Tag Archives: recycling

We return once again to the subject of a garbage fee

Maybe this is the time it happens. Maybe not. Who can say? For many residents, Houston’s unreliable garbage collection is a familiar issue — and it’s one that even the city’s newly elected mayor apparently must confront. In his inaugural … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Time once again to recycle your Christmas tree

Speaking of annual traditions… Houston’s Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) encourages residents to recycle live Christmas trees after the holidays. This holiday season, assist the City of Houston in diverting landfill waste by repurposing your live Christmas tree into mulch … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Time once again to recycle your Christmas tree

Harris County gets federal grant for its climate action plan

Nice. The U.S. Department of Energy announced Thursday that it awarded Harris County one of 16 clean energy grants totaling $30 million, distributed to state and local governments nationwide. The Harris County grant of more than $1.6 million is the … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harris County gets federal grant for its climate action plan

On recycling cooking oil

I’m always intrigued by stories like this. NRG Stadium is no stranger to fried food — like the booths upon booths of deep-fried desserts that line NRG Park during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, or the churros and corn … Continue reading

Posted in Food, glorious food, Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

It’s time to recycle your Christmas tree

If you’re in the city of Houston and you want your tree to get mulched, here’s how to do it. Houston’s Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) encourages residents to recycle live Christmas trees after the holidays. The holiday season is … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on It’s time to recycle your Christmas tree

We don’t love trash

Especially not in the bayous. On a recent Saturday morning, around 20 volunteers gathered to clean up trash along the Houston Ship Channel. Armed with pickers and trash bags, they started tackling a small “trash beach” across the channel from … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

We don’t have enough garbage truck drivers

We don’t pay them enough, it would seem. For the last few months, Juan Sorto and his neighbors have looked toward the curb on Thursdays and asked themselves the same uneasy question: Did the garbage trucks come? Last week, they had. … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on We don’t have enough garbage truck drivers

Why your recycling hasn’t been picked up yet

Short answer: Staffing shortages, exacerbated by COVID. A staffing shortage in Houston’s solid waste management department is causing delayed and missed recycling pickups across the city, the agency confirmed. The Solid Waste Management Department is trying to fill 45 vacancies … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Why your recycling hasn’t been picked up yet

Get ready to compost

I hope this expands in the near future. The city launched a composting pilot program Wednesday, opening three sites where residents can drop off compost-friendly waste that otherwise would wind up in a landfill. The hope is the program will … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Once again, please pay some attention to the Railroad Commissioner race

It does matter. The Republican candidate running to join the Texas oil and gas regulatory agency has run afoul of state environmental rules and is embroiled in a series of lawsuits accusing him of fraud in the oil patch. Jim … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Once again, please pay some attention to the Railroad Commissioner race

Please allow me to turn your attention to the Railroad Commissioner race for a moment

Because there’s a serious issue with one of the candidates, and this sort of thing never gets the attention it deserves. There is a glaring conflict of interest with Jim Wright, the Republican candidate running for Texas Railroad Commissioner, the … Continue reading

Posted in Election 2020 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Council adopts recycling bin fee

From last week: Beginning in July, Houston residents will find a new $1.14 fee on their monthly water bills for leasing the city’s garbage and recycling bins. A divided city council voted 8-6, with three members absent, to pass the … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Christmas tree recycling 2019

For your last act of Christmas 2019, here’s how to dispose of your tree. Twenty-five recycling centers in the Houston area will take your Christmas trees. All city recycling facilities will take trees through Jan. 25. All you have to … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Revitalizing recycling

This is encouraging. On Monday, bipartisan legislation designed to help offset the sapped demand for recyclables abroad cleared a final legislative hurdle at the Texas Capitol. Senate Bill 649, which passed the Senate last month on a 21-10 vote, cleared … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Revitalizing recycling

Curbside glass recycling is back

Hooray! Houston residents can resume putting glass in their curbside recycling bins, city officials said Thursday at the opening of a recycling facility in northeast Houston. The new plant, outfitted with advanced technology including a glass cleanup system, is operated … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Curbside glass recycling is back

Another look at the state of recycling

One part supply, one part demand. Reducing contamination is largely considered the starting point for creating a more stable U.S. recycling market. And that means teaching consumers what they can and cannot put in recycling bins. For example, a triangle … Continue reading

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

The recycling recession

Not good. A joint report by the trade groups American Chemistry Council and Association of Plastic Recyclers estimated that plastic bottle recycling decreased 3.6 percent last year, dipping to 2.8 billion pounds in 2017. The decrease is partially due to … Continue reading

Posted in Technology, science, and math | Tagged , , , , | 25 Comments

It’s tree-recycling time

Here’s what you need to know. You have nearly three weeks to do this. Don’t miss out.

