Editorial Policy

Editorial policy

Editorial Policy

This policy explains how recycling-centre.org/ researches, writes, updates, corrects, and labels recycling information so readers can separate independent guidance from official authority.

Core rule: A recycling page should help a real person complete a real task. It should not exist only to target a keyword, repeat a city name, copy official text, or create a doorway to another page.

Source hierarchy

We treat some sources as stronger than others. Official sources control final facts. Third-party listings can be helpful for discovery, but they should not override official rules.

PrioritySource typeUsed forEditorial caution
1Official city, county, solid waste, facility, transfer station, or waste-authority pageHours, address, accepted items, fees, residency, appointment rules, holiday notesBest source for final user action.
2Official state environmental agency or hazardous-waste programHazardous materials, electronics programs, statewide recycling rules, safe-disposal guidanceUse when local page points to state program or item is regulated.
3Official PDFs, calendars, flyers, service alerts, and public noticesHoliday closures, event dates, seasonal rules, one-time collection programsCheck date carefully; old PDFs can remain online.
4Official phone/contact pagesWhere users should verify same-day or special-item detailsDo not invent phone numbers.
5Maps, directories, business profiles, and third-party listingsSecondary discovery, driving context, possible map linksNot final authority for hours, accepted items, or fees.

Required checks for strong pages

  • Facility or program name matches the official source.
  • Address is verified against official source or official map.
  • Phone/contact path is official or clearly labeled as facility contact.
  • Hours include closure risk, holiday risk, or “verify before visiting” warning.
  • Accepted items are separated from restricted or special-handling items.
  • Fees, appointments, residency, and ID rules are included when published.

Do not publish if

  • The facility cannot be matched to an official source.
  • The page only repeats keywords with no practical help.
  • Hours come only from an unverified map listing.
  • Accepted-item details are guessed or copied from a different city.
  • The page would mislead users into thinking we operate the facility.

Quality and anti-spam editorial rules

No keyword stuffing. We write for the resident’s task first. Repeating “recycling center near me” or city names unnaturally does not help users.
No doorway pages. A location page must contain meaningful local detail, not just a city keyword and links to another generic page.
No copied official pages. We summarize, organize, explain, and add practical warnings rather than republishing official text without added value.
No fake open-now promises. If a page is not connected to a live official status feed, it should not claim live open status.
No fake affiliations. The site must not imply that it is a city, county, government, facility, or official customer-service portal.
No unsupported schema. We avoid fake LocalBusiness, ratings, reviews, government organization, or official entity schema when those claims are not fully supported.

AI-assisted work

Writing tools may assist with formatting, readability, structure, or summaries. They must not be used to invent facility facts, official sources, phone numbers, addresses, prices, rules, reviews, author credentials, or government affiliation.

Advertising separation

Ads do not determine which recycling centers are covered, how a facility is described, or whether a warning appears. Sponsored content, if ever used, must be clearly labeled and must not pass ranking credit through manipulative links.

Corrections and updates

Recycling-center information changes. We update pages when official sources show changed hours, accepted items, fees, addresses, holiday schedules, residency rules, appointment requirements, or facility status. To request a correction, send the page URL and the official source that supports the change.

Submit a correction