Curbside Recycling
by Wes Jones

How much waste do you think the average U.S. citizen produces each year?

According to the EPA, the average U.S. citizen produced 4.4 pounds of waste per day during 2000. This is the equivalent of over 1600 pounds of trash per year per person or more than 220 tons of waste being generated each year.

That is why recycling is so important. The City of Houston provides free curbside recycling. Curbside recycling is the largest and most popular recycling program with more than 140,000 homes receiving biweekly service.

The following are accepted items for recycling pickup:

Mail, Envelopes, Home, Telephone Books and Office Paper

• Flyers, computer paper, copies and envelopes
• No dark colored or decorative: folders, cards or envelopes
• No plastic bags or foil packaging
• Telephone Books accepted throughout the year

Newspapers, Magazines, and Catalogs

• Loose, dry, and unspoiled
• Include all inserts
• Remove plastic wrapping and rubber bands

Aluminum, Tin, Steel, and Empty Aerosol Cans

• Rinse and drain
• Labels are OK

Plastic Bottles

• Bottles must have smaller necks than base
• Less than 3 gallons
• Remove lids, rinse and flatten
• No plastic bags

Flattened Cardboard

• Corrugated only. Flatten to three feet on every side
• No food, pizza, or cereal boxes
• No beverage cartons, gift boxes, or styrofoam containers

Used Motor Oil

• Drain into original container
• Clean, non-chemical screw-top container OK
• No empty used oil containers accepted
• No anti-freeze liquid or containers accepted curside

Your automated container and recycling bin(s) should be at the curb by 7:00 a.m. and removed by 10:00 p.m. on your collection day. On windy days, secure recycling materials by placing full sacks of paper on top of bin.

For more information on all city recycling services and curbside recycling schedules, go to click here.