‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house residents were wondering, how will I throw all this stuff out?
As the Amazon boxes stack up on doorsteps and presents get unwrapped, Houstonians will have plenty to discard in the coming weeks.
The Environmental Protection Agency and National Environmental Education Foundation estimate Americans throw away 25 percent more trash than usual between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day.
That means it won’t just be Christmas stockings overflowing this year. Houstonians’ recycling bins could reach – and exceed – their 96-gallon capacities next week.
The question, as always, is what can go in the green bins and what should not.
Residential recycling standards can vary by company. The Houston Landing has compiled a specific list of do’s and don’ts for residents who participate in the city’s curbside recycling program. Apartment complexes employ different recycling companies.
Let’s get the big ones out of the way first: do not put wrapping paper in the city bins. It won’t get recycled.
Those burned out and broken holiday lights? Don’t put those in your bins, either. But you can take them to the city’s Westpark Recycling Center.
Can I bag my recycling?
No. Recyclables should not be put in a bag as residents would their trash. Bags would have to be opened for the items to be sorted, which can be a danger for recycling plant workers.
So, what can be recycled in Houston?
Plastics:
- Rinse and drained plastics labeled #1 – 5 and #7.
- What about #6? Those include polystyrene and that is not widely recycled.
- Empty water bottles
- with or without lids and labels
- crushed or uncrushed
- Food containers that have been cleaned of any residue
- Hard plastic bottles
- These include coffee creamer bottles, shampoo/conditioner bottles and detergent bottles if they have been emptied, rinsed and have minimal residue
Paper:
- Newspapers, flyers, envelopes.
- Cardboard boxes, with or without packing tape
- broken down is preferred, but not necessary
- no difference for Amazon boxes with black tape
- Cardboard with a glossy finish – think cereal box
- Toilet paper rolls
- The top of a pizza box
- if it does not have grease stains like the bottom
- Cartons
- including milk, juice and soup cartons if they have been emptied, rinsed and have minimal residue
Metal:
- Aluminum soda/beer/etc. cans
- crushed or uncrushed
- Soup and vegetable steel-coated cans
- they must be rinsed out
- with or without labels attached
- sticky residue left from labels is acceptable
Glass:
- Empty bottles or jugs
- with or without attached labels
- broken glass goes into your black trash bin
Christmas trees:
- Formerly live Christmas trees can be taken to 22 locations throughout the city from Dec. 26 through Jan. 24.
- all decorations, including tinsel, must be removed.
What cannot be recycled in Houston?
- Paper towels, paper napkins
- Plastic bags
- Thin plastics, including plastic wrap
- a good test: if you can put your thumb through it easily, it cannot be recycled via the residential bin
- Food scraps
- Any materials with food residue
- Greasy pizza boxes
- Plastic or metal clothes hangers
- Dripping wet or saturated paper products
- Yard waste
- Furniture
These last two have separate special bi-monthly collection days.
Don’t see a specific item here? Try the city’s online tool to determine the best way to dispose of it.
Does Houston have recycling drop-off sites?
Yes, but there are two types that accept different items.
The city is participating in a pilot program with Exxon Mobile and LyondellBasell, two of the largest chemical companies in the country, to offer nine drop-off sites specifically for plastics.
Unlike the residential program, all plastics – including thin plastics like bubble wrap – are acceptable and should be bagged. CBSNews reported in August that the facilities had collected thousands of pounds of plastic, but none had been recycled.
Three of those sites also are used to collect aluminum, paper, glass, used motor oil and up to five car tires monthly. Residents can drop items at these locations four times per month.
What day is my recycling picked up in Houston?
It depends. Recycling for individual homes – not apartment complexes – is supposed to be picked up on the same day as city trash. Place the green recycling bin approximately three feet away from the black trash bin and at least five feet away from cars or other obstructions.
Find your collection day using the city’s online tool.
Does Houston provide composting services?
No. Houston has attempted small-scale composting pilot programs in the past, but the city currently does not offer widescale composting.
Residents can contract with a private company for residential composting, recycling and trash pick-up. For approved homeowner’s associations and civic clubs, the city of Houston subsidizes the pick-up for $6 per household.
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