The　household　solid　waste　generated　in　Beijing　is　increasing　quickly　due　to　rapid　population　growth　and　lifestyle　changes.　However,　there　are　no　rigorous　data　on　the　generation　and　collection　of　recyclable　household　solid　waste.　The　Beijing　city　government　needs　this　information　to　establish　policies　and　make　plans　for　waste　management.　To　address　this　need　for　information,　we　undertook　the　first　comprehensive　study　of　recyclable　household　solid　waste　for　Beijing.　We　surveyed　500　families　across　sixteen　districts　in　Beijing.　We　also　analyzed　the　quantities,　spatial　distribution　and　categories　of　collected　waste　handled　by　permanent　recycling　centers　and　curbside　recyclers　for　340　of　the　9797　city-defined　residential　areas　of　Beijing.　From　our　results,　we　estimate　that　the　total　quantity　of　recyclable　household　solid　waste　was　1.805　million　tons　in　2013,　and　72%　of　that　was　collected.　The　main　generation　categories　were　waste　paper　(24.4%),　waste　glass　bottles　(23.7%)　and　waste　furniture　(14.3%).　In　addition,　we　estimate　there　were　5.7　thousand　permanent　recycling　centers　and　22.8　thousand　curbside　recyclers　in　Beijing.　The　recycling　rate　of　solid　waste　generated　by　urban　households　in　Beijing　was　not　low　but　varied　significantly　among　different　types　of　solid　waste.　The　collecting　capability　of　permanent　recycling　centers　was　inadequate.　Urban　residents　had　low　awareness　of　some　categories　of　solid　waste　recycling.　The　statistical　system　for　waste　management　needed　to　be　improved.　Based　on　the　problems　mentioned　above,　the　implications　for　solid　waste　management　were　discussed.　We　suggest　accelerating　the　construction　of　permanent　recycling　centers　and　innovating　the　recycling　modes.　Meanwhile,　it　is　also　necessary　to　strengthen　education　on　solid　waste　recycling　and　improve　the　recycling　information　statistics.　(C)　2015　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.