Plastic Toys Trash Plastic toys are not accepted in the recycling. Toys are often made from multiple types of plastic and other material types. Please place these items in the trash. Consider DonationIf the item is still usable, please donate. Visit Athens’ Material Reuse page for ideas. Repair, Don’t Replace!Instead of buying new, support local businesses by having them repair and refurbish broken items. Search for repair options in your area. Large ToysLarge toys should be disposed of using a bulky item collection. Bulky item collection options may vary depending on your city. Visit your city page (residential or commercial) to confirm the process, acceptable items, collection instructions, any applicable fees, and quantity of available collections. Electronic ToysUnusable plastic toys with an electronic component may need to be disposed of as electronic waste. Click here to find your city or county’s designated e-waste and/or Household Hazardous Waste drop-off site or collection event. Check their website for an acceptable items list. Remove Batteries Always check to see if a plastic toy has batteries. If it contains batteries, remove them and dispose of them separately. Find out what to do with batteries. Ways to Reduce Buy Eco-Friendly Toys Avoid plastic toys when possible and opt for toys made from wood and natural cloth instead. Green Toys is a company that uses recycled plastics and other environmentally friendly materials to make their products. Repair Broken Toys Avoid throwing away every toy that breaks to reduce the amount of waste produced by your household. Some companies, like Lego, will replace or sell missing pieces. You can also send in toys to repair services, such as This Old Toy and Randy’s Toy Shop. Did You Know? The Dark Side of Plastic Toys Plastic toys are thrown out frequently: 55 percent of parents admit to throwing away toys regularly to reduce clutter. As these toys sit underground in landfills, they will leach hazardous toxins into the air and water. These toxins are derived from plastic, and are known to increase the risk of developing liver and kidney disease and other cancers.