Single stream recycling kicks off

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The City of Austin begins a new way to recycle paper and plastic Monday morning.  It is called single stream recycling, meaning everything goes into one cart. Over the next three months, the city will collect current blue bins and replace them with a shiny, new blue cart. The new system also means residents no longer have to separate paper and plastic. Everything goes into the cart.
"You can mix it all up," said Jill Mayfield with Solid Waste Services. "We don't care now."
Plus, the City of Austin is recycling more. In addition to glass, cans and paper, residents can throw in plastics numbered one through seven and boxboard, which include things such as cereal boxes. Just make sure plastic bags and styrofoam do not get mixed in.
"Unfortunately, those are things that easily clog the recycling sort system, and also with styrofoam, there is not a huge market for styrofoam," said Mayfield.
The recyclables will be trucked to San Antonio to be processed, something city officials said already happens, since most items are put on a train and sent out west.
However, city officials hope to reduce the carbon footprint by 64 percent since recyclables will  be picked up twice a month. City officials are exploring a regional recycle center location. They plan to take the next two years to figure that out. Residents can call Solid Waste Services to find out when their new cart will arrive.