City urges more commercial recycling

AUSTIN (KXAN) - This Wednesday, a group of Austin citizens starts a major push to get more businesses and apartment complexes in Austin to recycle.

It's part of the city's zero waste by 2040 campaign, to make sure apartments and business owners are pitching in.

Residents have complained for years about a lack of recycling at apartment complexes across town.

Currently, city code says businesses and office buildings with 100 or more employees are required to recycle, along with apartments with 100 or more units. However, some residents have complained about a lack of enforcement of the current ordinance.

The city's Solid Waste Advisory Committee is now tasked with coming up with a plan to change the ordinance to get more businesses and multi-family units to recycle.

The committee will report its findings to the Austin City Council.

"My goal is to work with these communities and have a gradual phase-in," said Austin's Solid Waste Advisory Commission Chairman Gerry Acuna. "You want to make sure everyone is on the same page."

Acuna said the city may be able to provide incentives to business owners to not throw away as much trash.

To start its zero-waste by 2040 campaign, the City of Austin is trying to reach a reduction of 20 percent solid waste per capita by 2012.