H-GAC is the state-designated planning agency for solid waste management issues in the Houston-Galve
Recycling is a good first step. But to do more, consider buying products made from recycled materials. This not only reduces waste and helps protect the environment, it also helps sustain the market for recyclable goods and materials. Look for labels with “Made from Recycled Material” or “Postconsumer Goods.”
If you have leftover food scraps, and most of us do after preparing meals, do NOT put them in your recycle bin. You don’t have to throw them away either. You can compost them in your backyard, or ask if your community offers this service. You can also plant them and create new food. Talk about a great way to reuse something!. One example, is planting the root end of green onions directly in the soil and watch the green onion shoots start to grow. Check out this YouTube video for more fruits and veggies you can grow from scraps. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q_thcYfyvk
Food and food waste doesn’t belong in your recycling bin. You can reduce food waste by not creating it in the first place. Make a plan, buy just what you need and use what you already have when you can. Check out this YouTube video for more food waste reduction tips. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NCm2Q1rZOM
Today is Texas Recycles Day and America Recycles Day. So let’s think about recycling! Did you know that Texans throw away approximately 7 pounds of waste per person per day? Let’s try to reduce that amount by purchasing supplies in bulk or with less packaging, recycling what we can, and donating usable items to charities. Be sure to check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information about what can be recycled in your community.
Texas Recycles Day is just a week away. So let’s think about recycling. Recycling is a great way to reduce waste at our homes or offices. Other ways include using both sides of a page when printing or taking notes and recycling your office paper, reusing folders or binders or donating them to schools, and using ceramic or plastic mugs for coffee and water instead of disposable cups or bottles.
Check with your municipality or waste hauler to find out what you can, and can’t, recycle in your community.
Let's clean up our local waterways. We can do it, even if it's one bag at a time!
Putting an end to trash in our waterways doesn’t have to be complicated! Visit our Volunteer Resources page at https://www.trashfreetexas.org/volunteer-resources to find everything you need to help out!
Houston-Galveston Area Council The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
November 15 is Texas Recycles Day and the State of Texas Alliance for Recycling, Take Care of Texas, and Keep Texas Beautiful offer several resources for promoting and celebrating recycling in your communities, including several fact sheets. Learn more about recycling in Texas at TexasRecycesDay.org
Trick or Trash? If you don't have a box or bag for this program, go ahead and throw away those candy wrappers - after you enjoy the candy, of course!
As America loads up on an estimated 600 million pounds of Halloween candy, a handful of companies are trying to make it easier to recycle all those wrappers.
You’ve got your costume ready and it’s almost time for trick or treating 🎃. Remember, candy wrappers 🍬 belong in the trash bin, not the recycle bin. Check with your municipality or waste hauler to find out what you can, and can’t, recycle in your community.
As Halloween approaches, it’s a good idea to remember that candy belongs in your tummy and candy wrappers belong in the trash. Neither belong in the recycling bin! Check with your municipality or waste hauler to find out what you can, and can’t, recycle in your community.
Many items are recyclable in your curbside bin – like paper, metal and glass – but some items aren’t - like hoses, clothing, broken toys, and batteries. Putting items that aren’t recyclable in your bin can slow down the process, or even worse, contaminate the whole bin. Contaminated materials can end up in the landfill, which pretty much defeats the purpose of recycling! Check with your municipality or waste hauler to find out what you can, and can’t, recycle in your community,
Recycling is great for conserving energy and preserving natural resources. But not everything is recyclable. If you put something in the bin that can’t be recycled, it can contaminate the whole bin, costing time and money. Check with your municipality or waste hauler to find out what you can, and can’t, recycle in your community.,
Phones aren’t just for chatting and playing games. You can do some good with this app!
Did you know your phone can save the planet? Visit our resource page to discover apps that help make litter clean-up rewarding and simple.
https://www.trashfreetexas.org/apps-games
The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment Houston-Galveston Area Council
Some used batteries can be recycled, but not in your curbside or drop-off recycling programs. Drop them off for free at a Call2Recycle partner location. https://www.call2recycle.org/locator/
It's pretty easy to help keep the trails clean while you are out there on them--on the water or on land. Learn more about recreational litter clean up from
With cooler temps coming, now is a great time to check out our Plogging toolkit!
https://www.trashfreetexas.org/recreational-litter-cleanup-toolkit.