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on It’s tree-recycling time

The long range plan for municipal waste

Something you probably missed (I know I did) from recent City Council action. Last week Houston City Council voted to hire a company that will help local officials create and adopt a long-range waste and recycling plan. This wasn’t all … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Council approves new recycling deal

Huzzah! Houston residents are set to have their used glass and plastic bags picked up for recycling at curbside, but not until next year. The 20-year, $37 million agreement City Council approved Wednesday is the product of two years of wrangling over recycling and … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Recycling deal held up again

I’ll take Unexpected Effects of Hurricane Harvey for $200, Alex. A 20-year, $37 million recycling deal for Houston is in limbo after City Controller Chris Brown said his office was not prepared to sign off on the proposal, citing concerns … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Recycling deal held up again

Curbside recycling will resume November 13

Hooray! Houstonians stockpiling cardboard and aluminum cans, rejoice: the city will resume curbside recycling service next month. Recycling service has been suspended since Aug. 30, when city waste crews dropped all efforts other than weekly trash pickup to focus on … Continue reading

Posted in Hurricane Katrina, Local politics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Curbside recycling is coming back

Because most of the Harvey debris has been picked up. Win all around. Houstonians who have been dragging their overflowing recycling bins to the curb every other week only to roll them back again untouched finally should have their cartons … Continue reading

Posted in Hurricane Katrina | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Curbside recycling is coming back

EcoHub sues over OneBin failure

All right. Continuing the saga that has unfolded at City Hall — in which City Council members have said a deal with one company “smelled,” and in which another company, EcoHub, claims Mayor Sylvester Turner snubbed him out of the … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters, Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on EcoHub sues over OneBin failure

Rebidding reycling

Do-over! Pummeled by procurement concerns on a 20-year curbside recycling contract, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Friday he will seek a new round of proposals from the four final bidders. Turner had met with small groups of City Council members Thursday … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Recycling deal gets a rough reception at Council

Feisty. Houston City Council members blasted a proposed 20-year recycling deal Tuesday, questioning the $48 million price tag, the process by which the winning bidder was chosen and Turner administration officials’ reluctance to share information about the deal. The proposal … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mayor introduces new recycling deal

There’s some stuff to like in this, and there are also questions to be answered. The city would send all 65,000 tons of bottles, cans and boxes its citizens recycle each year to a new processing facility to be built … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Mayor introduces new recycling deal

More options for glass recycling

From the inbox: Through a new partnership with Strategic Materials Inc., North America’s largest glass recycler, the City of Houston is able to offer residents a more convenient way to recycle glass. “Since the removal of glass from the City’s … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

On recycling glass

Not sure about this. Considered only in terms of the city’s short-term budget and Waste Management’s profits, perhaps the decision to stop recycling glass makes sense. But it wasn’t popular at the symposium, which was hosted by UH’s Center for … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on On recycling glass

Hauling Glass

In times of change, there are always opportunities to do well. Where some saw rubbish, 8-year-old Pan Berlanga saw opportunity. He launched his first business after the city of Houston and Waste Management in March negotiated a new recycling contract … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Hauling Glass

Recycling officially re-upped

That new recycling agreement with Waste Management was on Council’s agenda yesterday. Here’s a reminder of what it was about. Originally, Houston was to ink a four-year deal with Waste Management, paying a $95-per-ton processing fee, a nearly 50 percent … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Recycling officially re-upped

Recycling agreement reached

From the Mayor’s office: Mayor Sylvester Turner announced that he has reached agreement with Waste Management (WM) on a proposed new contract that will allow the city to continue offering recycling services without any disruption. The proposal, expected to be … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Now what for recycling?

Sure hope there’s a plan. Houston’s curbside recycling program is in limbo after Mayor Sylvester Turner and City Council rejected a new contract with Waste Management on Wednesday, prompting concern among residents and environmental activists about a potential lapse in … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere in Houston | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Recycling contract impasse

Uh, oh. The city of Houston’s curbside recycling program could be put on hold after negotiations between Waste Management and Mayor Sylvester Turner’s office reached an apparent impasse over a new contract Tuesday. Though Turner said he remains committed to … Continue reading

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments