Recycling Centers in Somerset, KY

Recycling in Somerset: A Local Guide

Somerset is the seat of Pulaski County and home to three different recycling operations, covering everything from curbside-grade materials to junk vehicles to specialty catalytic converter processing. The go-to facility for most residents is the Pulaski County Solid Waste and Recycling Center at 218 West KY-80 Bus, a free county-run drop-off open Monday through Friday 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM. It accepts an unusually broad list of materials—all seven plastic resin types (#1–#7), cardboard, newspaper, office paper, aluminum cans, steel cans, glass, electronics, major appliances, batteries, scrap metal, antifreeze, and even Styrofoam cups and packing peanuts. Everything is accepted at no charge. For weekend recycling needs, the county maintains 24-hour satellite drop boxes at the Walmart parking lot (177 Washington Dr.) and Somerset City Maintenance Garage (100 McFall Park Dr.).

Residents looking to get paid for their old metal should head to River Metal Recycling at 905 Crane Road in the Ferguson area. The yard buys ferrous scrap (iron, steel, junk vehicles), non-ferrous metals (aluminum, copper, brass), and electronic scrap (circuit boards, laptops, hard drives) six days a week: Monday–Friday 7:30 AM–4:00 PM and Saturday 8:00 AM–noon. Payment is by weight at current commodity prices, issued via an ATM-style ticket at weigh-out. Sorting your metals by type before arrival typically results in a higher payout.

366 Processing at 5115 East KY-80 is a commercial-only operation that purchases spent catalytic converters from licensed businesses—scrap yards, core buyers, auto recyclers, and repair shops. It is not open to the general public. New business accounts must complete Know Your Customer (KYC) verification and anti-money-laundering screening before their first transaction. Hours are Monday through Friday 8 AM–5 PM. Somerset residents with personal vehicles to scrap should go to River Metal Recycling instead.

For hazardous household waste like paint, pesticides, and propane tanks, Pulaski County hosts an annual HHW Day through the Somerset-Pulaski Chamber of Commerce—check their event calendar for the next date. Other south-central Kentucky communities with recycling resources include London, Berea, Richmond, and Crab Orchard. The Kentucky recycling directory lists facilities statewide.