What's the deal with these blue bins? [ANSWERED BY CECIL - further discussion?]

[BorgHunter]

I had known about the Blue Bag recycling thing for a while—knew about, but didn't use, just like everyone else, it seems. But just the other day, magical blue recycling bins sprung unbidden out of the sidewalk in front of everyone's house on my street! A January miracle, they say!

Is the city actually going to send special trucks to collect recyclables out of these bins, or are they just going to chuck the recyclables in with the trash like they did with the blue bags?

[Seydell]

There are separate trucks that collect the items placed in the blue bins. Here's the city website: http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/w...OID=-536897320

[Ed Zotti]

What ward are you in? 47th has had 'em for a while, because we're on the cutting edge. Presumably they consider you guys slugs.

[Folly]

No blue bins in the 35th ward yet.

I never did understand the blue bag thing. It goes in the same truck and gets compacted with everything else. But the tattered shreds of blue bag help them sort it out later? huh?

[C K Dexter Haven]

Cecil has now answered this: http://chicago.straightdope.com/sdc20090604.php

Consequently, I'm moving it to the forum for further discussion following Cecil's comments.

[Powers]

Bizarre. I had no idea Chicago was so far behind the rest of the country in recycling. Or maybe they're not, and my area is just that far ahead?


Powers &8^]

[EvilTOJ]

Uh, we've had blue recycling bins in Portland for the last ten years, where you guys been? We even have one for yard waste, and a special one just for glass (since it gums up the automatic sorting machines. You DO have automatic sorting machines, right?)

[emerald772]

Just wanted to add to Cecil's lovely compilation of pdf information, the city's website already has that compiled in downloadable format:
http://egov.cityofchicago.org/city/w...OID=-536897320

[carlb]

Since I live in a 5-unit condo, I assume these will not be available to me. Sure seems better than the blue-bag program.

For those who don't know (and I just found out), residential buildings with five or more units do not get City-provided waste removal; we have to contract with one of the waste-hauling companies. I recently set this up for our condo, and I thought about getting a separate recycling bin. But then I remembered the usual mess in the alley from the scavengers who come through, and I figured I'd just wind up with recyclables strewn around instead of in the bin. So, we're not recycling. If anyone's got suggestions for mitigating the dumpster-diver problem, I'd love to hear it.

[TrueFalse]

Thanks BorgHunter, great question. Been wondering about the whole recycling deal here.

And Cecil, thanks for laying it out -- we're fortunate to have you on the case!

But I do wish you'd gone into more detail about what kinds of recycling options for those of us in multi-unit buildings. Anyone know?

Right now (our neighborhood is without blue bins) we periodically drive or bike our recycling a few miles over to a large blue Collection Station (usually) parked at a community center. Naturally, people always ask: "does this stuff actually get recycled?

Will this continue to be our only option, or will the city begin to provide something more accessible? If trash collection at multi-unit buildings is contracted (more info would be great), should we pressure our building's Management to provide recycling?

Okay, last question. I've heard there's an ordinance that actually requires larger buildings to provide recycling for residents. Can anyone verify or provide some info?

I'm sure the folks in our building, and in the city, would recycle if the option was readily available -- time for Chi to get on the ball!

ps. The Chicago Recyling Coalition is a decent resource on the subject:
http://www.chicagorecycling.org/index.php

[Kaio]

Here's the flyer with a map of the Chicago recycling drop-off centers, for the 90% of Chicagoans who don't get blue bins (due to the aforementioned multi-unit building escape clause).

Personally I'm thinking a city-wide recycling pick-up program would be more effective if it were actually city-wide. Lots of people in Chicago don't have cars -- how many people don't/can't recycle at all because they have no way to haul it all themselves to a drop-off point? Is Chicago actually recycling 15-25% of its garbage, or are the number crunchers conveniently ignoring everyone who lives in multi-unit buildings? (Which, at a relatively educated guess, would be most of us. Just taking a walk down a residential street, most of the housing is big apartment buildings, or at least six-flats. None of which are eligible for blue bins.)

[aruvqan]

Originally Posted by carlb

Since I live in a 5-unit condo, I assume these will not be available to me. Sure seems better than the blue-bag program.

For those who don't know (and I just found out), residential buildings with five or more units do not get City-provided waste removal; we have to contract with one of the waste-hauling companies. I recently set this up for our condo, and I thought about getting a separate recycling bin. But then I remembered the usual mess in the alley from the scavengers who come through, and I figured I'd just wind up with recyclables strewn around instead of in the bin. So, we're not recycling. If anyone's got suggestions for mitigating the dumpster-diver problem, I'd love to hear it.

Not working in the industry any more, but the larger companies that work in Chicago that service commercial accounts are Waste Management and Veolia ... I would personally go with Veolia, I believe their service is better and their people are nice to work with.

You can get a 6 yard locking dumpster for your regular trash, and I believe that they have 2 yard units that also lock for recyclables. Neither company may offer recycling in the larger locking dumpsters for such a small account.

Even if you cant get the recycling bin, ask about a locking dumpster, it does help with the scavengers. There are a couple types, a permanently locked version that uses a gravity bar to release when the truck dumps, or one that the driver has to lock and unlock each tip - they hate those and are phasing them out. Both types your tenants have to have keys to unlock to dump in. Obviously you have to have tenants that will actually take the time to unlock and lock the dumpster ...

[tcorourke]

"Depending on pickup location, the contents are taken either to a city yard or a private facility, where they're transferred to semis and hauled off to a privately-operated processing plant."

I'd like to visit one of these places. After years of hauling my recyclables to businesses all over town, I feel so odd dumping it all at the Center for Green Technology container. (27th Ward, no carts). Seeing the stuff sorted first hand might settle my worried mind.

Anybody know of tours given?