Background
El Paso, TX’s (pop. 672,538) recycling motto is, “Know What to Throw – Recycle Right,” and it is easy to see why the city has become so motivated to do so. El Paso’s curbside recycling program, which utilizes a single-stream blue roll cart that was implemented in 2007, accepts an incredible amount of items, even considering that the city does not take glass items at the curb. Still, the citywide waste diversion rate hovers around 20%, leaving much room to improve.
Materials recycled
Paper Including newspapers and advertising inserts, junk/advertising mail and envelopes, colored/white paper, cereal and dry food boxes (without the liner), paperback books, hardback books, cardboard egg cartons (must be residue-free), magazines, catalogs, phone books, paper wrapping paper, shredded paper (must be bagged), flattened cardboard, frozen food boxes and paper bags. Plastics Plastics #1 through #7 accepted, including bubble wrap; clean milk, juice and soda bottles and their lids/caps; clean yogurt, dairy and margarine tubs; shampoo and conditioner bottles; window, bathroom and kitchen cleaner bottles; detergent and fabric softener bottles; shrink-wrap; clear deli trays; empty prescription/over-the-counter medicine vials; clean stadium cups; clean Tupperware containers; clean clamshell containers (black base/clear lids; rigid plastics (e.g., laundry baskets, lawn furniture, buckets, toys); mouthwash bottles; clean food jars; squeezable bottles; bleach and household cleaner bottles; CD cases; and water bottles. No Styrofoam products accepted. Empty plastic bags can be bundled together (at least five) for recycling. Metals Clean soda cans, clean food cans, clean aluminum foil, clothes hangers (bundled), pots and pans (without wood, plastic or rubber attachments) and metal caps and lids are accepted. No aerosol cans, paint cans or chemical cans allowed. Glass Glass items are not accepted at the curb. Drop-off glass recycling locations can be found here.Frequency
Curbside recycling pick-up occurs on a weekly basis, same day as trash. Bins must be placed curbside no earlier than 6 p.m. the evening before pick-up and no later than 5 a.m. day of pick-up. A collection schedule (by street name) is available online. A collection map is available as well.Other programs
El Paso’s five Citizen Collection Stations accept household hazardous waste, yard waste, e-waste and recyclables for drop-off. These facilites are open Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (closed New Year’s Day, July 4th, Thanksgiving and Christmas). Accepted HHW items include used oil, oil filters, paint, solvents, antifreeze, toilet bowl cleaner, pool chemicals, drain cleaners, fertilizers, degreasers, cleaning fluids, rust removers, furniture polish, pesticides, herbicides, fluorescent bulbs, charcoal lighter, cooking oil and syringes. Locations:- Northeast, 4501 Hondo Pass
- Central, 2492 Harrison Ave.
- West, 121 Atlantic Rd.
- South, 4200 Delta Dr.
- East, 1034 Pendale Rd.
