What happens to your CHaRM materials?

Books

The CHaRM collects books for recycling and reuse. Reused books support a whole network of good in our community through our CHaRM Book Reuse Program.

Children and Charities: Books are shared with more than 40 local charities to promote literacy in at-risk populations. The books are made available for children to take home at locations including Attention Homes, Boulder County Headstart, Casa de la Esperanza, Samaritan House, People’s Clinic, and Emergency Family Assistance Association.

Local Schools: Books are given to preschools and 59 schools that participate in Eco-Cycle's Green Star Schools program.

A Local Book Reuse Company: An expert sorts through the books for valuable text and reference books to sell.

Eco-Cycle: The book reuse company splits the book sale profits with Eco-Cycle to help support the CHaRM.

Big Durable #2 Plastics

Big durable #2 plastics are responsibly recycled in the U.S. and made into recycled plastic railroad ties. This very durable, long-lasting product can be used in place of virgin hardwood lumber railroad ties injected with creosote. Hardwood lumber takes a very long time to regrow, and creosote contains several toxic and carcinogenic chemicals, which can leach into the environment through contact with soil or water.

Bike Tires & Tubes

Bike tires and tubes are sent to Green Guru, a Boulder-based company that uses them to make upcycled bags and other gear.

Cooking Oil

Cooking oil is used by a local manufacturer, Sustainable Oil Service, to create biodiesel. 

Electronics

Ink Jet and Laser Jet Cartridges

Plastic Bags and Plastic Bubble Wrap

Small Plastic Appliances

Yoga Mats

CHaRM: Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials

Eco-Cycle's CHaRM and offices will be CLOSED on Monday, July 4th!

Click here for Resources for those impacted by the Marshall Fire

IMPORTANT CORONAVIRUS NOTICE: 

Our helpline is open Monday–Friday from 9 am–5 pm. If you have Zero Waste questions, call 303-444-6634 or email recycle@ecocycle.org.

Our administrative offices remain closed to the public.

The Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) is OPEN Mon-Sat, 9 am–5 pm

Eco-Cycle’s CHaRM is currently implementing COVID-19 protocols to ensure public safety. All visitors to the CHaRM will be required to:

• Please wear a mask or face covering at all times while on-site unless you are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (and our staff will do the same). Vaccinated individuals are required to wear their mask or face-covering while indoors.
• Observe 6-foot distancing areas marked off around drop-off bins.
  Unload your own vehicles (please bring help if needed, as our staff has been directed to maintain a 6-foot distance).

Location

6400 Arapahoe Rd, Boulder, co-located with Resource Central

CHaRM hours are Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Saturday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; CHaRM is closed on Sundays)

CHaRM is an outdoor facility. In the event of extreme weather, call us at (303) 444-6634 before you visit to find out if the CHaRM is open. We care about your safety and our employees!

Accepted payment methods

Credit cards only (no Diner's Club cards) 

There is a $3 facility fee for every vehicle entering the CHaRM to recycle hard-to-recycle materials. >> View all CHaRM Guidelines and Fees

>> Need hard-to-recycle collection pick-up at your business? Check out our CHaRM on the Road commercial hauling service

Before you recycle that item... try to fix it at an upcoming U-Fix-It Clinic! 

MAP OF CHaRM AND BOULDER'S
"RECYCLE ROW"

The CHaRM is funded in part by city of Boulder trash tax dollars.

CHaRM Guidelines and Prices

CHaRM on the Road services for Businesses

Why is there a $3 facility fee?

Our Commitment: Recycling Electronics Responsibly

Why recycle electronics

What happens to CHaRM materials?

CHaRM Collection Events in Other Communities

CHaRM Guidelines and Fees

CHaRM is undergoing a sea-change for its 20th anniversary! While we’ll continue to provide the same hard-to-recycle services you know and love, CHaRM and next-door neighbor Resource Central are making some improvements to the facilities, and construction is underway through April 2022. CHaRM should remain open for regular business hours during this time, but we will be sure to announce any unexpected closures here, as usual. In addition, we’ll be changing the fee structure to reflect the rising costs of doing business.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FEE STRUCTURE >>

Note that the facility fee of $3 will apply to all material drop-offs aside from scrap metal, and several item fees will change as well to better meet the needs of the operation. Additionally, CHaRM is discontinuing the facility fee waiver for electric vehicles starting June 1, and the Frequent CHaRMer program is actively being phased out in favor of a new loyalty program currently in development.

If you have any questions about the upcoming changes, please don’t hesitate to reach out by email: charm@ecocycle.org.

PLEASE NOTE: Eco-Cycle charges a $3 fee for every vehicle coming to the Eco-Cycle/City of Boulder Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials (CHaRM) to recycle materials. The fee is in addition to the recycling fees that apply to specific materials like electronics, bike tires, and porcelain. 

Electronics, etc.