Find out how you can incorporate litter clean up into your favorite outdoor activities! How are you getting rid of plastic this month?
The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment Houston-Galveston Area Council
Some batteries shouldn’t be placed in your trash bin and no batteries should be placed in your recycle bin. According to the EPA, even “dead” batteries have enough energy left in them to start a fire that can cause damage or injuries. Visit the EPA’s webpage to learn more, and check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information about disposing of batteries in your community. https://www.epa.gov/recycle/used-household-batteries#single
Interested in learning more about the Trash Free Texas Adopt-A-Spot Program to be part of the solution to the litter problem? Take a look at our training video on YouTube for more information on how to get started.
https://youtu.be/hXb2wlloL3o
Wondering if you can recycle your milk jugs and laundry detergent bottles? Go ahead and toss them in the recycle bin, but before you do, make sure they are clean and dry so they don’t contaminate the other recyclables in the bin. Be sure to check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information about recycling plastic in your community.
Plastic pollution and litter = THE PROBLEM!
YOU = THE SOLUTION!
Learn more about the Trash Free Texas Adopt-A-Spot waterway clean up program today!
Calling all Texans! Get involved with us today! We’re always looking for more partners and volunteers. To find your role, visit our website at trashfreetexas.org.
The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment Houston-Galveston Area Council
Milk jugs and laundry detergent bottles are highly desirable in many recycling programs. They can be recycled into flower pots, shampoo bottles, and other rigid plastic items, like recycling bins that you have in your home or office. Be sure to check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information about recycling plastic in your community.
If you’re thinking about putting food waste in your recycling bin, think again. Food waste is one of the leading causes of contamination in recycling. Throw it away or compost it, if you can. Check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information about recycling and other programs in your community.
Don’t like wasting food? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers some steps you can take steps to reduce food waste in the first place, like preplanning your shopping lists to buy just what you need for you and your family, asking for smaller portions when dining out to reduce leftovers in your fridge, and storing foods at the proper temperatures. https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/tips-reduce-food-waste
Wondering if you can recycle paper bags in your curbside recycling bin? The answer is yes. Paper bags can be recycled with other paper products in most curbside programs, but make sure you check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information about recycling in your community.
https://earth911.com/recycling-guide/how-to-recycle-paper-bags/
Way to go Bay City! This is what it looks like when a community makes a commitment to keep trash out of our waterways!
Today we’re showing appreciation of Trash Free Texas partners who’ve added their litter cleanup locations to the Adopt-a-Spot Map. Thank you! You can volunteer to pick up litter at one of their sites by clicking an adoptable spot on the map and reaching out to the site coordinator. https://tinyurl.com/AdoptASpotMap
City of Allen City Hall Keep Flower Mound Beautiful Clear Texas Lakes The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment Houston-Galveston Area Council City of Bay City, TX USA White Rock Creek Trail
Did you know that foods and liquids can contaminate your entire recycling bin before it’s picked up? Never toss food waste or beverages into your recycling bin. If you can’t compost it at your home or find a local composting program, just throw it away. Be sure to check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information about recycling and other programs in your community.
Newspapers, sheets of paper (printed on or not), and even envelopes and junk mail can all be recycled at many drop-off locations and curbside programs. Just make sure the paper is clean and dry before you toss it in your bin (and make sure your bin is clean and dry before you toss anything in there!) Be sure to check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information about recycling in your community.
To help keep litter out of waterways, we can all reduce, reuse, and recycle. ♻️ But sometimes you may still find trash on the ground.
Communities across the region are adopting spots to keep litter out of Texas waterways. The Trash Free Texas Adopt-A-Spot Map helps connect people to places in need of routine litter cleanup.
Learn more and watch an instructional webinar at www.h-gac.com/trash-free-texas
Before tossing those plastic water bottles in the recycle bin, make sure they are empty, clean, and dry. Food waste or liquid can cause contamination and send your recyclable bottles (and maybe other items in the bin) to the landfill. Check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information about recycling in your community.
