The crinkly packaging pilot kicked off in January, and we’re planning to run it for a few months while we learn what works best for the community and also our warehouse proccesses. After that, we’ll decide whether to make this a permanent material with its own canvas bag. Want to participate? You can grab your Pink Bag in the Member Dashboard Shop.

Quick video: how to tell crinkly packaging from plastic film.

A few of you in our 2026 member survey asked for more visuals and a simpler guide. We’ve updated our Hard-to-Recycle one sheet guide with visuals to make it easier to identify materials and added a step by step pick-up prep guide.

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

Last year, our community of 1,000 households turned everyday waste into real impact. Together, we kept 112,030 pounds of materials out of the landfill, including an estimated 790,000 plastic bags, 70,600 textiles, 20,300 cubic feet of styrofoam, 52,700 batteries and bulbs, and much more.

If this is what 1,000 households can do, imagine what we can accomplish as more people join in.

Downstream Solution Education

Plastic film like grocery and sandwich bags is one of the core materials we collect every month. After pickup, it goes to our partner Orange Recycling Services where it is baled and shipped to Trex Company, which uses recovered plastic film to manufacture composite decking boards! 

USDA’s National Organic Standards Board voted against adding “compostable” plastics to the National List for organic agriculture. It’s another reminder that products labeled compostable doesn’t always mean they are beneficial in real world composting systems. As a reminder, The ReCollective does not accept compostable plastics, nor do we have any financial arrangement with compostable plastic manufacturers.

Give your scrap metal a second life this February by placing it in your ReCo Pick bag so it can be recycled instead of thrown away. We’re also collecting reusable totes and bags, plus unopened hygiene products as bonus ReCo Picks. For more information about upcoming ReCo Picks, check the calendar.

We’re expanding across central North Carolina. Greensboro, Mebane, and Burlington are now open for signups. Charlotte is up later this year, once we have enough pre-signups to launch. Expansion helps more people recycle and keeps more stuff out of the landfill. Please tell your friends and family!

Not in our service area but still within 500 miles? No problem. You can still use ReCo by mail. Mailback members can purchase bags whenever they need them. Order the Almost Anything Bag for full flexibility, or choose dedicated bags for Plastic Film, Textiles, and Crinkly Food Packaging.

Transform food scraps into community impact. Memberships start at $3.15/week with convenient local drop-off locations. Schedule time with our team to discuss starting a community compost drop-off.

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.

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.

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!