> Bulk Pricing

Hard-to-Recycle Plastics

> Plastic Bags & Bubble Wrap

> Foam Packing Sheets

> #6 White Block Foam Packaging

> Big Durable #2 Plastics

Appliances

> Small, Plastic Appliances

> Metal Appliances (must be at least 50% metal)

Miscellaneous

> Plate Glass TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE

> Mattresses & Box Springs

> Bicycles & Parts

> Cooking Oil

> Porcelain Toilets, Sinks & Urinals

> Concrete

> Fire Extinguishers

> Paper Shredding Service & Shredded Paper

> Textiles

Compost drop-off

Free of charge:

> Scrap Metal (without Freon)

> Single-Stream Recycling

Electronics

ELECTRONICS:

• Computer towers (CPUs), laptops

• CRT (not flatscreen) TVs, rear-projection TVs, Monitors
  NOTE:  Broken CRT glass is classified by the EPA as hazardous waste, and requires extra handling and documentation.

• Other electronics, including flatscreen TVs, audio equipment, mobile phones, fax machines or any other item with a battery or cord

• Optional Hard-drive Shredding service (please request). Bulk hard-drive shredding IS available. Please call 303-444-6634 for more information.

Printer Cartridges

• Ink Jet and Laser Jet

TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE: Plate Glass Windows and Doors

• Includes windows, patio doors, shower doors, picture frame glass, glass tabletops, glass block, tempered glass, insulated glass

• Cracked and broken panes are OK

  Window without jamb

• Window with jamb

• Patio door without jamb

• Patio door with jamb

• NO mirrors, Pyrex (food containers, microwave dishes, measuring cups), canning jars, or bottles and jars.

 

Please note: Resource Central, which is co-located at 6400 Arapahoe Rd. with CHaRM, accepts some windows for reuse. Check their website for donation guidelines.

Plastics

Plastic Bags & Bubble Wrap

• Includes plastic shopping and newspaper bags, ziplock bags, dry cleaner bags and bubble wrap

• MUST be clean, dry, and empty of all food, receipts, etc. with tape and stickers removed

• NO plastic food wrap or packing peanuts

 

 

Foam Packing Sheets

• Accepted with plastic bags in plastic bag bin

• Click here for close-up image

• Must be clean and dry

• NO packing peanuts, other foam

 

#6 White Block Foam

• #6 White Block Foam

• NO shipping labels on foam, packing peanuts, "Styrofoam" (polystyrene) cups, “to-go” boxes, meat trays or any other food-grade styrofoam, moisture or tape

 

Small Plastic Appliances

• Electric and battery-powered appliances

  NO vacuum bags, glass (coffee pots, blender carafes, etc.), or food/liquid residue.

• Have  appliances that are mostly metal? See scrap metal listing.

Please note that we will weigh your materials on-site and give you a total fee based on weight at that time. 

 

Big Durable #2 Plastics

• Large plastics such as Big Wheels® and plastic play structures, plastic lawn furniture, plastic watering cans, laundry baskets, clean plastic buckets (no residue), crates, rigid backyard kiddie pools and plastic trash containers. 

• Must be the size of a five-gallon bucket or larger but must also be less than 3 feet by 3 feet (can be cut to meet these dimensions).

• In some cases, these plastics may not be marked with a #2, so look for them to be opaque with a matte finish and hollow inside. They are made with a mold, so will likely have a seam where two halves were joined.

• Non-plastic parts must be removed, including straps, padding and fabric. 

• NO flower pots without a #2, inflatable pools or other inflatable plastics, water beds, chew toys, CD jewel cases, small toys such as action figures, etc.

• NO insulated plastic coolers

 

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Mattresses and Box Springs

• Mattress (standard spring or futon mattress, any size) 

• Box spring (any size) 

• 100% foam mattress toppers, any size

• Mechanical bed 

• NOTE: We can no longer accept bed bug-infested mattresses at the CHaRM

• NO mattresses or box springs with mold

 

Bicycles & Bike Parts

• Any Condition 

• Includes integral parts such as seats, pedals, handlebars, wheels, etc. and metal accessories such as baskets and Pannier racks 

• NO other accessories or sporting goods 

 

Bicycle Tires & Tubes

 

• Puncture-resistant or slime tubes should be kept separately 

• NO automotive or other tires 

 

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Miscellaneous

Books & Manuals

• Computer and Office Manuals

• Hard-Bound Books and Paperbacks

*Call for quantities one pallet and larger 

Learn about our Book Reuse Project

 

Cooking Oil

• Residential quantities only (maximum 10 gallons); for larger quantities see our A-Z Recycling Guide listing for Cooking Oil

• Includes canola, corn, vegetable, olive, and sesame oils

• NO motor oil or any oil used for purposes other than cooking.

