Omaha Recycling Guide
Plastic Silverware
Not Accepted, Alternative Options Available
DO NOT place this item in a City of Omaha curbside recycling cart or drop-off site container.
Place plastic utensils and serveware in the garbage, or use an alternative option.
Related Items: Certified Compostable Products
Where Else Could It Go?
CLEAN plastic utensils and plastic cellophane sleeves can be placed in an orange Hefty® ReNew® bag. Remove any non-plastic items like paper napkins and wipe off food residue before placing in the orange bag.
FirstStar Recycling offers this special program to collect hard-to-recycle plastics in our community. To participate, you can purchase orange Hefty® ReNew® bags, which will be collected through your existing curbside and drop-off site services. When filled with accepted materials and tied shut, the bright orange Hefty® ReNew® bag is the ONLY bag that can be placed in a curbside recycling cart or drop-off site container. Learn more about the local Hefty® ReNew® program:
Ways to Reduce or Reuse
Instead of single-use plastic utensils, bring or use real silverware that can be washed and used again.
When ordering takeout food, tell the restaurant to skip the disposables and use your own reusable silverware instead.
Did You Know
Plastic utensils are not easily recycled through traditional methods. Due to their small, lightweight size, they will fall through the mechanical recycling sorter and end up going to the landfill, or mix with other materials, which causes contamination of recyclables. Place disposable silverware in the garbage, or alternatively, in an orange Hefty® ReNew® bag.