RECYCLING IN AUSTIN CONTINUES TO GROW. I AM SO PROUD OF SOME OF THE NEW INNOVATIONS.
TIRE RECYCLING
Tires can be taken to the Recycle &
Reuse Drop-off center OR picked up curbside during bulk collection. They are then taken to a facility where they
are shredded by a giant tire shredder. A
strong magnet pulls the steel belts out of the tires and the shredded rubber is
then recycled to build playgrounds, roads, and track and field surfaces.
CURBSIDE COMPOST COLLECTION EXPANDS
The week of September 23 is when 53,000
more families in Austin will have curbside compost collection. This is very exciting news for many and some
of you may be wondering, “what do I do with this new green bin”. Here are some items to fill your new bin:
· Sticks and leaves
· Pizza boxes
· Meat products
· Dairy products
· Paper products like paper towels, facial tissue, wax paper,
butcher paper, parchment paper, and paper cupcake liners
· Lint from the clothes dryer
· Shredded paper
Please note that only compostable
plastic bags can be used to collect food product that is placed in the bin. The
plastic bag must be BPI-Certified Compostable.
If anyone has any questions about what
can and cannot go into this bin, please ask.
I have been enjoying this service for two years now. We put so little in our trash can now that we
were able to go to the smallest trash can available.
RECYCLING CONFUSION
Even though I have been a recycling
block leader for 27 years, there are still some areas I find confusing. Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting with
the CEO of the Balcones Recycling Facility (this is one of the two recycling
sorting facilities in Austin). He gave
me some wonderful information I want to share with you.
Lids on plastic and
glass bottles
Lids need to separated from GLASS
bottles, even if they are small. Magnets
in the sorting facility pick up these metal lids. The plastic lids are
easily separated out.
Lids on PLASTIC jars and bottles need
to stay on the bottles – do not separate them.
Shredded paper
Shredded paper should not go into the
blue recycling cart, not even in a separate paper bag. This paper is difficult to contain and
sort. Please put shredded paper into the
green compost collection bin. It does
not have to be bagged.
AS A GENERAL GUIDELINE, DO NOT PUT
ANYTHING IN YOUR BLUE BIN SMALLER THAN A CREDIT CARD (except for the lids
mentioned above).
Please remember when it comes to recycling:
WHEN IN DOUBT – THROW IT OUT!
