Recycle, Houston!

Is that newspaper you were reading this morning still sitting around? What did you do with the envelopes and letters you didn’t need after opening the mail? What about the empty water bottle or soda can you finished not so long ago?

While you could just toss your used items in a nearby trash can, there is always the option to recycle. The City of Houston’s Curbside Recycling Program has made it easier than ever for you to help save the environment by recycling disposable products.

The Curbside Recycling Program began in 1990 with homes today still using their green (and sometimes blue) bins to recycle. Residents place paper goods, plastic bottles, aluminum and other metals, and used motor oil into these bins. (Glass items can be dropped off at the recycling center.) Most of the time, curbside recycling takes place twice a month at the same time trash is picked up.

If your neighborhood already participates in the program, and you don’t have a bin or need a second bin, contact 311, the City’s Help Line. If your neighborhood does not have curbside recycling, then you can mail a request letter to the Solid Waste Management Department. Your neighborhood will be put on a waiting list until resources become available. The letter must include the name of your neighborhood, subdivision and garbage service day; a name, address and phone number of a contact person; number of homes in the subdivision (must consist of at least 100); and a map of the desired area showing all boundaries.

There are also several places throughout Houston where residents can bring their disposable items to recycle if curbside recycling is unavailable. The Westpark Consumer Recycling Center, located at 5900 Westpark, opens Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Environmental Service Center North, located at 5614 Neches, Building C, opens every second Thursday of the month from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Environmental Service Center South, located on 11500 S. Post Oak Road, opens Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the second Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. H