Austinites will have to start paying for their extra trash starting Monday Sept 7th.
Austin Resource recovery will again start adding fees to people who leave out extra garbage bags without an excess garbage sticker attached. Those stickers cost around $4 per tag at the grocery store, or about $10 per bag if you pay the fee.
These fees were temporarily waived by Austin City Council in light of the Covid Pandemic.
Official statement:
AUSTIN, TX – Austin Resource Recovery (ARR), a department of the City of Austin, will resume normal service for extra bags of trash placed outside of customer’s carts.
A recent vote from Council removed the fee waiver effective Monday, Sept. 7, 2020. Customers may purchase excess garbage stickers from local grocery stores for $4 each plus tax; otherwise, they will be charged $9.60 plus tax for each additional bag set out with their trash cart.
“Due to unprecedented changes brought about by COVID-19 earlier this year, we understood most households would be generating extra trash,” said Austin Resource Recovery Director, Ken Snipes. “We hope this effort has provided relief for our customers during these uncertain times.”
Extra recycling is always collected at no additional charge and can be placed in a cardboard box or other reusable containers next to their blue cart for collection.
ARR reminds curbside customers to continue to bag and tie their trash to keep the material contained. Recycling should be loose and dry in their blue carts, and please consider using a BPI-certified compostable bags or paper bags for composting collection.
Beginning Tuesday, September 8, 2020 the Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center (RRDOC) will reopen by appointment only, following a temporary closure in March 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. The RRDOC will resume its acceptance of hard to recycle items such as Styrofoam and plastic film, as well as household hazardous waste. Austin/ Travis County residents are asked to call (512) 974-4343 to schedule a drop-off time.
ARR also encourages customers to consider donating unwanted items for reuse at local organizations. They can also take advantage of the Clothing & Housewares Curbside Collection Program, which allows customers to schedule free at-home pick-up of unwanted clothing, shoes, accessories, toys, linens, and housewares. Customers can visit austintexas.gov/clothing or call 512-637-7190 to schedule a clothing and housewares pick-up.
