Does the city of Omaha offer curbside recycling?
- Yes. We offer recycling service to all homeowners in Omaha. Your recycling is picked up once per week, the same day as garbage and yardwaste is collected. Omaha uses a system called "single stream" which means that you can combine everything into one bin. To prevent litter we ask that paper items be put in a paper bage. It's very easy and is offered at no additional cost to you.
How do I get a recycling bin?
- Due to budget restrictions, we no longer deliver recycling bins. Recycling bins are still free, however now you must pick up bin from one of four locations. Click here for a listing of locations.
When is my recycling picked up?
- Curbside recycling is picked up once a week the same day as garbage and yardwaste collection.
What is my recycling day?
- To give an accurate answer we'll need to look up the address. There are large concentrated areas, plus some smaller areas that were recently annexed each day.
- Monday: Is generally south of the interstate or south of Center Street down to Harrison Street, from the river to 96th Street.
- Tuesday: Is generally inside the Interstate 480 beltway, and from Cass Street to Center Street out to 90th Street
- Wednesday: Is generally North of Interstate 480 or north of Blondo Street, and from the river to 60th Street.
- Thursday: Is generally North of Dodge and West of 60th Street
- Friday: Is generally South of Dodge and West of 96th Street
What items can I recycle?
- Put the following in your green recycling bin:
- Aluminum cans
- Steel cans
- Plastics bottles 1, 2, 3 and 5 (check the bottom of the bottle for number inside a triangle set of arrows)
- We don't accept glass in the bin. Glass can be recycled at the drop-off sites.
Put the following in a brown paper bag and place in the bin:
- All clean Paper including newspapers, magazines, junk mail and cardboard.
Why did you switch to single stream recycling?
- The city switched to a new and easy way of recycling called "single stream" to make it even easier for our residents to participate. You don't need to cut boxes down or sort paper any longer. Just place your recyclables like cans and bottles in your green bin and your paper materials in a paper bag or small box to help prevent litter and you are done! It's O! so easy. The new system is also more economical to collect and process, helping us become more efficient so we use taxpayer dollars wisely.
Why is glass no longer accepted?
- This year we launched a new single-stream system to make recycling at home even easier. When Omaha made the switch to single stream recycling we had to remove glass from the system because it can be dangerous for the recycling workers and contaminate other more valuable recycle materials such as paper. You can still recycle glass by taking your glass to one of the Omaha area drop off listed on this linked page.
Is recycling picked up on holidays?
- Six holidays are observed by the collection contractor. When holidays occur during the workweek, collection is paused. Following a weekday holiday, collection is delayed by one day for the remainder of that week, with the regularly scheduled Friday collection occurring on Saturday. The following holidays are observed:
- New Years Day (January 1)
- Memorial Day (May)
- Independence Day (July 4)
- Labor Day (First Monday in September)
- Thanksgiving (Fourth Thursday in November)
- Christmas (December 25)
An e-mail reminders service about the holiday collection schedule is available at www.wasteline.org.
How can I learn more about curbside recycling?
- Visit our website at www.OmahaRecycles.com. Also watch your mail for our publication WASTELINE that is mailed out several times per year. To look at back issues, click here.
Why should I recycle?
- Our recycling program offers an easy and convenient way for you to do good all from the comforts of your own home. Simply by placing your recyclables in your free bin, you can help divert materials from the landfill and help reserve the environment. Last year, residents of Omaha recycled 15,000 tons of materials. That equates to half a million dollars in energy resources saved.
What happens to the items after I put them into my recycling bin?
- Recyclables are picked up once per week in Omaha. Deffenbaugh Industries, our collection contractor, uses packer trucks, commonly called garbage trucks, with large yellow RECYCLING signs on the side to collect and transport the recyclables. The recyclables are taken to an indoor, semi-automated, processing facility operated by Firstar Fiber. Firstar Fiber separates the different materials, compacts and bales the material for shipment to various companies to make new items. By using recycled resources to make new items, companies save billions of dollars each year in energy costs.
Here is an example of the process: an aluminum can that is recycled in Omaha, will be shipped to an aluminum plant where it is melted and used to make a new can that is then back on store shelves in as little as 60 days. That is called closed loop recycling and it starts right in your kitchen when you choose to recycle that can!
Do you offer recycling for multi-family units like apartments?
- At this time, our curbside collection is only available for single-family units and small apartment buildings with up to four units. Be we do encourage you to use any of the Omaha drop-off locations.
I heard that Omaha has partnered with the Aluminum Can Council. Can you please tell me more about that?
- The City of Omaha has partnered with the Aluminum Can Council (ACC) to make sure all residents know that "Recycling is O! So Easy." Omaha is one of 22 communities across the country selected by the ACC to take part in a nationwide effort to boost recycling rates. The campaign will focus on encouraging residents to get a recycling bin and use it! Curbside recycling makes cents for communities and industries because it saves energy, improves the environment, avoids the expense of the landfill, and creates revenue for the city.
To continue to be informed and motivated to recycle, sign up for our Recycling Advocate e-mail list. Periodically we'll send you an e-mail with some interesting information that we hope will motivate you and others to recycle.