider supporting and hosting a Community Compost dropoff site.

Hard-to-Recycle only members are always serviced on the same day and week of the month (for example, the second Thursday or third Wednesday). You can learn your schedule and see it anytime in the Member Dashboard calendar. Reminder emails go out the morning of the day before pickup. Our software doesn’t allow us to send them earlier. If you’d like more advance notice, you can set a reminder using your phone’s reminder app.

Want to help others see how easy waste reduction can be? Share your ReCo story and a photo, and we’ll give you a $5 account credit.

We may also feature you in our newsletter or on social media—just fill out the quick form here! You’ll need a Google Account to use the form, but if you don’t have one, message us and we’ll email you the questions.

We now have one-page digital reference guides for both Hard-to-Recycle materials and Organics.

Don’t forget! Our calendar is the go-to place to find upcoming ReCo Pick Information!

ReCo also helps with hard-to-recycle items that don’t pile up often or aren’t needed by every household. Add-Ons let you include #1 and #5 plastics, paper for shredding, latex paint, fluorescent tubes, printers, and Fillaree Soap Refills. Just add them to your next pickup in the Member Dashboard Shop. A small fee covers recycling costs and keeps the service accessible.

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100% Compostable Paper Food Scrap Bags are available in the Member Dashboard Shop! Made from virgin wood pulp and rice paper, they’re non-toxic, PFAS-free, and printed with vegetable-based inks. These bioplastic-free bags are designed to fit perfectly in countertop compost bin, providing a sustainable solution for collecting food scraps.

Here’s a tip: to keep odors at bay, store filled bags in the freezer until pick-up day, then drop them into the Purple ReCo bin. Available now in the Member Dashboard Shop.

Our OneStop service combines composting and hard-to-recycle collection into a single monthly pickup—available in parts of Durham, Raleigh, Cary, Morrisville, and Chapel Hill. It’s flexible, convenient, and starts at just $21/month.

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Do you live in an apartment or condominium? Whether it’s Hard-To-Recycle materials or Food Scraps, ReCo is here to help you recycle more!