Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) Solid Waste Management Division is proud to have provided environmentally friendly recycling opportunities for the general public for the last 30 years. LTU Solid Waste Management is focused on providing services its customers request and will continue to offer recycling as a sustainable solution for residents through consolidation of its recyclables collection site program.
LTU Solid Waste Management has consolidated Lincoln's recyclables collection sites. The effort will increase efficiency, sustainability and maintain the division’s financial health in the short and long-term.
The recyclables collection program expanded five recyclables collection sites. There is a large site in every quadrant of the city.
All other sites closed, including all nine recyclables collection sites located outside of Lincoln in Lancaster County. The City returned recycling responsibilities back to the County. People living in Lancaster County are welcome to drop off recyclables at the new sites.
Signs were posted at all recyclables collection sites during opening of the new sites and closing of the old sites to assist the public in navigating where to go.
The Lincoln cardboard ban is still in effect.
Expanded sites have 14 to 18 roll off containers at each location. Watch: video of expanded recycling sites (1:09)
Three existing collection sites were selected as final sites:
Two new collection site location were selected:
Existing final sites were expanded before other nearby sites were closed. All sites are available to Lincoln and Lancaster County residents.
LTU wants to run efficient and financially healthy programs to better serve the community. LTU would like to stress the importance of recycling and would encourage citizens to continue to do so through curbside recycling or at the Recyclables Collection Sites if curbside recycling is not an option for your household. As a reminder, all garbage collectors offer recycling as a service. Contact your collector today to find out more about curbside recycling.
The consolidation planning team took many factors into consideration:
Data provided by recycling collectors showed the number of residents who invested in curbside pickup grew 24 percent from 2017 to 2018. Those who sign up for curbside recycling tend to recycle up to three times as much recycling as other recyclers.
Garbage/recycling collectors are equipped to handle the addition of more curbside pickups.
Through increased curbside use, garbage/recycling collectors become more efficient, as they pick up recycling from more homes on the same street, using the same tank of gas.
Solid Waste Management previously invested a minimum of 60 hours per week maintaining recyclables collection sites due to illegal dumping, vandalism or other poor uses.
This project will save LTU Solid Waste Management an estimated $2 million per year in operation costs.