by Jennifer Flood

Created on: March 17, 2009

Some cities make it difficult to recycle with the rules they place on what can be recycled and how you have to recycle. Friends and family have told me that in their areas they must sort every item, take the labels off cans and bottles, and make sure that each item is clean. I have a friend who actually puts her cans through the dishwasher to make sure they are clean enough for her recycling center.

Luckily, the City of Memphis Solid Waste Management department makes it easy for people to recycle in Memphis, TN. The town provides homeowners with an 18-gallon tan bin in which to place their recyclables. You do not need to sort your recyclables and if the container is not big enough you can just put any extras in paper bags and place them beside the recycling container. The town will pick up your recycling on the same day they pick up your trash.

For people who live in an apartment building, or businesses who want to recycle, curbside recycling is not available. However, there are five recycling centers in Memphis that will be happy to receive your recyclables. They are located at 3197 Farrisview Blvd., 3910 Ridgeway, on the corner of Cooper and Walker at the First Congregational Church, at the North entrance to Mud Island Park, and on Moore Ed. At these centers, you will need to sort your items into two different containers at the recycling centers as they have two bins available with one being for paper items and the other for cans and bottles.

Items that the City of Memphis Solid Waste Management will accept for recycling include steel cans, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars, some cardboard (no pizza boxes, milk containers, or cardboard with other materials attached), office paper, and junk mail. They will not accept plastic bags or any plastic item with a recycling number higher than #1 PETE or #2 HDPE. You will need to remove all covers from the items you recycle, but you do not need to wash the items although rinsing is recommended.

The City of Memphis Solid Waste Management also provides another recycling program to the homeowners in Memphis By recycling yard waste. They will pick up limbs, branches, trees, leaves, and shrubbery to mulch and compost. When the compost is ready, the city will use some of it for beautification projects and sell most of it to contractors. Occasionally, there will be free mulch available to homeowners.

The Solid Waste Management department truly makes it easy for the citizens of Memphis to participate in recycling.

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