FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City pushing forward with expanded recycling, replacing smaller bins with larger carts by July 1
Effort allows for more efficient every-other-week recycling pickups
LOUISVILLE, KY (May 19, 2021) – As part of continuing efforts to reduce the amount of materials going to a landfill, Louisville Metro Government is reminding Urban Services District residents who currently recycle using an 18-gallon bin or their own container that they’ll soon receive a free 95-gallon recycling cart.
In March, Metro Council approved grant funding from The Recycling Partnership to help pay for the 28,000 new carts that will be delivered to households in June. The large carts also have wheels for easier maneuvering and lids to help prevent litter.
As discussed during the March 4 Council meeting, the larger capacity of the new carts will allow the city to begin recycling collection every other week, a grant requirement that creates a more efficient system, said Metro Public Works Director, Vanessa Burns.
(The Metro Council approved an ordinance in 2019 to allow the every-other week schedule, once larger carts were in place.)
That change will be effective the week of July 12. Public Works initially planned to put yard waste pickup on the same every-other-week schedule, but has postponed that change until a further review of data to determine the most efficient approach.
“Getting more people recycling more material is a big step in reaching our city’s ambitious goals for reducing the amount of material going to a landfill, helping us protect the environment,” said Mayor Greg Fischer, adding that the larger carts with lids “will help enhance cleanliness and health in our community.”
“Thanks to The Recycling Partnership, the Southeast Recycling Development Council, the Waste Management District, Metro Council and all our funders for supporting our efforts to protect the environment and help us move toward the more efficient every other week recycling and yard waste collection system,” Burns said. “This initiative is an additional tool to our already strong recycling program and reemphasizes our commitment to cleanliness in our city.”
Residents who will be receiving the new recycling carts will get “Carts are Coming” postcards in the coming week, and the carts will be delivered throughout the month of June, along with packets explaining what’s accepted in recycling and the recycling/yard waste schedule through October.
In addition, the week of June 28, Public Works will send an information card and schedule to the 18,000 residents who already have the larger cart. Follow-up mailers will be shared with all who recycle in the fall.
Residents are encouraged to also keep up with schedules by downloading the Recycle Coach app at Louisvilleky.gov/RecycleCoach.
Residents who already recycle with a 95-gallon cart will not receive another one, but if they need additional capacity may buy another cart from the city or use any 30- to 40-gallon container with handles and a lid. After January 1, 2022, recycling will not be collected from the 18-gallon bins.
Burns stressed that people should familiarize themselves with the list of recyclable materials – including glass bottles and jars, aluminum and steel cans, food and beverage cartons, empty plastic bottles and containers, and paper products, including newspaper and flattened cardboard – and put only those items in their bins. Residents are advised to increase capacity by placing items loosely in their cart, crushing containers, and flattening cardboard boxes.
Some items that cannot be recycled include plastic bags, paper towels, electrical equipment, batteries, and clothing. These items often get mixed into recycling carts because of “wishcycling,” or the hope that they can be recycled. However well-intentioned, those kinds of items can cause serious issues at the recycling facility. Anyone with questions should use the What Goes Where search tool on the Recycle Coach app.
For more information about the new carts, accepted items, and the new schedule, visit: Louisvilleky.gov/RecycleMore
About The Recycling Partnership: The Recycling Partnership is the action agent transforming the U.S. residential recycling system for good. Our team operates at every level of the recycling value chain and works on the ground with thousands of communities to transform underperforming recycling programs and tackle circular economy challenges. As the leading organization in the country that engages the full recycling supply chain, from working with companies to make their packaging more circular and help them meet climate and sustainability goals, to working with government to develop policy solutions to address the systemic needs of the U.S. recycling system, The Recycling Partnership positively impacts recycling at every step in the process. Since 2014, the nonprofit change agent diverted 375 million pounds of new recyclables from landfills, saved 968 million gallons of water, avoided more than 420,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases, and drove significant reductions in targeted contamination rates. Learn more at recyclingpartnership.org
Media Contacts:
Sal Melendez: 502.773.3217
Karen Maynard: 502.419.7453
National Public Works Week; Proclamation from the American Public Works Association (APWA)
May 16 – 23, 2021
“Stronger Together”
WHEREAS, public works personnel focus on infrastructure and public services that are of vital importance to sustainable and resilient communities and to the public health, high quality of life and well-being of the people of Louisville Metro; and,
WHEREAS, these infrastructure and public services could not be provided without the dedicated efforts of public works team members, who are engineers, managers and employees at all levels of government, who are responsible for rebuilding, improving and protecting our nation’s transportation, solid waste systems, public facilities, and other services essential for our citizens; and,
WHEREAS, it is in the public interest for the citizens and civic leaders in Louisville Metro to gain knowledge of and to maintain an ongoing interest and understanding of the importance of public works and public works programs in our community; and,
WHEREAS, the year 2021 marks the 61st annual National Public Works Week sponsored by the American Public Works Association; and,
RESOLVED, the APWA, does hereby designate the week May 16 – 22, 2021 as National Public Works Week; we urge all citizens to join with representatives of the APWA and government agencies in activities, events and ceremonies designed to pay tribute to our public works professionals, engineers, managers and employees and to recognize the substantial contributions they make to protecting our health, safety, and quality of life.
