CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The City of Corpus Christi has moved forward with its recycling program.
Tuesday they passed a second reading ordinance which could take away recycling privileges from residents who don't follow the recycling rules.
A recent audit found that roughly 40 percent of what's collected from blue recycling carts isn't what the city considers recyclable. That includes things like plastic toys, clothes, glass, and styrofoam. The city estimates most recycling carts actually have 50-75 percent trash inside.
That's why the city is now launching its Recycle Clean program.
Under the program, the first two times a recycling cart is found with garbage, residents will be notified. After they remove the contamination, they can either have the recycling collected two weeks later, or sooner for a $25 fee. A third time brings a mandatory $25 special collection fine. A fourth violation would result in removal of the bin for at least six months.
The city estimates the cost of separating the trash out of recycling is about $500,000 a year. Officials hope the Recycle Clean program can reduce those costs.
The city has several resources available on its website to help residents learn what goes in the recycling bin and what goes in the trash. For a full look, click here.
