Plant Pots and Planters
What Should I Do With It?
Plant pots and garden planters, widely used for home landscaping and indoor houseplants, cannot be processed in standard curbside recycling programs. Ceramic, clay, and terracotta planters are made from fired clay that has a much higher melting temperature than container glass, meaning they will ruin entire batches of recycled glass if mixed in. To manage them sustainably, try repairing cracked pots with epoxy adhesive, or donate unwanted containers to local gardening groups or online marketplaces. If a ceramic planter is broken beyond repair, wrap the sharp shards in newspaper before tossing them in the trash, or repurpose them in the garden as drainage stones or plant labels.
Before throwing this away, see if it can be fixed up, given to a friend, or donated to a local thrift shop. Keeping items in use is the best way to stop waste before it starts!
The recycling guidelines shown here are for general reference and educational purposes. Every city and town has different rules, sorting equipment, and recycling programs.
Please check your local town website or ask your local garbage collection program to make sure you are following your neighborhood's rules.