We don't have a recycling program, and I refuse to pay $57.50 every three months for pick up.
The animals get the scraps. If it doesn't get eaten, it's put on the burn pile. Stuff like glass, I rinse and toss in a can. Those and the metal cans go every few months to the scrap yard. They recycle the glass, we get a few bucks for the metal cans, and aluminum. Everything else gets burnt, with the exception of my boy's Goodnights and girl stuff. That I toss in the neighbor's trash. He gets free eggs, so it works out.
They do have an annual clean-up day, where you can take stuff to a designated place for free disposal. We use that for everything we can't burn or cash in on, like old batteries, etc.
We have a designated burn pit away from the house. I burn about every day.
Blessings-
Em