KHOU 11 searched for solutions to overflowing recycling bins across the city.
HOUSTON — Delays in recycling waste pickup across Houston are frustrating residents as the department managing the issue is undergoing changes to bolster its services.
The issue came to light during Wednesday’s Houston City Council meeting where multiple council members discussed it during pop-off.
“We are having a big problem with recycling in our district, and I know that’s citywide,” District A Council Member Amy Peck said during the meeting.
According to the city’s 311 website, a neighborhood in Montrose had among the highest concentrations of reports of missed recycling pickups.
“It’s a blight on the neighborhood,” one resident told KHOU 11. “You can drive down the streets to see this every day.”
Along Bomar Street and others in the area, green recycling bins line the road with recycled waste up and sometimes above the brim.
“They put on the city website that it was delayed five days, today’s five days and I don’t see it getting picked up.”
According to the Solid Waste Management website, the department is seven days behind in recycling pickup. Some residents, however, told KHOU 11 they have waited two to three weeks from their last pickup.
Some city council members told KHOU 11 the issue has impacted them as well.
“My recycling was wasn’t picked up for about a good week and about four or five days later,” District I Council Member Joaquin Martinez said in an interview.
For now, Martinez and Solid Waste Management encourage people experiencing delays to document the issue using 311 and to leave recycling bins out in order to be picked up at the next opportunity.
Martinez said the current delay can be traced back to just a few weeks ago.
“We had holiday, we had about 13 of our heavy truck vehicles that were down and then we had staff that were out as well,” Martinez said.
Martinez has been one of the most vocal members of the City Council to draw light to the Solid Waste Management Department and its issues with service. Among ideas he has considered and shared include the possibility of a trash fee for Houston residents as well as a reconsideration of how the department operates.
In April, Larius Hassen took over as interim director of the department. Martinez said he has had conversations with Hassen and has confidence the new head of the department can help improve service.
“Start making sure that we’re doing the work that we need to do, making sure that we have the right amount of staff, making sure that we’re not overworking our staff as well,” Martinez said.
KHOU 11 requested an interview with Hassen, but the Solid Waste Management Department said he was not available.
“The department is currently evaluating several areas, including organizational structure, routing, and scheduling, to improve overall service delivery,” a statement sent by the department to KHOU 11 said. “We understand the concern surrounding recycling delays and are working to address them.”