This rating is based on customer reviews, inventory size, pricing, and service quality
From recent feedback, Star Recycling in East Los Angeles, CA scores 88/100. Many highlight friendly, hardworking staff, fair-to-strong payouts, and a quick, well-organized flow that keeps waits short. The site is small and tucked between buildings, so parking and traffic can be tight. Pricing feels clear to most (receipts noted), though a few report confusion or low returns. Cleanliness is mixed: several find it orderly, yet others describe unsanitary conditions, bees, and one severe injury—a serious safety concern. Overall solid value, but inconsistent experience.
What clients say about Star Recycling in East Los Angeles (CA)
I had a really bad and unsafe experience at this recycling center.
I went during the summer to do some recycling, and the place was absolutely filthy. It smelled strongly of trash and tires, there was dirty trash water all over the ground, and overall it felt completely unhygienic. I’ve been to many recycling centers before, and I’ve never seen one this dirty.
What made it worse was the staff. They were unprofessional and aggressive. One worker was stacking items carelessly, piling glass items and boxes on top of each other in an unsafe way. As expected, the glass broke and smashed on the floor.
Unfortunately, broken dirty glass went into my legs and inside my shoes, which caused bleeding. This wasn’t a small incident, it was serious. Even now, more than eight months later, I’m still dealing with scarring and my legs have not fully healed from what happened.
To make things worse, they didn’t even have proper or clean supplies to help clean the wounds. There was no sense of safety, care, or responsibility.
This place is unsafe, dirty, and poorly managed. I would strongly advise people to be careful or avoid it altogether. I’m attaching photos of my legs to show the impact this incident had on me.
def most decent place i've been to but i kinda hate how they don't tell you price until they already have your bottles/cans etc. more straightforward/honest with math than other places though at least they give receipt but wish they showed the math.
I had 5 bags of recycling and got 17 dollars and they had bad attitudes too. They will not give you all your money. Dont get fooled by a 4.7 star review because I dunno if its because im black or what but according tho their signs I should have gotten more money than 17 dollars. And I had Hella cans tbh, he took my glass and smashed it cuz it was only one BTW. He tossed is. And I was like. Okay?
It's a tiny little area tucked away in between buildings, has about 5 parking spots,
As well as 4-6 meter parking spots along the road.
Simple as can be, walk up to the yellow lines on the right hand side,
They have about 3 people receiving your recycling, they put it into a blue netted trash bin, put it on a scale,
then he writes on a piece of paper the weight, puts it into a tiny basket hanging by the pole,
you grab it, walk to the tiny shed in the back, hand them the paper,
and you walk away with $$.
Friendly place, was in and out within minutes.
Overall, glad I learned about this place to send recycling.
Pretty convenient location, but terrible parking spaces and traffic way. Better figure out when many people are not around.
FYI, price priority: aluminum > plastic > glass. They don't take papers.
I've been going to this place for a long time. The two guys there are very helpful and funny. The return on the recycle is fair. The system they have in place is very organized and easy to fallow. Highly recommend.
It's clean and organized. The people there answered my arcane questions about examples of rare recyclables, and even showed me their collection. Crv's are rare in some materials.
The prices are pretty much the same everywhere. The process is pretty much the same too. Its fine.
Two more things, someone planted and maintains a tiny tropical garden there, and as a woman, I appteciated that several git's spoke to a loud angry type who had come off the streets. I feel very safe here.
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