Howie's Recycling Center in Manhattan, KS

Howie's self-service center accepts a wide range of household recyclable materials, construction, and industrial scrap materials.

For household materials, deposit the materials in the appropriately labeled bins.

For electronic waste, place your items in the e-waste bin.

For metal scrap materials, our courteous warehouse team will weigh your items and pay current market value for all acceptable grades.

What We Accept

Check our list of common acceptable materials. If you don't see what you're looking for, try the following:

FAQ Contact Us Waste Disposal Guide


NOTE: We do not accept any hazardous materials. This includes paint, chemicals, fuel, oil, and other auto fluids. Basically, if it is liquid, we do not accept it. The Riley County Hazardous Waste department is at Howie's every 2nd Saturday of the month from 8 a.m. to noon to take these items.


Household Recyclables: What We Accept But DO NOT Buy

glass

Glass

All colors of food or beverage glass. Does not need to be separated by color.

cardboard

Cardboard

All old corrugated boxes, including cereal boxes and paper towel rolls. No milk or orange juice containers.

pete 1 clear plastic

PETE #1 (Clear Plastic)

All bottles with #1 imprinted on the product. Examples are water and ketchup bottles. Generally clear, and you can see through it.

hdpe 2 natural

HDPE #2 (Natural)

All bottles with #2 imprinted on the product. An example is milk jugs. You can see through the material.

hdpe 2 colored

HDPE #2 (Colored)

All bottles with #2 imprinted on the product. An example is laundry detergent. It is a solid color, and you cannot see through the material.

tin cans

Steel/Tin Cans

Food containers. Examples are containers for canned goods. Rule of thumb: A magnet will stick to it.

office paper

Office Paper

All paper out of an office. Color can be mixed.

newspaper

Newspaper

All newsprint and colored ads may be recycled together.

household batteries

Household Batteries

We accept all small household batteries.

e waste bin

E-Waste

Computers, printers, TVs, and all other types of electronics. TVs with CRT glass incur a charge ($40.00). There is no charge for flat-screen TVs and monitors—additional e-waste information.


Scrap Materials: What We Buy

A rule of thumb is if it is metal, it is recyclable. There are two basic metals—Ferrous (a magnet will stick to it) and Non-Ferrous (a magnet will not stick to it).

Ferrous Metals

steel and iron

Steel and Iron

A magnet will stick to it—examples: Clothes washer and dryer, hot-water heater, engine block, industrial iron, and metal.

Must have 100 lbs. or more to sell Steel and Iron. 


Non-Ferrous Metals

KS Regulations on Non-Ferrous Metals Recycling

Aluminum

aluminum cans

Aluminum Cans

Common aluminum beverage containers such as soda and beer cans. Aluminum pet food containers are also acceptable.

aluminum scrap clean

Aluminum Scrap (CLEAN)

Basic aluminum material. Examples: Lawn furniture, window frames, bicycle frames.

aluminum scrap dirty

Aluminum Scrap (DIRTY)

Basic aluminum material with significant amounts of foreign material attached (such as screws, rubber, or steel attachments).

aluminum scrap extruded

Aluminum Scrap (EXTRUDED)

Window frames with very little contamination.

 

Copper

bare bright

Bare Bright

Also known as "bright and shiny" copper. It refers exclusively to bare, uncoated, and unalloyed wire or cable no thinner than 16 gauge in thickness.

copper 1 wire

#1 Copper Wire

Consists of bare wire that each strand is a minimum of 16 gauge with no insulation.

copper 1 pipe

#1 Copper Pipe

Consists of copper tubing with little or no corrosion and no joints or fittings on the tubing.

copper 2

#2 Copper

Consists of smaller than 16-gauge wire and tubing that are free of other material and have no corrosion or sweat joints.

copper sheet

Copper Sheet

Consists of copper that is a sheet material. Examples are guttering and flashing.

copper 1 insulated

#1 Insulated Copper

Consists of insulated wire that each strand is a minimum of 16-gauge wire. The purchase price is based on the percentage of copper.

copper 2 insulated

#2 Insulated Copper

Consists of insulated wire that each strand is smaller in diameter than 16-gauge wire. The purchase price is based on the percentage of copper.

acsr

ACSR

Insulated Aluminum wire that usually has a steel wire running through it for reinforcement.

 

Brass

yellow brass

Yellow Brass

This material has a yellow color to it when scraped or ground. Examples are faucets, drain pipes, and shut-off valves. Must be free of foreign material to be sold for a clean price.

red brass

Red Brass

This material has a red color to it when scraped off the ground. An example of this material is gate valves.

 

Stainless Steel

stainless steel

Stainless Steel

Non-magnetic steel materials. Produces yellow marks when ground. Examples are kitchen sinks and other restaurant equipment. Must be free of foreign material to be sold for a clean price.

 

Radiators

brass copper radiators

Brass Copper Radiators

Older radiators made up of brass and copper. Must be free of iron to be sold for a clean price.

copper aluminum radiators

Copper Aluminum Radiators

Radiators made up of copper tubes and aluminum fins. Must be free of iron to be sold for a clean price.

 

Electric Motors

electric motors

Electric Motors

Motors that have copper windings. An example would be household air conditioners.

 

Automotive Batteries

auto batteries

Auto Batteries

Lead-acid batteries used in cars and smaller vehicles/tractors. Must be stamped lead-acid. We do not accept gel cell batteries.

 

Aluminum Breakage

aluminum breakage

Aluminum Breakage

Aluminum with a high percentage of iron, typically over 5% iron. An example is engine blockheads. Price is based on the percentage of aluminum content.

 

Lead

lead

Lead

Soft lead. Examples are old drainpipes and sheets used for covering. Not wheel weights.

 

Wheel Weights

wheel weights

Wheel Weights

Lead wheel weights used to balance wheels and tires.

catalytic converters

Catalytic Converters

Auto part used in vehicle exhaust systems containing platinum beads. Price is dependent upon current market value.


Materials that We DO NOT Accept

 

  • Hazardous Waste: Paint, chemicals, fuel, oil, and other auto fluids
    • Solution: Riley County Hazard Waste is at Howie's every 2nd Saturday of the month to pick up these materials. Or you can drop them off at their facility at 6245 Tuttle Creek Blvd., Monday, Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Their phone number is (785) 539-3202.
  • Tires: All rubber tires
    • Solution: Riley County Transfer Station takes tires. They charge $4.00 to $17.00 per tire without rims. With rims is an additional $5.00 per tire. The Riley County Transfer Station is located at 1881 Henton Road, Manhattan, KS 66502, (785) 565-6290.
  • Styrofoam: Packing materials
    • Solution: Dispose of this material with your regular household trash.
  • Grocery Bags: Thin plastic bags
    • Solution: Reuse or return to grocery stores. Many have a collection point for used bags.
  • Plastics 3-7: Plastic bottles and containers
    • Solution: Dispose of these with your regular household trash.
riley county hazardous waste truck

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