Rollout Recycling Frequently Asked Questions
Rollout Recycling in Winston-Salem!
Your recycling will be picked up every other week.
See the collection week dates for Red Weeks and Blue Weeks.
Waste Management will continue to provide the recycling collection service that will use the 96-gallon rollout carts.
Why can’t I use my rollout cart until April?
The rollout recycling carts must be emptied by Waste Management's automated trucks, which will not go into service until April.
Why are you delivering carts now if the program doesn’t start until April?
Approximately 70,000 carts must be delivered before rollout recycling begins. It will take almost 12 weeks to get them all delivered before the new trucks enter service.
I fill up two bins each week. With collection every other week, will the cart hold it all?
The carts should have plenty of capacity. The bins hold 18 gallons. The rollout carts hold 96 gallons, which is more than five times as much.
Will any new materials be accepted?
Yes. Aluminum foil and pie tins will now be accepted. Remember to rinse the pie tins first.
Who will be receiving carts?
All households that currently have curbside recycling service for their individual living unit will receive a cart. This includes single family houses, townhouses, duplexes and some others.
I live in a multifamily complex with a recycling station. Will I receive an individual cart for my unit?
No. Residents in a multifamily with a reycyling station will have to continue to take their recycling to the station. If your multifamily complex does not have a recycling station, the complex manager should e-mail Derek Owens, the city’s recycling coordinator, to arrange for a station.
How will I know what week to put out my cart?
A brochure will be delivered with your cart that designates your house for either “red week” or “blue week” collection. This brochure includes a clip-off calendar that shows your collection weeks for the rest of the year. Residents will also be able to type in their address online and look up their collection week.
What do I do with my green bin after April 2?
You may keep the bin and use it for something else. If you want, you may recycle your bin by putting it in your cart once rollout recycling starts.
What if I want to turn my bin in?
Call CityLink 311 and request a pickup.
Will my collection day change?
Many households will have the same recycling collection day as now. Households that have to change collection days will be notified by mail.
Why change? What are the benefits?
Rollout recycling offers more convenience and reduces costs. Residents will no longer have to separate their recyclables; with biweekly collection they only have to put out their recycling half as often; cardboard does not have to be broken down as long as it fits completely inside the cart; and the cart consolidates the storage of your recyclables between pick-ups and protects them from the weather. Also, rollout recycling increases the amount of recyclable materials collected weekly, and biweekly, automated collection reduces collection time, saving fuel and reducing emissions.
I don’t need a cart this big for my recycling. Can I keep using the green bin?
No, you may not continue to use the green bin after April 2. After this date, all curbside recycling will be collected by Waste Management's automated trucks that only work with the rollout carts that the city provides.
I understand that there is a computer chip in the cart. What is it for?
The carts come with unique radio frequency identification (RFID) chips. The chips may eventually be used with short-range scanners mounted on the collection trucks to keep track of the carts and provide collection data. However, this will not be part of the initial program.
Do I have to recycle?
If you want to participate in the city’s curbside recycling program, you will have to use the cart after April 2. However, participation in the program is voluntary. If you received a cart and do not want to participate, call CityLink 311 to make arrangements to have the cart retrieved.
What about those who are physically unable to roll out their recycling cart?
Households where no one is physically able to roll out the cart, but want to participate in rollout recycling, can call City Link 311 and make arrangements for a crew to service their cart. These households will have to compete a form certifying that no one in the home is physically able to roll out the cart. Rollout recycling exemption form - print and mail in [pdf]
Is the cart mine to keep?
No. The city retains ownership of the cart. Each cart is assigned to a particular address. If you move, you must leave the cart for use by the next occupant.
What can be put into the recycling cart?
What is NOT allowed in the recycling cart?
Aluminum scraps, antifreeze containers, books, binders, ceramics, deli containers, dishes, drinking glasses, hazardous waste containers, light bulbs, mirrors, motor oil containers, paint cans, pesticide containers, pizza boxes or other cardboard boxes that are contaminated with grease or food residue, plastic bags, plastic newspaper bags, plastic wrap, Pyrex containers, spiral notebooks, Styrofoam, wax-coated boxes, wide-mouth containers (margarine tubs, ice cream pails, etc.) or window glass. If in doubt, please call 72-EARTH.
|