Memphis Recycling

Larger carts lead to more recycling. More recycling leads to more economic, environmental and social benefits. With today’s roll out of 40,000 of these 96-gallon carts, we’re proud to take an other significant step in making Memphis a more sustainable city.The Memphis County Solid Waste department works hard to provide environmentally responsible collection and disposal of trash, yard waste, and recycling. Starting July 1, we have hired a new company, Inland Waste Services, to provide curbside collection service to your home and new 96-gallon recycling carts. Over the next few years, working alongside the Memphis-Shelby County Office of Sustainability, and with our recycling partner ReCommunity, we are planning on providing 96-gallon carts to the entire city. So please join me in this recycling effort, whether at work, on the go, or with our new 96-gallon recycling carts.

The City of Memphis is expanding its residential recycling program, replacing the 18-gallon bin with a 96-gallon cart. You are one of the first in Memphis to receive the new Recycling Cart. The cart is bigger and has wheels to make recycling as convenient and easy as possible. The lid keeps recyclables dry and minimizes litter. Place all recyclable materials in this cart, and we will make sure that they are recycled rather than buried in a landfill.

Why should I Recycle?

Recycling saves us all money by earning the City revenue rather than paying to dispose of garbage in a landfill. Recycling provides other economic benefits too. Much of the recovered paper, cardboard, metal, plastic, and glass are used in the Southeast U.S. to make new products. Also, local jobs are created to collect and process recyclables. The environment benefits because less water, energy, and other natural resources are used in the recycling process than in extracting and producing raw materials.

We are proud to announce that the residential recycling program has been expanded. Some of the new materials include All Plastic Containers, Milk and Juice cartons Large rigid plastics (5-gallon pails, plastic bins, hampers, plastic toys, and plastic furniture). Plus there is no need to cut cardboard into individual sheets. If it fits in the Recycling Cart, we’ll collect it.