Gently used clothes are great for reselling or donation but bad for recycling in most curbside or drop off programs. Try to reuse or repurpose your old clothes, sell them online, or donate them to a re-sale shop if you can. Or find a textile recycler near you (Earth911 can help). Check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information about recycling in your community.
https://earth911.com/home-garden/recycling-mystery-clothing/
Want to recycle ♻️ your plastic water bottle? Go ahead. Just make sure it is empty, clean, and dry. Or, better yet, consider using reusable water bottles instead of single-use plastic bottles. Be sure to check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information about recycling in your community.
Holiday decorations, like bunting, strings of lights, and flags are not only not recyclable in most curbside or drop off programs, they are considered contamination. These items can get tangled in the machinery at the recycling center and can lead to delays or costly repairs. If you can’t re-use the decorations or they aren’t in good enough condition to donate to a resale shop or school, just toss them in the 🚮 trash.
Fireworks are pretty and fun to watch, but they create a lot of litter and definitely can’t be recycled in your curbside bin or at a drop-off site. If you can’t find a professional, eco-friendly show to watch and want to pop your own 🎆, first – be safe. And, after you’re done and the litter cools off, gather it and toss it in the bin 🗑️ with your regular trash.
Grilling out this summer? If you’re using a propane tank, great. They are designed to be reused. And once you are ready to get rid of the tank (they don’t last forever), find a licensed propane dealer or other professional to help you properly dispose of it. You can’t toss it out with your regular trash or in the recycling bin. Search the Earth911 Recycling Database or contact your municipality or waste hauler for more information.
Aluminum cans are the world’s most recycled containers ♻️. In fact, more than 40 billion cans are recycled in the U.S. each year. You can recycle aluminum too, just make sure it is clean 🚿and dry and be sure to check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information on recycling aluminum in your community.
Did you know that more than 90% aluminum cans are remade ♻️ into new aluminum cans and containers? Talk about sustainable! Just make sure the cans are clean 🚿 and dry before you toss them in the bin. Check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information on recycling aluminum in your community.
This summer, remember grass clippings, brush and other yard waste doesn’t belong 🚫 in the bin with your recyclables. Yard waste can contaminate and lower the value 💲 of plastics, metals and paper. Instead leave them on your yard or check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information 💬 on yard waste disposal in your community.
Getting your lawn and garden ready for the Memorial Day holiday and the kickoff of summer is great, but remember, grass clippings 🚫 can’t be recycled in your recycling bin. Leave the clippings on your lawn to provide valuable nutrients to the soil. You can also compost the clippings or bag them for trash. Check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information on yard waste disposal in your community.
Cardboard boxes 📦 can be recycled ♻️ if they are clean, dry, and flattened. But before tossing them in the bin, think about other uses for them around your house to get a little more life out of them. Cardboard boxes are great for storage or can be a fun play fort 🏰 for children or pets. https://earth911.com/home-garden/how-to-reuse-cardboard-boxes/
Cardboard is an important part of our supply chain and can be recycled up to 7 times. Just make sure it’s clean and dry before you put it in your bin. Learn more about cardboard recycling at https://recyclesmartma.org/2021/09/cardboard-is-living-its-best-life-right-now/
Cardboard is one of the easiest materials to recycle. Cardboard boxes 📦 should be emptied and flattened before putting them in the recycling bin♻️. Be sure to remove any tape and put that in the trash. Check with your municipality or waste hauler for more information on recycling cardboard in your community.
3555 Timmons Lane
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Bows and ribbons are great for holiday decorating and gift wrapping, but they aren't so great for recycling. Cloth ribbons and bows can be easily washed and reused year after year. Plastic bows and ribbons can also be reused, but when you are finished with them, throw them away.
Wondering if you can recycle old or unused toys? The answer may be yes. If you don't want to keep playing with them or they aren't in good enough shape to donate to a local charity, some manufacturers will take them back for recycling. But if you don't want to or can't send them back, it's best to simply toss them in the trash. Learn more at https://earth911.com/business-policy/plastic-toy-recycling-mattel-launches-new-program/
Ready to recycle those outdated or broken holiday decorations? Not so fast. Most decorations are made from different types of plastics or glass that can't be recycled easily. If you can't find a reuse for them and they are in good shape, consider donating them to a local charity like Goodwill or The Salvation Army for re-sale. Or, if they are broken and you don't want them anymore, just throw them away!
Remember: Not everything is recyclable. "Tanglers," like hoses and holiday lights can get hung up in machinery at the recycling sorting facility and cost time and money to remove. Throw them in the trash instead.
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