Do you fill your blue recycling can every two weeks?

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by AustinTraveler

Here's a complete list of what is recyclable (in the City of Austin):

What goes in the recycling cart?
Paper: (newspaper, office paper, junk mail, envelopes, wrapping paper)
Boxboard and cardboard: Corrugated cardboard and boxboard including:
cereal boxes
shoe boxes
most gift boxes
soda/beverage containers
most food packaging containers such as boxes of macaroni and cheese, rice, microwave meals.
Aluminum and metal cans: food cans (labels left on OK), soda cans
Glass: Jars and bottles
Plastic containers: # 1 through # 7, including yogurt and margarine tubs

Does anyone know if this same list applies outside of the COA? I've never been able to get an answer from our garbage company on what can go in our recycling bin.

[CptnRn]

We usually are not able to fill up our recycling containers, except on weeks when I deposite our accumulation of cardboard boxes. I usually wait until I have a big pile of them to cut the packing tape so I can fold them flat.

We still need the larger grey trash can, we produce more trash then most because we use our newspaper in two parrot cages, which then goes in the trash because it is soiled. It is amazing how much two little birds poop. This newspaper bulk in the trash also reduces what we can put in the recycling can.

[Trainwreck20]

Does anyone know if this same list applies outside of the COA? I've never been able to get an answer from our garbage company on what can go in our recycling bin.

Probably not....it depends on where you are, but each city contracts for different recycling services (some of which cost quite a bit, relatively speaking) and Austin has one of the most extensive that I have seen.

[achtungpv]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Probably not....it depends on where you are, but each city contracts for different recycling services (some of which cost quite a bit, relatively speaking) and Austin has one of the most extensive that I have seen.

I live outside of the city limits and it's a private garbage service so we have just been putting everything that's on the COA list in our bin. They take it everytime but I've always wondered if we were causing more work for them to sort it out.

[woodinvilleguy]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Probably not....it depends on where you are, but each city contracts for different recycling services (some of which cost quite a bit, relatively speaking) and Austin has one of the most extensive that I have seen.

Our recycle bin has a sticker on it about what is accepted.

[xtalman]

I'm a single person and mine is filled up weekly. I talked to a representative recently and he told me I could request another recycling bin free of charge, all I had to do was call 311.

I haven't requested another bin yet, mostly because I don't have space to store it.

Another possibility is to start a compost pile. I believe you can use shredded newspaper and chopped-up cardboard boxes in compost piles.

[calel]

MUD uses a private garbage service, so I've got one big trash can and one little recycling bin. Just me, so most weeks I output a single kitchen-sized bag of trash and that's rarely full. It usually takes me two or more weeks to put enough recycling stuff in the bin to fill it.

My MUD lists everything they accept for recycling, which is almost as broad as COA's. Sadly, they don't do corrugated cardboard, so I'm currently stockpiling boxes for another Ecology Action run.

[chuck_steak]

Yes, we fill our large blue one every two weeks. I've seen that some people have two in front of their houses on collection day, so I'm pretty sure you can get a second one. Good luck!

[Exiled Texan]

Yes, I could fill 2.