LUKFIN, Texas (KETK) – As of Feb. 28, the City of Lufkin is discontinuing glass recycling due to continued contamination.
According to a release, after the city took a load to the recycling center in Houston, officials were told that there was too much contamination in the load for the recycling center to take it.
“Eliminating contamination from the glass is unsafe and labor intensive for our workers and fuel costs have risen significantly making the program unsustainable,” Solid Waste Director Kent Havard said.
The city loses more than $200 every trip to Houston with the fuel cost and driver wages.
“The fuel cost to Houston and back is about $280, not counting the wage we pay our driver,” Havard said.
Lufkin hauls about 16 tons each trip and receives $15 for every ton they take down to Houston.
“Since we discontinued curbside recycling, we’ve seen cleaner recyclables at our drop sites with the exception of glass,” Havard said. “We appreciate the community’s continued dedication to recycling.”
The City of Lufkin has two recycling drop-off locations at 500 Southpark Drive and 800 Amey Street. The following list is items they said they accept:
- Clean cardboard (corrugated and pasteboard boxes)
- Newspaper (including advertising inserts)
- Magazines & junk mail
- Office paper & shredded paper (please bag shredded paper)
- Steel and aluminum cans (cans only, please rinse)
- Plastic bottles & jugs (#1 or #2 or anything with a neck)
They ask for no styrofoam, no food, no plants, no household garbage, no clothing, no yard waste, no limbs, no electronics, no toys, and no metal other than cans to be brought to their drop off locations.
If you have any questions, call the Lufkin Solid Waste Department at 936-633-0281.
