Patrons of the Horseshoe Bay Recycle Center are seeing some changes brought about by the industry’s move toward “single stream recycling.”
The HSB Recycle Center is now directing patrons to place all recyclables into one roll-off container. Previously, paper was placed in one roll-off container, while plastic, glass and aluminum products were deposited together in another roll-off container and cardboard was put in a third roll-off container.
HSB Utilities Director Ray Garcia said single stream mixed use recycling is in place at Balcones Recycling Company, the vendor that receives HSB recyclables. At Balcones, the mixed recyclables are separated on conveyor belts by staff members and an automated robotic system. Heavy equipment operators move the recyclables in and out of the plant for processing.
Garcia said single stream recycling probably came about because many cities adopted curbside recycling several years ago. In those cities, residents put all their recyclables into one portable bin for curb side pick-up, and the contents are delivered as mixed recyclables to the processing plants.
HSB has considered curbside recycling many times in the past, but has opted to stay with the Recycle Center for both practical and financial reasons. Many residents do not want a second recycling bin to store in their garage and third party vendors require that curbside recycling be on an “all or nothing” basis, which would raise the financial cost to all HSB homeowners whether they use the curbside recycling option or not. Assistant City Manager Rick Williams said the cost for curbside recycling is considerably more than for the city to operate the Recycle Center as a standalone facility.
The HSB Recycle Center will soon replace the 30 cubic yard roll-off containers with smaller “hoppers” to receive all recyclable material. Garcia said the city has ordered eight hoppers with an expected arrival in mid-March, per the vendor. Six of the eight will be placed for residents’ use at the Recycle Center.
In the meantime, residents will toss all their recyclables into the big roll-off container. As it gets full, staff members will either compact the contents with heavy equipment or replace it with an empty container. However, Garcia explained, safety concerns dictate that compacting and replacement occur only when the public is not on site, so it is usually done during the lunch hour on weekdays or after closing of the facility. Staff members at the Recycle Center are always on site and are happy to lend a hand with getting residents’ recyclables into the proper container. They are also available to answer any questions residents may have about recycling.
The Recycle Center is located at 314 RM 2831 (the Blue Lake Road) and is open weekdays from 8 a.m. until noon and from 1-4 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, the center is open from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The center is closed on some holidays, so check the city website for those dates.
