If you’re a San Antonio transplant from the West Coast, like I am, you probably noticed the lackadaisical approach to recycling this city has. You’ve also, no doubt, noticed how difficult it is to find solid, accurate information on the internet to tell you where to recycle things!
I’m going to give you all the best info possible, so you can continue to recycle and you won’t have to throw away those things which we’re so used to recycling. Keep in mind that the recycling centers are only open on weekdays, which is pretty inconvenient, but you gotta work with whatcha got!
First off, I’d advise you to get some big plastic tubs and big, black garbage bags to store this stuff in your garage and make the trek only once a month, unless you live on the south-side; it’s just not cost-effective for you to go weekly, except for the newspaper products and you’ll see why.
Second, sort everything into the various types of recyclables:
• Newspaper, junkmail, general paper like printer/notebook paper
• Cardboard (which includes beer and soda boxes)
• Plastics
• Glass
• Aluminum cans, tin cans, misc. metals
Newspaper/Junkmail/General Paper products:
You should take these to a recycling box at a gradeschool near you. They only accept these types of paper, BUT it’s a fundraiser for the school when you fill up their containers! These bins are all over the metro area, so you can easily go once a week if you need to
• Visit this link to find a school near you with one of these bins: http://www.paperretriever.com/form/search_us.asp?ID=267
Tin/Aluminum/Metal:
You’ll want to go to NEWELL RECYCLING COMPANY at 726 Probant (don’t mind streetview, they have the address incorrect), because they pay you a ‘per pound’ amount for the cans you bring in (which is why the black plastic bags come in handy).
• When you go north on Probant, it’s on the RIGHT; you pull into the lot and see there’s 2 lanes to go through to enter the facility.
• If you have just cans and such, you can use the LEFT LANE and immediately park at the loading docks on the RIGHT.
• Take your bags of cans down the loading dock and to the left, there’s a office with a scale; they’ll weigh your cans and give you a ticket with the money you’ll receive.
• Drive back out the lane you came in and park outside the wall.
• Walk up to the ‘cashier’ door and when you walk in, go to the back glass that looks like the glass in a check cashing place.
• Slide your receipt in the tray and take off a hat, if you’re wearing one, because they take your picture and then ask for a thumbprint.
• You get your money and you’re on your way to the next stop, which is conveniently a few blocks up the street on Probant!
Cardboard (which includes beer and soda boxes) & Plastics:
You’ll drive up further on Probant to BFI-ACCO RECYCLING CENTER, which is at 400 Probant (don’t mind streetview, they have the address incorrect). This location takes cardboard, metals and plastics, but you don’t get paid for metal here AND you have to sort the aluminum from the tin and heavier metal cans, so I prefer to take those to Newell.
**NOTE** THIS FACILITY IS ONLY OPEN MONDAY-FRIDAY, 8AM to 4PM
• Going north on Probant, you’re going to cross some train tracks (they’re pretty rough, so don’t worry about missing them).
• Immediately after the tracks, turn RIGHT into the driveway (you’ll see the blue BFI-ACCO banner/sign) and drive into the gate
• Immediately drive to the RIGHT and head to the various dumpsters/bins that have the various items on them; you do not need to drive over the scales on the left.
Glass:
Presently, there are no listed locations that accept glass in San Antonio that advertise they take glass. The city website says there are two locations, but one is a landfill, so leery that they don’t actually recycle the glass: http://www.sanantonio.gov/swmd/solidwaste/RecyOptionsGlass.asp
I’ll update this entry with more current information, as it becomes available. There are statements by some that the BFI-ACCO location will accept glass; some claim that you can leave it on the there and they’ll handle it for you, but as there are no bins for glass, I’m not certain that’s true, so I don’t bring my glass there.
If you have other recycling needs, please check the City of San Antonio’s website; I can’t confirm how current or accurate it is, but it’s a start and the best information (besides what I’ve provided) on recycling: http://www.sanantonio.gov/swmd/solidwaste/RecyOptions.asp
**UPDATE** (4/23/10)
I met with a rep from Allied Waste yesterday and he confirmed that there are NO drop off facilities in San Antonio that take glass. This is because the state has pathetic recycling facilities and any glass has to be sent to Waco or Dallas to Owens-Corning and there’s not guarantee it will even be recycled! If you pay for recycling, they send your glass off, but because its a cost-incurred operation, no one allows you to drop the stuff off.
So, if you’re in an apartment, lobby them to start recycling, otherwise, you’re S.O.L.
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