Curbside recycling in Knoxville? (pay, service, color)

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Leah79

Knoxville DOES have curbside recycling, but very few people use it, which is why no one knows about it. Garbage pickup is contracted through Waste Connections, who also runs the curbside recycling program. You have to buy the bin from them and they also charge a small monthly fee for pickup.

Actually, the city of Knoxville does NOT have curbside recycling. I just called to find out. If you want curbside recycling, you need to contract it out with a private garbage collection firm such as Waste Management. The lady I talked to said the city of Knoxville tried curbside recycling several years ago but few people took advantage of it, so they quit.

[KGator]

Let me say first that recycling is worth it, despite what Penn and Teller say. It does save energy, natural resources, water, money, landfill space; it reduces pollution of air and water; creates jobs; and works to make people more aware of taking care of our planet. The more the market is increased (by people buying recycled products) the better it is.
There are recycling drop-off centers at 10 locations in the city and 8 in the county. Most collect plastic 1 and 2, aluminum and steel, mixed paper (includes colored and paperboard) and newspaper, cardboard, and glasses. Some collect more or a little less.
There is curbside recycling available for all city residents and the county residents who have trash service with Waste Connections. The fee is about $7-8 dollars a month for weekly pick up of plastic 1+2. glass, alum+ steel, and newspaper (no mixed paper). Plus $12 fee for bin to keep.
Here is a local website for recycling:
Knoxville Recycling Coalition Home Page

[JMT]

Originally Posted by KGator

Let me say first that recycling is worth it, despite what Penn and Teller say. It does save energy, natural resources, water, money, landfill space; it reduces pollution of air and water; creates jobs; and works to make people more aware of taking care of our planet. The more the market is increased (by people buying recycled products) the better it is.
There are recycling drop-off centers at 10 locations in the city and 8 in the county. Most collect plastic 1 and 2, aluminum and steel, mixed paper (includes colored and paperboard) and newspaper, cardboard, and glasses. Some collect more or a little less.
There is curbside recycling available for all city residents and the county residents who have trash service with Waste Connections. The fee is about $7-8 dollars a month for weekly pick up of plastic 1+2. glass, alum+ steel, and newspaper (no mixed paper). Plus $12 fee for bin to keep.
Here is a local website for recycling:
Knoxville Recycling Coalition Home Page

Thanks for the note. That fee doesn't sound too bad! For me, a single guy, I don't accumulate that much garbage, so I don't mind sorting my own trash and taking stuff to the recycling center over by Kroger on Broadway. But for a family who makes a lot of garbage, I think that $7-8/month is very reasonable.

[Leah79]

Originally Posted by JMT

Actually, the city of Knoxville does NOT have curbside recycling. I just called to find out. If you want curbside recycling, you need to contract it out with a private garbage collection firm such as Waste Management. The lady I talked to said the city of Knoxville tried curbside recycling several years ago but few people took advantage of it, so they quit.

Ummmm, that's what I said.

Curbside recycling is available in Knoxville; aka Knoxville has curbside recycling. It is contracted out and Waste Connections is at least one of the contractors who provide it; I never said that the city ran it. From what I was reading, that wasn't the point of the thread anyway. This person was wanting to know if it was even available, and no one seemed to have any idea, and I was simply stating that yes, your recyclables can be picked up from your home.

Recycling (http://www.wasteconnections.com/company/Services/recycling.html - broken link)

[millie123]

Government Services:

City of Knoxville Residents:

Waste Connections
865-522-8161
Accepts: Aluminum cans, steel cans, newspaper, #1 & #2 plastics, and glass bottles and jars.
Other info: The City of Knoxville has contracted the curbside recycling out to Waste Connections, which provides this service for a special rate for city residents.

You'll have to pay for it, but recycling saves oil-trees-energy, etc. so it'd be selfish not to.

[mswhatsit]

Thank you for this info. I will be moving from San Antonio to Knoxville next month. Recycling/ reusing is important to me. It is a bit disheartening that such a beatiful area would not be more conscious of the environment.
While it is much easier to recycle in San Antonio, I guess I can haul my stuff to Kroger.
By the way, we almost moved to Madison Wisconsin where the garbage collectors won't even pick up your trash if they hear glass or aluminum cans in the bag. Wish every state was that way!
Thanks for the info!

[Barking Spider]

Since I live in Knox County I use Waste Management and have recycled for years. I even bought extra bins at Big Lots to separate the stuff (they only give you one). I save all the junk mail and paper waste and take it to the center just off Cedar Bluff when I get several boxes full, since they don't pick that up curbside.

[kksparks]

Yes WI is very big on the recycling! My husbands family came last year to visit, They could not belive how clean of a state WI is compared to TN. I was also surprised to see so many dumps in TN. It's such a pretty place.

[joeblow1]

Only problem with the curbside (city) is they don't take colored paper/packaging just newspaper so I end up going to the transfer station every week any so we gave up on it.

As far as dumps everywhere thats just because there near highways is why you see so many when you travel thru. Just like the giant one on I 95 near Miami or on I-94/90 in Chicago.

[Barking Spider]

I buy birdseed at Sams and use those boxes to store my "other" paper to take to the recycling center. I wait until I have 5 or 6 to make the trip worth it, or if I'm going to the Cedar Bluff post office, I take it then. I usually make a trip every couple of months.