Recycling on the National Mall

Did you know the Recycling on the National Mall program recycles more than 200 tons of materials per year?

Over 250 receptacles throughout the National Mall and East and West Potomac Parks collect recyclables from visitors, helping us to divert more than a quarter of our visitors' waste away from the incinerator.

How can you help? Use the blue bins and Bigbelly receptacles to recycle your plastic bottles and metal cans; use a reusable water bottle; avoid purchases that create unnecessary waste.

In 2026, a grant from The Recycling Partnership and the American Beverage Association's Every Bottle Back initiative, supported the National Mall in expanding its recycling by adding new Bigbelly recycling units in high visitor areas. Bigbelly units are modern waste and recycling containers designed for high-traffic public spaces like the National Mall. The units include both trash and recycling and are clearly labeled to help visitors sort correctly. The project also provided technical assistance and funding to strengthen recycling education, including the development of a volunteer training video and additional video content for web and social media.

Project History

The National Mall and Memorial Parks' public space recycling program launched in 2010, and was funded through a generous donation from The Coca-Cola Company, in collaboration with the Trust for the National Mall, the National Parks Foundation, and the National Park Service.

In 2025, a new recycling initiative was launched between NPS, the National Park Foundation (NPF), and the Trust for the National Mall which included the installation of new Bigbelly units, delivery of a new recycling truck, and the installation of standardized labels developed by the nonprofit Recycle Across America (RAA). Learn more