Where can I recycle outside city limits? (San Antonio, Marshall: house, neighborhood)

[momzillajen]

Hi all!
I live just outside of city limits near Bulverde Rd. & Marshall. I am VERY jealous of you guys that have the city picking up the recycling. For awhile I had a friend who lived in city limits, and I brought all my stuff to her house - plastics, paperboard, cans, glass, styrofoam... it was GREAT and my trash was reduced so much!

Well she just moved outside city limits too, and has Allied Waste which only provides the little bins so I can't piggyback anymore.

So my question - is there anywhere I can go drop off recycling (besides newspaper, office paper, mail and magazines - I take those to the school Paper Retriever)? In Colorado they had Ecocycle - free drop off places - but I can't find anything like that here. OR is there a company that will pick it up if I pay? We have Tiger Sanitation but they don't pick up recycling, and the only other company in our subdivision is Waste Management and they don't do recycling here either.

THANKS!

[djw]

This link may be helpful, if you haven't already looked:

Environmental Services - Recycling Options
Click on the recyclable and you should see a list of places you can drop off.

Cheers!

[momzillajen]

Thanks - I have seen that site, but I can't see driving all over town to recycle different items, and also the site doesn't seem to have accurate info. For example the BFI logo (for cardboard, glass, etc.) links to the Idaho BFI company - no local SA info... weird...

and I emailed a waste management person about the recycling center advertised on that site - ie when are hours, is it free, etc. and was told that there was NO option for just normal homeowners to drop off recycling - that was more for companies, etc...

But I appreciate the link

[Union Proud]

Originally Posted by momzillajen

Thanks - I have seen that site, but I can't see driving all over town to recycle different items, and also the site doesn't seem to have accurate info. For example the BFI logo (for cardboard, glass, etc.) links to the Idaho BFI company - no local SA info... weird...

and I emailed a waste management person about the recycling center advertised on that site - ie when are hours, is it free, etc. and was told that there was NO option for just normal homeowners to drop off recycling - that was more for companies, etc...

But I appreciate the link

Bfi is allied waste.Allied waste should pick up recycling in clear bags if you have more than a bin.You also can go buy more bins yourself also.There shouldn't be a limit to what you can put out.

[momzillajen]

I don't have BFI or Allied Waste - I have Tiger Sanitation and they don't pick up any recycling... so I'm looking for a place to drop it off or a company that will come pick it up even if I don't have their trash service...

I just think that within city limits, recycling in SA is awesome, but if you're outside city limits, you're pretty hosed...

[Snowglobe]

Does the Allied Waste service outside the city limits allow overflow from their containers into a cardboard box? I don't have automated recycling yet, so when I have more than the bin will hold, I use a cardboard box.

They take the box every time, so you would have to have a supply of boxes. Also this would not work if it was raining.

I hope you can figure something out. I would be so bummed if I couldn't recycle!

[momzillajen]

As far as I know, from my friend with Allied outside of city limits, they give you one or two little plastic bins for recycling, and if you have overflow they'll take it in a cardboard box or clear plastic bag, yes.

However according to Allied when my friend called them, they only take plastics #1 and #2, glass, metal cans, and paper. They don't take all the stuff the City of SA takes - plastics #3 - #7, styrofoam, paperboard, etc. So you get a smaller bin and they don't take as much.

Still - better than where I am just north of city limits where our only choices are Tiger (which is a great trash company, though) and Waste Management, and neither one take ANY recycling. SIGH I feel like such a bad earth citizen every time I throw away a plastic bottle or can... I hope we get annexed into the city soon or they expand the recycling program to include us!

[Snowglobe]

It is interesting that Allied does not take the other plastics, because from what I have heard from a rep of the recycling plant in San Antonio, Vista Fibers, they handle all of the recycling in Central and South Texas.

If Allied is sending their stuff to Vista Fibers, which they probably are, they should be able to send all plastics. The #1 and #2 plastics are worth the most, so maybe they have a special deal worked out with Vista.

Here is Vista's number in case you want to call them to see if they have any ideas for you: 210-226-6371.

[djw]

Originally Posted by momzillajen

I hope we get annexed into the city soon or they expand the recycling program to include us!

For what you'll pay in city taxes, you should just drive to dump your recycling!! You'll be better off $$ in the end!

It is frustrating when you are trying to do "your part" but hit bumbs along the way. Perhaps some serious efforts at reducing the plastics you buy will help you feel better about not recycling?
OR, if you have an HOA, there may be a way to have one of those bins like you see at the schools placed in your neighborhood. The "revenue" could go to the HOA? Just a thought - I have no clue if you could do it.

[momzillajen]

That is a good idea - actually lots of good ideas from everyone - to call Vista and to maybe see if we can get a recycling bin. I don't mind driving the paper to the school but a plastics/cans/etc. bin nearby would be great.

I would try to reduce my plastic, but then how would I feed my addiction to 12oz bottles of Diet Pepsi? I can't switch to cans (not that that would solve my recycle problem anyway) or glasses, because I am too klutzy and that bottle tips over several times a day - so I need the lid...