Recycling Outreach Campaign
At a glance
Based on uploaded (human-made) English captions; minor errors are possible.
- What: The city's education campaign to cut contamination in residential recycling carts, tied to the first anniversary of the new recycling facility and America Recycles Day.
- Where it stands: Briefing only, no vote. About 30% of what residents put in recycling carts is not recyclable; the goal is closer to 10%.
- Next: A proclamation naming November America Recycles Month (and November 15 America Recycles Day) is planned for the October 27 work session. Public events are set for Saturday, November 14 at drop-off stations and two shopping centers.
The message
- Items should be empty, clean and dry; no plastic bags, clothing, cords, hoses or other tangling items in the blue cart.
- Cardboard boxes should be broken down; carts go at the curb with the lid closed and clear space around them.
- The department presented two short videos, which the committee asked staff to make; staff offered to share them for councilmembers' social media.
Funding and partners
- About 4.8 million dollars in federal EPA money is coming in; part of it pays for education outreach over the next three years. A recent postcard mailing was part of that effort.
- Partners named: library, property management, parks and community centers, and the two private recycling operators with facilities in Fort Worth (including WM, which opened the new facility last October).
- A touch-a-truck event with recycling trucks is planned for the November 14 events.
Councilmember questions
- A councilmember asked about the Styrofoam recycling densifier, which has been out of commission. Staff said Styrofoam is taken at the drop-off stations and compressed into blocks at the environmental collection center; when the machine is down there is a lag, and staff will follow up.
- Another asked whether mirrors can be recycled; staff said mirrored glass is hard to recycle, but some partners reuse it.
Sources
Discussion time
About 12 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-13 - Property Management and Environmental Services Committee | 12 |
Log
- 2026-10-13 - Property Management and Environmental Services Committee - Briefing on recycling outreach: contamination at about 30% (goal 10%), EPA-funded education, America Recycles Day events on November 14, proclamation planned October 27. No vote.