Recycling Centers in Traverse City, MI
Find drop-off recycling locations in Traverse City, Michigan. View hours, addresses, and phone numbers for each facility.
If you live in Traverse City and need a convenient place to recycle, this directory helps you find local recycling centers. These centers accept standard materials like paper, cardboard, plastics, glass, and aluminum, as well as specialty items depending on the facility. Browse the listings below to find contact information and hours for each location.
Recycling in Traverse City: A Local Guide
Traverse City has 7 recycling centers in our directory, covering a surprising range for a city its size. There's a national hauler (Republic Services), a PADNOS scrap yard, community-focused recyclers like Bay Area Recycling for Community, a food-scrap collector in Carter's Compost, and the county's RecycleSmart / Grand Traverse Recycling operation on LaFranier Rd. On the municipal side, Traverse City has contracted curbside recycling through GFL Environmental, and under Grand Traverse County ordinance every hauler operating in the county must offer curbside recycling and yard-waste collection on request. County single-stream recycling accepts glass of all colors, metal cans and foil, paper and cardboard, and plastics #1–#7. See more across the state on our Michigan recycling hub.
By type: PADNOS Traverse City Recycling Center on Blair Townhall Rd is the local scrap operation, while Grand Traverse Recycling and RecycleSmart share the county's LaFranier Rd drop-off site. Carter's Compost is a downtown food-scrap and composting service, and Bay Area Recycling for Community is a nonprofit-style recycler on US-31. Check each center's page to confirm what it accepts, since hours and material lists vary by operator.
Looking beyond Traverse City? Grand Rapids (9 centers), Flint (8 centers) and Lansing (7 centers) have more facilities, and Muskegon (5 centers) is another West Michigan option. You can also browse everything on the Michigan hub.
All Recycling Centers in Traverse City
Recycling Centers in Nearby Cities
Frequently Asked Questions — Recycling in Traverse City
Where can I recycle in Traverse City?
You have both drop-off and curbside options. The Grand Traverse County site on LaFranier Rd (listed here as Grand Traverse Recycling / RecycleSmart) is the main public recycling point, and PADNOS handles scrap. City residents also have contracted curbside recycling through GFL.
Does Traverse City have curbside recycling?
Yes. Traverse City has a contracted curbside recycling arrangement through GFL Environmental, and under Grand Traverse County ordinance all haulers must provide curbside recycling and yard-waste collection upon a customer's request. Accepted materials can vary by provider, so confirm details with your hauler.
What can I put in curbside recycling here?
Grand Traverse County's single-stream guidance lists glass of all colors, metal cans/foil/trays, paper and cardboard (including cartons and boxboard), and plastics #1–#7. Items like light bulbs, mirrors, TVs, computers, windows and car parts are not accepted curbside. Because lists vary by service provider, confirm with your hauler or the county.
Where do I take cans for the Michigan deposit refund?
Michigan's 10-cent bottle deposit is refunded at retailers that sell those beverages, not at recycling drop-offs, so return deposit cans and bottles to a participating store. For non-deposit scrap metal and aluminum, PADNOS is the local buyer — check its page and call for current prices.