Salina Drive-thru Recycling Center

The Salina Drive-thru Recycling Center (SDRC) is an operationally lean, single-stream, no sort facility that accepts a wide variety of recyclable materials for all Salina and Saline County residents and small businesses. The SDRC is located at 125 W. North Street, on the corner of Santa Fe Avenue and North Street, and is open Wednesday through Saturday except standard City holidays.

Drive-thru Convenience

• The SDRC is a section within the Sanitation workgroup (part of Public Works) with a staff consisting of two full-time employees knowledgeable in refuse and recycling collection. This means that the recycling process can continue when one employee drives material to the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) for processing.

• At the entrance of the SDRC is a small traffic signal with a red and green light to indicate when the next vehicle should enter the building. Vehicles should only enter the building when a green light is present. This helps reduce the amount of exhaust fumes within the building. When the recycling packer truck is running, it is connected to an exhaust ventilation system that releases the exhaust outside.

• The SDRC’s large 14’ tall doors enable residents and small businesses to drive their vehicle directly into the building, park at the designated spot near the recycling packer truck, shut off their engine, and remain inside the vehicle while waiting for the thumbs-up signal from staff to exit the building. This method helps ensure recyclables do not have to be stockpiled, sorted, or otherwise needlessly handled throughout the short process. Staff will quickly scan the material for unacceptable items, and if found, return those items to the customer for proper disposal. Staff will return containers that customers plan to reuse.

Acceptable Items (must be clean and dry before processing)

• Aluminum & steel (tin) beverage & food cans
• Cardboard & pasteboard (flatten for better use of space)
• Glass containers (all colors of food & beverage jars & bottles)
• Magazines/catalogs, junk mail, office paper, books
• Newspapers (including inserts)
• Plastic beverage, food, & soap containers; leave the caps on and do not crush the bottles (plastics 1-7) 
• Shredded paper (must be bagged separately)

Unacceptable Items - Not Permitted

• Aluminum Foil
• Batteries
• Bubble Wrap
• Cigarettes
• Fluids or aerosols of any kind
• Hazardous chemical containers (motor oil, pesticides, etc.)
• Other glass (windshields or glass panes)
• Other plastics not listed above
• Paint cans
• Plastic bags
• Styrofoam and packaging “peanuts”
• Tetra packs (juice box, almond milk, etc.)
• Thin film plastics

Just Look for the Symbol

It is not necessary for you to have a detailed understanding of plastics 1-7. Because manufacturers frequently change their packaging, it is recommended not to rely on a chart that breaks down the various forms of plastic using generalizations. Just look for the symbol on the product. Simply check an item you wish to recycle and look for a triangle with a number from one through seven in it. If it is present, then we will recycle it. It is that simple!

Notice: Expanded polystyrene, often called by the brand name, “Styrofoam” is not accepted at the SDRC, regardless of whether or not it has a triangle with the number 6 or 7 in it. Unfortunately, expanded polystyrene, even with a recycling number, is not accepted at the regional Material Recovery Facility where we take our recyclables. The technology to recycle Styrofoam does exist. However, there just isn't a demand for it in our market. One problem stems from its limited use when it is recycled. Another issue for many places, even when a market exists, is contamination, such as food, tape, and glue.

Quick Links

Recyclops; A New Curbside Subscription Recycling Service

Salina Little Libraries