Round Rock's new Recycling program - what a joke! (cost, money)

[jeevmon]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

It is not crappy, the OP was mistaken, it exceeds what most other communities have. Check it out. City of Round Rock - Curbside Recycling

Well, that sounds better than Chicago. We have these "blue bags" into which we're supposed to toss our co-mingled recyclables and they get picked up with the rest of the non-recyclable trash. Supposedly, it gets sorted out, but no one I know has any faith that this actually happens. We figure the blue bags were some kind of kickback to some Daley sycophant. They're rolling out a new program to replace the bags with dedicated blue bins, but our neighborhood was supposedly the most blue bag compliant in the city, and is being rewarded by being the last to get the new blue bins.

[mickey65]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

It is not crappy, the OP was mistaken, it exceeds what most other communities have. Check it out. City of Round Rock - Curbside Recycling

I'm from California originally and they are pretty big on recycling, and had these special trucks that came around once a week that would sort out the items out of the bins.

When I saw a regular garbage truck picking up my recycles out here and mashing it all up in a big ball like it was regular trash, it just all didn't look right to me, that's all.

[UKjay]

The process is called single stream recycling, from Wiki:

"Single stream (also known as “fully commingled” or "single-sort") recycling refers to a system in which all paper fibers and containers are mixed together in a collection truck, instead of being sorted into separate commodities (newspaper, cardboard, plastic, glass, etc.) by the resident and handled separately throughout the collection process. In single stream, both the collection and processing systems are designed to handle this fully commingled mixture of recyclables."

Take the time to educate yourself regarding the pros & cons. I'm going to guess that most "recyclers" appreciate a single stream system; I know I do!. And, I'd further speculate that most people, if required to separate, would just put "it" in the trash rather than chose the correct bin.

OP, just be thankful you don't have "bin police" ala some parts of the world. Notice those bar codes on your bin :-D

Chill out, throw the recycles in the green bin and do a good deed.

[eepstein]

When I lived in RR back in 2005-2007, there was no recycling program at all. So, I guess they are starting to do some things like their wierd neighbor to the south!

Originally Posted by mickey65

I was out walking my dog this morning and saw the garbage men out collecting the "recycles" from the new green garbage cans they gave us. All those recyclables being tossed together in the back of a regular trash truck, getting mashed and mixed together - the sound of broken glass co-mingling with it all.

So, when they get back to the "recycling station" with all of it - do they separate the glass slivers from the mashed up boxes and cans?

[ScoPro]

We started recycling when Austin first began their program in the early '80s.
Finding that Round Rock didn't have a similar program when we moved up here in '95, we continued to save our paper, plastic, & glass to send down to our son's place in Austin for recycling. It was a PITA, but worth the effort IMO.
When RR first starteed it's program, they didn't take glass - so we continued to send that down to our son's house.

About 3/4 of our household garbage is recycled and 1/4 winds up in the landfill.

We save all the old batteries & take them by Batteries Plus once in a while.

Unfortunately, only about half our neighbors recycle.

[motherofthree]

Originally Posted by ScoPro

Unfortunately, only about half our neighbors recycle.

I think more people in RR would recycle if they didn't charge. I thought it was odd I had to pay to recycle. Doesn't RR get money from the recyclables they collect?

I miss the days of 5 - 10 cents for one soda can/bottle. That's how I made my money as a kid.

[someguyatx]

Profits on recycling in general are extremely low and in many cases it costs the city money due to collection and sorting costs. When you consider the cost to the Earth its a no brainer. This sounds like the same program as cedar park started in 2010. I have noticed that more people in my neighborhood recycle since the single stream program has been active for over a year now. Many weeks my trash is nearly empty and my recycling bin is loaded to the top.

[robino2001]

Originally Posted by motherofthree

I think more people in RR would recycle if they didn't charge. I thought it was odd I had to pay to recycle. Doesn't RR get money from the recyclables they collect?

I miss the days of 5 - 10 cents for one soda can/bottle. That's how I made my money as a kid.

They don't "charge" anymore... it's rolled into the bill now so everyone pays for it, whether you recycle or not. It was kinda a deal for those who did previously paid for recycling because now you pay less than you did before.

[mickey65]

Originally Posted by motherofthree

I miss the days of 5 - 10 cents for one soda can/bottle. That's how I made my money as a kid.

When I lived in California, I collected cans and would get $1.50/lb for my cans out there. Some months I'd get $70-80 for all the cans I'd pick up on my walks every morning.

Out here, I'm lucky if I get .40/lb

[mickey65]

Originally Posted by robino2001

They don't "charge" anymore... it's rolled into the bill now so everyone pays for it, whether you recycle or not. It was kinda a deal for those who did previously paid for recycling because now you pay less than you did before.

They added on an extra $3 and some change for the monthly recycling fees to the garbage/water bill.