Houston to Expand Automated Curbside Recycling Program

to 35,000 more Households (Revised Corrected)

Thursday, June 13, 2013 – The City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) is pleased to announce an additional 35,000 households (see list below) will be added to its popular automated curbside recycling program.  As part of the expansion, residents in neighborhoods throughout Houston will receive one 96-gallon green automated cart similar to the black automated garbage cart.

“I am pleased that we continue to expand our recycling services.  This is the first of two expansions this calendar year where we will double the number of homes with single stream recycling.  Our recycling efforts show great financial responsibility in not paying to dispose of valuable commodities, as well as creates local jobs by appropriately managing resources,” said Mayor Annise Parker.

“Since first implementing the initiative in 2009, residents have overwhelmingly been asking to be included in this program.  It’s convenient because participants can place their unsorted recyclables, including glass, in one city-provided container with wheels that makes it easy to roll to the curb,” said Harry Hayes, SWMD Director. 

An additional expansion to 70,000 households is planned in the fall.

Recyclable items that can be placed in the containers include: newspapers, magazines, office paper, junk mail, cardboard, paperboard, paper bags, glass bottles and jars, aluminum cans, tin and steel cans and plastics 1 – 5 and 7.

Subdivisions included in the July 2013 expansion curbside Automated Recycling Program:

(Visit each subdivision name to view a .pdf map of the new service areas.)