Understanding the city's garbage bin system (Howe: neighborhood, live in, law)

[oldlibrarian]

This has probably already been discussed, but I'm relatively new to city garbage policies. I fled 78209 and moved to 78216 in October. So, I am learning the new rules.

Let me get this straight: The garbage pick-up (brown bin) requires that all garbage be in plastic bags? No "loose" garbage?

Why, then, do I bother to recycle all of my plastic stuff if I am just going to turn around and put more plastic in the landfill?

I hope I have misunderstood what I'm supposed to be doing. The way I've learned to dea with garbage/recycling makes no sense!

[SATX56]

We rarely place the blue bin at the curb. Sometimes we seperate plastics and such. In the brown bin we put bagged trash from kitchen and other indoor receptacles. But, there are no garbage police that we've seen. We throw plenty of un-bagged objects in the brown bin. I assure you in the near future all trash and recyclables will be separated and dealt with in a more serious manner.

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by oldlibrarian

This has probably already been discussed, but I'm relatively new to city garbage policies. I fled 78209 and moved to 78216 in October. So, I am learning the new rules.

Let me get this straight: The garbage pick-up (brown bin) requires that all garbage be in plastic bags? No "loose" garbage?

Why, then, do I bother to recycle all of my plastic stuff if I am just going to turn around and put more plastic in the landfill?

I hope I have misunderstood what I'm supposed to be doing. The way I've learned to dea with garbage/recycling makes no sense!

When I went to the neighborhood meeting that the City's Solid Waste Division held when Automated Collection was introduced in my area, they requested that items to be placed in the brown bins be bagged. However, they they asked that items to be placed in the blue recycling bins not be bagged.

The reason for this is because materials collected in the recycling bins is taken to a recycling center where it all has to be sorted. If it is bagged, it creates extra work for the employees at the center, because they would have to rip open all the bags before the material is dumped into the sorters. The exception to this would be the recyclable plastic grocery bags, which should be stuffed into a single grocery bag and tied shut. This helps keep a bunch of loose individual bags from blowing around. Because it would just be a plastic bag containing more plastic bags, no additional sorting would be required.

The reason that it was requested (not required) that residents place materials for the brown bins in plastic bags, is because those materials are disposed of at a landfill, and there is no sorting of those items. Placing the materials in plastic bags helps keep loose waste from spilling when it is dumped into the trucks, and also helps keep the inside of the bins cleaner.

[ashbeeigh]

True story...my sister and brother in law (who live in Kansas) have the same system. They're younger and recently married. Her husband is a complete idiot (long story) and stopped throwing trash in plastic bags for about a week in the brown bin. Within hours they had flies gnats and a ton of other bugs in their garage.

On top of the ease of sorting, it's just gross to just throw your trash in a trash can. And think of the smell...for a week? Eww!

[Bo]

Most of the heavy glass and metal waste goes into the recycling, so there's not much in the trash to weigh down what's left. Putting your trash in bags also helps keep your loose bits of trash from being blown around your neighborhood when it's windy on collection days. The truck operator sits in the cab of the truck and can't chase things that fly away when the bin gets dumped into the truck.

[Snowglobe]

When the Automated Collection started, they accepted plastic bags. At some point they changed their minds and they no longer want plastic bags included with the rest of your recycling at the curb. On the city's website, it states "We do not take plastic bags" and the link takes you to a page listing HEB and Walmart as drop-off sites for plastic bags.

[doss1]

What's crazy are the people that DO NOT RECYCLE. I think I'm the only one that uses the blue bin on my street. Suckers.

[ged_782]

Originally Posted by Snowglobe

When the Automated Collection started, they accepted plastic bags. At some point they changed their minds and they no longer want plastic bags included with the rest of your recycling at the curb. On the city's website, it states "We do not take plastic bags" and the link takes you to a page listing HEB and Walmart as drop-off sites for plastic bags.

You are indeed correct! As I posted earlier, we were instructed by the Solid Waste people as to how multiple grocery bags should be placed in the blue recycling containers. They told us that other types of plastic bags were generally not accepted. We we encouraged to recycle as much material as possible.

The policy regarding acceptance of plastic bags apparently changed within the past year.

[Primo]

Solid Waste Management


Growing up, when I had a question, I was always told "Go to the library and look it up". It is good to know librarians dont look it up and come here for their answers.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by ged_782

You are indeed correct! As I posted earlier, we were instructed by the Solid Waste people as to how multiple grocery bags should be placed in the blue recycling containers. They told us that other types of plastic bags were generally not accepted. We we encouraged to recycle as much material as possible.

The policy regarding acceptance of plastic bags apparently changed within the past year.

IIRC, the bags were jamming up the recycling machines, causing the processing lines to shut down and a need for expensive repairs.