City of Chicago Announces Second Phase of Citywide Recycling Expansion
June 4, 2013
Approximately 61,000 Households to Receive Blue Cart Recycling Services Beginning June 24
The City of Chicago announced today that approximately 61,000 households will receive blue cart recycling services beginning June 24, as part of the second phase of the 2013 citywide expansion, a key 2013 budget initiative for the Mayor.
“Providing all Chicagoans with easy access to recycling services is key to making Chicago a smarter, greener, more environmentally friendly city,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “By implementing new strategies, we can ensure every community can participate in the blue cart recycling program by the end of 2013.”
In 2011, Mayor Emanuel implemented a managed competition for recycling services in an effort to create efficiencies and reduce operational costs on behalf of taxpayers. In one year, the competition decreased recycling costs by $4.7 million and paved the way for the citywide recycling expansion.
“Since the blue cart recycling program began in 2007, residents across the city have been waiting for the opportunity to participate and enhance the well-being of our city,” said Alderman John Pope, 10th Ward. “I am pleased the program is expanding citywide and that all neighborhoods will have greater access to recycling services.”
“Providing all Chicagoans with easy access to recycling services is key to making Chicago a smarter, greener, more environmentally friendly city,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “By implementing new strategies, we can ensure every community can participate in the blue cart recycling program by the end of 2013.”
In 2011, Mayor Emanuel implemented a managed competition for recycling services in an effort to create efficiencies and reduce operational costs on behalf of taxpayers. In one year, the competition decreased recycling costs by $4.7 million and paved the way for the citywide recycling expansion.
“Since the blue cart recycling program began in 2007, residents across the city have been waiting for the opportunity to participate and enhance the well-being of our city,” said Alderman John Pope, 10th Ward. “I am pleased the program is expanding citywide and that all neighborhoods will have greater access to recycling services.”
The blue cart recycling program provides bi-weekly recycling collection services to residents who live in single family homes, two-, three- and four-flat buildings. Currently, 390,000 households receive blue cart recycling service.
Residents who live within the boundaries of the Phase Two expansion area will begin receiving carts on June 11 and recycling collection services will begin on June 24 or July 1, depending on the service area. Subsequent phases will be announced as collection schedules and routes are finalized. Chicago’s recycling service providers include the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation, Sims Municipal Recycling, and Waste Management.
All blue carts will be delivered to the front of buildings, enabling crews to assign the cart’s radio frequency identification tag to the correct street address. Carts will contain educational literature about the blue cart recycling program, including information about the types of materials that can be diverted for recycling, as well as service schedule.
In addition, residents are invited to participate in any of the upcoming community meetings to learn about blue cart recycling:
4314 S. Archer Ave.
2401 E. 100th St.
5724 W. North Ave.
Residents who live within the boundaries of the Phase Two expansion area will begin receiving carts on June 11 and recycling collection services will begin on June 24 or July 1, depending on the service area. Subsequent phases will be announced as collection schedules and routes are finalized. Chicago’s recycling service providers include the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation, Sims Municipal Recycling, and Waste Management.
All blue carts will be delivered to the front of buildings, enabling crews to assign the cart’s radio frequency identification tag to the correct street address. Carts will contain educational literature about the blue cart recycling program, including information about the types of materials that can be diverted for recycling, as well as service schedule.
In addition, residents are invited to participate in any of the upcoming community meetings to learn about blue cart recycling:
- June 11, 7 p.m.
4314 S. Archer Ave.
- June 13, 6:30 p.m.
2401 E. 100th St.
- June 17, 6:30 p.m.
5724 W. North Ave.
- June 17, 7 p.m.
Toman Library
2708 S. Pulaski Rd.
2708 S. Pulaski Rd.
- June 18, 6:30 p.m.
3048 E. 130th St.
The blue cart residential recycling program is a single stream recycling system in which all recyclable materials are collected and transported together. Recyclables are picked up and transported in designated recycling trucks to avoid contamination with regular garbage.
For more information about the blue cart recycling program, resident should call 311 or visit www.chicagorecycles.org.
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Blue Cart Recycling Map