Bulk Collection will happen in my neighborhood next week. Information on what can and cannot be accepted is available at http://www.austintexas.gov/department/residential-bulk-collection.
Sign up for collection reminders, including Bulk and Brush, at http://www.austintexas.gov/page/my-collection-schedule. You can add your schedule to Google, iCal or Outlook, or you can print it. You can also sign up for text (and set the time!), email or phone call reminders and alerts.
- Bulk items go on the front grassy strip between the curb and sidewalk of row homes, condos or yard homes, or a grassy strip closest to the road outside your Garden Homes or Shop Homes.
- You may want to move cars off the streets for their protection from the big collection trucks. This will also increase visibility of items.
- Bulk does not go in the alley.
- For property concerns, you may want to hide grills, playhouses, etc. from the right of ways, corners, alleys, etc. The City of Austin drivers have been reminded not to go in alleys but it happened last year so I like to remind everyone.
- Stack items with your neighbors to increase visibility, taking into consider the flyer’s Pile guidelines.
- Put items out by 6:30 a.m. Monday or as early in the week as possible. The drivers are scheduled Monday – Thursday but they’ll stop coming early if they think they’re done.
- For damages done by City vehicles call 512-494-9400 (Austin Energy).
- Bulk items go to the landfill. They are not recycled so if your items are in working condition consider donating them or posting them on a Buy Nothing group, Craigslist, Freecycle, neighborhood forum, etc. Entities like Salvation Army, Goodwill, Hope Thrift Store on 51st St. and some Veteran groups will do a pick up for you.
- Home improvement items in good condition may be donated to the Habitat for Humanity’s Restore. Check site for current list. Drop-off is easy or you can call for a pickup. The ReStore provides a free, limited pick-up service for large donations in the Austin and San Marcos areas. To request this service, fill out the online request form.
- Only tires are recycled during Bulk Collection.
- You may want to take your recyclable items to the Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center at 2514 Business Center Drive. It’s a 10-13 minute drive from the neighborhood. If you haven’t been in a while it’s much more efficient and fast!
- Styrofoam: includes single-use coolers, packaging, and food foam like meat trays, take-out containers and to-go cups. Rinse them off beforehand.
- Electronics: anything with a cord, plug, batteries, or circuit board [includes toys, smoke detectors, flashlights, tech cords, air compressor, battery charger (includes car battery chargers), etc.]
- Scrap Metal: Large metal furniture, metal hangers, curtain or shower rods
- Hard Plastics: large plastic toys and lawn furniture
- The Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center will be open Saturday from 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. if you want to drop off large recyclables like plastic toys (Hard Plastics station), metal furniture (Scrap Metal station), Styrofoam, and electronics/corded things (printers, tvs and speakers) (Electronics Station). Staples and Best Buy will also accept many electronics/cord items, but see their websites for current lists.
The items pictured below were put out in previous Bulk Collections. These items can be recycled at the Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center.
The City of Austin’s goal is to reach Zero Waste by 2040, which means reducing the amount of trash sent to landfills by 90 percent. Let’s see if we can start diverting a little bit more to new homes or the Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center.
As a reminder, a couple of Muellerites are accepting Styrofoam to drive to the Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center on behalf of other Mueller neighbors. If you live in Mueller sign up for the Mueller Recycling Group to benefit from this offer and maybe consider signing up to collect a category yourself: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MuellerRecyclesMore.