Texas City Ending Curbside Collection Program

The city of Beaumont, Texas is ending its curbside collection due to budget constraints that are forcing cuts in departments throughout the city.

The program, which began close to 10 years ago, is expected to end Sept. 30 when the city’s fiscal year ends.

While the city’s curbside program began with great fanfare, at the end the city is only collecting paper and paperboard material and UBCs. John Labrie, director of the Beaumont’s Clean Community Division, said the cost of collecting and processing recyclables has been too high, when factoring in the alternative of landfilling the material.

The curbside program serviced 32,500 single-family residences in the city. Collected material was shipped to Gulf Coast Recycling, a local recycling operation. Material was collected once a week.

According to a local press report, the difference between collecting the solid waste and recyclables was significant. Collection of recyclables cost as much as $150 a ton; while regular garbage cost around $28 a ton to collect and bury.