Recycling Storm
Recycling schedule thrown in disarray by flooding: Bins await pick-up on city streets
Some Houston neighborhoods remain littered with green cans stuffed with newspapers, glass, aluminum cans and other recyclables that were faithfully put out on the curb on the morning after historic floods swamped the city. While garbage bins next to the green cans were emptied on schedule on the same day, recycling pick-up remains in limbo.
The city's message to recyclers: Put you bins back in the garage and wait for the next scheduled service, which could be up to two weeks in some neighborhoods.
"Missed recycling will be picked up on its next scheduled recycling collection date," Solid Waste Management Department chief of staff Gary Readore told CultureMap in an email. "Carts should be placed out accordingly."
Readore was still not certain the number of neighborhoods that experienced recycling service disruptions, but he said that garbage service was operating on Tuesday. "Any garbage not collected will occur on the regularly scheduled day next week," he added.
Mayor Annise Parker told reporters that the recycling trucks were diverted to pick up trash after the massive flood.