Right-Size Your Containers and Frequency

Understanding container options of size and frequency can help people save money and recover the most materials possible. Master Recyclers often spend a lot of time thinking about what goes in each container. But familiarizing yourself with the range of options can also empower you to help people troubleshoot and make the most of their curbside system.

You have all kinds of options! Many people think that the standard service is the only service. The curbside collections system throughout the region was designed to balance overall system costs, cost to the rate payer and incentives to recycle and compost.

Fit your household needs, help the environment and save money.

  • Contact your garbage and recycling company to learn all of the collection options in your area.
  • Most parts of the region have about four size options for garbage and some cities even have a couple of size options for recycling and yard debris. Where available, people who live in tight quarters prefer the smaller containers. Smaller containers for the garbage reduce the bill. Recycling and compost container sizes do not affect the bill.
  • Most programs also offer variations on the frequency of pick up options including monthly or on-call options.
  • Watch over a year to see if any of the containers are regularly over- or under-full and make changes accordingly.
  • Many areas offer an extra garbage pick up service. There is a fee for this extra service, but during a party or the holidays this one-time fee makes it so you don’t have to set up your regular service to meet the capacity of the largest events of the year.
  • Set your composting containers out every time that there is service to avoid odors and vermin.
  • Opt to set your recycling out when the cart is mostly full to reduce the number of stops for the collection driver.