 

Fire Extinguishers

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Paper Shredding Service 

• Paper materials only

Eco-Cycle provides a locked bin for residents and businesses to drop off documents for shredding at the CHaRM. A mobile shredding company comes every other Friday to shred the papers. We do not offer certificates of destruction. Call 303-444-6634 for more information or visit www.ecocycle.org/charm. 

Small quantities of paper that is already shredded is also accepted as compost at the CHaRM. The facility fee will apply.

 

ZERO WASTE TIP: Rip it, Don’t Shred It!

Please avoid shredding paper whenever possible. Shredding shortens the paper fibers and therefore cuts the recycled life of paper in half. Instead, consider ripping off sensitive elements of your documents and shredding or ripping only that piece, leaving the rest of the page whole.

 

See shred recycling guidelines and more tips for reducing shredded paper.

 

Shred Events

Check with your bank or credit union to see if they offer free shredding events or services. They may also shred banking items by request.

 

Western Disposal offers free paper shredding for customers. Learn more.

 

Toilets, Sinks, Urinals and other Ceramics

• NO glass, rebar, tile backing material, or other non-ceramics.

 

Concrete

• Clean concrete -- must be free of aggregate, metal, rocks and dirt -- accepted in small quantities: less than small pickup truck bed size

• NOTE: Concrete is NOT accepted at local hard-to-recycle events.

 

Yoga Mats

• Plastic foam, rubber foam and jute mats

• NO badly soiled or smelly mats

• NO Tatami or other grass mats 

 

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Textiles

Clothing, Towels, Sheets, Fabrics, Paired Reusable Shoes

• No mud

• Items may be stained or ripped, but they must be clean. Must be 12” square or larger. 

• NO underwear, bathing suits, or socks

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Scrap Metal, Single-Stream Recycling & Compost

Scrap Metal

Items at least 50% metal, including appliances

• Items without Freon

• Items WITH Freon (Items with Freon include refrigerators, air conditioners, dehumidifiers and freezers)

• Cables and wire

IF YOU HAVE EMPTY TANKS AND CYLINDERS: CHaRM accepts helium tanks. Bring them to the CHaRM but do NOT place them in the scrap metal bin. Please let the person at the CHaRM window know what you have and they will direct you to a special collection area at CHaRM.
NO O2, CO2, or Acetylene tanks. For O2, CO2, and Acetylene tanks, please contact local welding supply stores.

NO oil or fuel in motors

NO batteries 

NO TANKS WITH ANY LIQUID OR GAS. Please remove all gas caps from mowers or other related equipment.

 

NO PROPANE CANISTERS OF ANY KIND. See our A-Z Recycling Guide listing for Propane canisters for more information.

Electronics are not scrap metal but can be recycled at the CHaRM for a fee. 

Single-Stream Recycling

Single-stream recycling is accepted at the CHaRM. Learn more about what's accepted in single-stream recycling. 

 

Compost

CHaRM accepts food scraps, soiled paper and Zero Waste event supplies. Click here for full guidelines.

Why is there a $3 facility fee? 

The CHaRM is financially subsidized by three partners: the city of Boulder, Eco-Cycle and dedicated recyclers like you. In these difficult economic times, the city of Boulder and Eco-Cycle are not able to cover the cost increases for CHaRM services without you, our third partner.

 

The benefit of the facility fee is economic and environmental. Some visitors to the CHaRM come in a virtually empty car just to drop off a bit of white block foam or a small bundle of plastic bags. We don’t want the environmental gains of the CHaRM to be negated by the carbon emissions of vehicles, so our hope is that the fee will encourage recyclers to economize their trips to the CHaRM by storing their materials until they have one big load.

 

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WAYS TO SAVE on the facility fee at the CHaRM:

We know times are hard for you, too, so we have a few suggestions for saving on the facility fee.

 

• Carpool: Pool your materials together with your neighbors’ and friends’, so you only have to pay one facility fee.

 

• Zero Emission Drop-off:  Bicyclists with CHaRM materials are not charged a facility fee. (Fees to recycle specific materials, such as electronics, bike tires and porcelain, will still apply.)

There will be no charge for customers dropping off only scrap metal.

 

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CHaRM Collection Events in Other Communities

Typically once a year or more, Eco-Cycle offers residents of Boulder County the opportunity to drop off, at their local recycling center, hard-to-recycle materials typically accepted only at the CHaRM. We call these events "Hard-to-Recycle Round-Ups."

 

Call Eco-Cycle at 303-444-6634 to inquire about upcoming events.

 

Materials collected during hard-to-recycle events cannot be left at drop-off centers other than the CHaRM at any other time. The CHaRM facility in Boulder is open to all residents and businesses, regardless of origin, so if you can't make the next hard-to-recycle roundup or you need to recycle any of these materials throughout the year, you are always welcome to do so at the CHaRM.

Map to CHaRM

CHaRM: Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials

6400 Arapahoe Rd. (co-located with ReSource)

Boulder, CO

303-444-6634

Monday - Saturday, 9am - 5pm