Skip to main content

Curbside Recycling Collection

The blue recycling cart is for household recyclable materials and is collected one specific day per week on the same day the green organics cart is also collected. Find your collection day.

  • There are two sizes available – 96-gallon and 48-gallon. Call 3-1-1 or 210-207-6000 and request the best size for your household.
  • The monthly collection fee is based on the size of your brown trash cart. There is no fee for collecting the blue and green carts.
  • On your collection day, set the blue cart at the curb by 7:00 am.
  • The blue cart cannot be in the lawn, on the sidewalk or in the driveway. (Alley collections are the only exception.)
  • The wheels should be touching the curb.
  • It should be at least three feet apart from the green cart so the automated arm can grab it easily.
  • It should be unobstructed – not behind parked cars or blocked by other things. Also, it should not be under low hanging tree limbs.
  • Do not overfill or overstuff the cart. The material could get lodged in the cart and not empty. If it is too heavy, the cart could fall into the truck.
  • The lid must close completely. Do not put extra material on top or to the side of the carts. The arm cannot grab it.
  • If you feel your cart has been missed, wait until 5:00 pm to report it to 3-1-1 or 210-207-6000.
  • Report damaged carts to 3-1-1 or 210-207-6000.

Single-use plastic bags – Starting August 1, 2024, plastic bags will not be accepted in the blue cart. Plastic bags have never been acceptable in the green cart

  • We recommend you shop with reusable bags
  • If you must use disposable bags, return the used bags to the retail store where you got them
  • Clean plastic bag bundles may still be placed in the blue cart until July 31st. Place loose bags into one bag, and use the handles to tie it securely. Loose bags have never been accepted.

Accepted Materials

Items should be loose and never in bags

  • Paper:
    • Office paper & junk mail
    • Cardboard (flattened)
    • Dry goods packaging & drink boxes
    • Newspaper & magazines 
  • Plastic:
    • Water & drink bottles (with caps on)
    • Yogurt cups
    • Cups
    • Kitchen & bath bottles & jugs 
  • Metal:
    • Aluminum drink cans
    • Metal food cans & lids
    • Aerosol cans (empty, no nozzles)
  • Glass:
    • Beverage bottles
    • Food jars (lids removed) 

Unacceptable Materials

  • Diapers
  • Hard plastic
  • Styrofoam® packing
  • Napkins & paper towels
  • Shredded paper
  • Garden hoses
  • Aluminum foil
  • Clothes hangers
  • Toys
  • Clothing & shoes
  • Wood & brush/yard waste
  • Needles & medical waste
  • Household hazardous waste
  • Pizza & take-out boxes

Tags, Door Hangers & Flyers

We communicate directly with individual customers in a variety of ways. Here are the methods we use and what the messages mean.