IT IS FURTHER DECLARED, during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, Louisville Metro Public Works personnel are essential workers, who are continuing to work hard each and every day to keep our community safe and functioning.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, it is proclaimed, this week to be Louisville Metro Public Works & Assets Week.
DONE this 16th day of May in the year 2021.
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Below is the list of Louisville Metro Public Works paving projects scheduled for the week of May 24, 2021. The schedule is subject to change due to weather and/or operational factors.
- Hallsdale Dr. from Taylorsville Rd. to dead end
- Suffolk Ln. from Hallsdale Dr. to dead end
- Mockingbird Gardens Dr. from Winterleaf to dead end
- Coralberry Rd. from dead end to dead end
- Pepperbush Rd. from dead end to dead end
- Waterleaf Ct. from Waterleaf Way to dead end
- Waterleaf Way from Mockingbird Gardens Dr. to dead end
- Winterberry Cir. from mockingbird Gardens Dr. to Mockingbird Gardens Dr.
- Heafer Rd. from n English Station Rd. to La Grange Rd.
- Hersfield Rd. from Heafer Rd. to Hagen Rd.
- Parkfield Rd. from Heafer Rd. to dead end
- Hagen Rd. from Hersfield Rd. to dead end
- Tucker Station from Rehl Rd. to Taylorsville Rd.
- Wolf Pen Branch Rd. from Springhill Farm Rd. to Wolf Pen Ln.
- Fluhr Dr. from Anna Ln. to dead end
- Lance Dr. from Manslick Rd. to Leaf Dr.
- March Blvd. from Manslick Rd. to Leaf Dr.
- Georgetown Pl. from Berry Blvd. to dead end
- Sunflower Ave. speed humps
- Swaps Ln. Speed humps
- Alanadale. Speed Humps
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The Crew of 13 staff members and their equipment, fall under our Bulk Waste Department within the Solid Waste Management Services Division. They are primarily tasked with collecting litter and debris along Metro roadways.
Below is the weekly update on the Clean Collaborative Crew’s actions from May 10, 2021, to May 16, 2021. The crew cleaned approximately 204.5 curb miles and collected 785 bags, 38 Tires, and 85 other items. Other items include everything from vehicle wreckage to illegally dumped bulky items. The Louisville Downtown Partnership also collected 521 pounds of litter and debris from the Downtown area.
To learn more about the collaborative, track the crews' progress, and find out how you can help, visit: Louisvilleky.gov/CleanLou.
Click the map for a detailed view of Area I, where Large Items waste collection is scheduled for the week of May 23. Residents may begin setting out items Friday afternoon, May 21. Reminder: Construction and demolition materials are NOT accepted, and tree trimmings must be bundled properly.
To receive information , check the Collection Guidelines. To receive automatic reminders of Large Items set out dates, download our Recycle Coach, waste information and calendar app at the App Store or on Google Play.
Reminder: Construction and demolition materials are NOT accepted, and tree trimmings must be bundled properly.
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Click the map for a detailed view of Alley Area E.
The Alley Action Clean-up initiative follows the same rotational format as the Large Item Pick-Up events (A,B,C, etc.), but due to its more involved nature, Alley Action, may be taking place in different areas as Large Item Pick-Up on a given week. Once a given alley area has been completed, a new area will be announced in the Works Week.
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