This week brought the return of curbside recycling from the El Paso Environmental Services Department but it also brought with it stricter rules about recycling. The Department had to put curbside recycling on hold in November because COVID-19 was causing a lot of employees to have to stay home but also because residents weren’t recycling properly.

Environmental Services officials say people were being all kinds of cochinos and putting the wrong things in the blue bin or not rinsing food items off recyclables. Add that to people putting recyclables in plastic bags and putting regular trash into the blue bin which is also not allowed and that caused a lot of problems with the recycling machines.

Kevin C. Cox
Kevin C. Cox
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Ellen Smyth the director of the Environmental Services Department said they need you to do your part for the return of curbside recycling to work:

1. Put recycling bins out on time and where the truck can easily reach them. Forgot how to place them? Check out the rules here.

Trash Bin Ready for Pickup
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2. If your can is gross, Environmental Services drivers will take a pic of it, address the problem, or might even have you take a class about how to recycle. If you still have a problem recycling clean, you might lose your bin altogether.

Half Opened Can of White Albacore Tuna
PhotoEuphoria
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3. Recycle right is the name of the game. Don't put things in plastic bags, rinse your food containers, and click here to find out all the rules of recycling.

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