Douglas County, NE Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

The City of Omaha provides single-stream curbside recycling in city-issued 96-gallon carts. Accepted materials include paper (newspaper, magazines, mail, office paper), flattened corrugated cardboard, glass bottles and jars, aluminum and steel cans, and rigid plastic containers #1 (PETE) and #2 (HDPE). Plastic bags, film, and bubble wrap are NOT accepted in curbside recycling — they jam sorting equipment — but are collected at grocery store drop-offs (Hy-Vee, Baker's). Styrofoam, tanglers (hoses, cords), batteries, electronics, and food waste are prohibited and contaminate loads. Caps on bottles should be removed; containers rinsed. Contaminated carts receive a warning tag and are skipped on the next collection. The recycling processor is Firstar Fiber on Q Street. Omaha's diversion rate has historically lagged national averages, and the city has public awareness campaigns emphasizing "When in doubt, throw it out" to reduce contamination. Yard waste (April-November) goes in separate carts and is composted at OmaGro. Multi-family buildings over 8 units are required to provide recycling service.