SAFE Recycling Center

Our History

The San Angelo Friends of the Environment, or SAFE, operates a Recycling Center that was started in 1990 by a group of concerned citizens. The first recycling drive was held at the San Angelo Nature Center in April 1990 and was so popular that more drives were held monthly for the next four years.

In 1993, Reece Albert, Inc. gave SAFE a one-year lease on a property on Knickerbocker Road. With donations of materials from local businesses, and manpower from Goodfellow Air Force Base and other organizations within the local area, San Angelo's first Recycling Center opened in 1994. Reece Albert, Inc. generously extended the lease and the Recycling Center operated until it outgrew the location site.

Today, The Recycling Center operates on its permanent location at 702 Warehouse Road, just off of Jackson Street. It is staffed by only two permanent employees and continues to rely on the generous hep from volunteers and businesses to make improvements and to help operate the facility.

The SAFE Recycling Center is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and receives donations of money, time, or materials from individuals, local businesses, groups, and organizations. It is not run by the City of San Angelo or Tom Green County, but they are both cooperative, supportive, and work closely with the Recycling Center.

Our Mission

• To develop an environmentally aware and concerned population dedicated to solving and preventing environmental problems
• To research and promote consumer products and behaviors which will reduce household and corporate was in the San Angelo area
• Specifically, SAFE has targeted these activities: a) to make recycling alternatives available to the San Angelo area, b) to promote environmentally friendly products and services, c) to educate the public about environmental issues, and d) to aid in the creation and/or attraction of environmental industries in San Angelo

In case you didn't know....we have partnered with HEB Texas Grocery to recycle more types of plastic!  This includes:

• grocery bags
• Ziploc and other zip sealing bags
• plastic rings around six packs of sodas and beer
• newspaper sleeves
• outer wrap (ex. bottled water packs)
• dry cleaning bags

We will make 350 pound bales out of this plastic and deliver them to our local HEB,  They will load them and take them to their main distribution center in San Antonio, Texas.  Here they will be recycled with all of their plastic bags and cardboard from all of their stores in Texas.

s.a.f.e. no longer accepts oil

San Angelo Friends of the Environment is sad to report we can no longer recycle oil and oil filters for our community. This is a result of increased processing costs.We hope to be able to provide this service again in the near future. Until then, please be aware you can take your oil to O'Reilly's, Autozone, Advanced Autocare or Walmart Super Centers. All of these businesses have a 5 gallon maximum, but no limit on oil filters. Advanced Auto Parts is the only location that accepts anti-freese.

RECYCLING E-WASTE

Our society has adapted to a rapid pace for changes in technology, which means consumers are buying and replacing electronics at an all time high. As a consequence, we are throwing more away and much of our electronic waste (or e-waste) has components that are not good for our environment. San Angelo Friends of the Environment want to do our part in helping the community stay safe from e-waste.

SAFE had been partnering with ECS in Mesquite, TX to recycle all of the e-waste we that we had been collecting but due to the cost increase, it used to be free, they would charge SAFE $654.00 in freight and .27 cents a pound to recycle TV's & monitors, which is about $5,500.00 per semi-truck load which is a cost that SAFE can not absorb, SAFE would have to charge at least $25.00 per TV & computer monitor to cover that cost. SAFE has found a company that will take our microwaves, printers, cell phones, computer towers & laptops so those items may still be brought to SAFE.

WHAT WE CANNOT RECYCLE

• Mattresses, box springs
• Motor oil, brake fluid, oil filters
• Antifreeze
• Window glass, windshields, mirrors
• Paint
• Alkaline batteries
• Light bulbs
• Tires
• Firearms, ammunition
• Coat hangers
• Wood fencing
• TV's & computer monitors