Recycling

Richmond Heights has a mandatory curbside recycling program. Solid waste pickups and the recycling program are free to residents of single-family homes and multi-family buildings containing a maximum of four dwelling units. 

The City's contracted waste hauler (Allied Waste) provides eligible residences with one trash pick-up and one curbside pick-up of recyclable materials (including compostable yard waste) each week.

In 2009, the City distributed 65-gallon recycling carts on wheels to all single-family residences, including multi-family structures housing two to four families each. The carts are free of charge to residents, and specifically designed to facilitate participation in the City’s single-stream recycling program agreement with the waste hauler. Each cart is marked with a serial number. If residents or tenants move away, the designated carts must remain with the sold or vacated property. Questions about single-stream recycling or the carts can be directed to the City’s Single-Stream Recycling Hot Line at (314) 645-5396. 

 

Recyclable Materials

Recyclables include:

• newspapers and newspaper inserts (remove plastic sleeves)
• magazines, catalogs
• junk mail
• cardboard
• brown paper bags
• phone books
• paperback books 
• glass of all colors
• plastic milk jugs
• aluminum cans
• tin cans
• compostable materials, such as grass clippings, brush, tree limbs and twigs

For a more thorough list, please contact Public Works at 314-645-2277.

Recyclables should be placed in the bins provided by the City. Sorting is not required. Compostables should be placed in plastic or metal waste containers that have tight-fitting lids or in biodegradable containers such as brown kraft paper bags or un-waxed cardboard boxes. Plastic bags may not be used for compostables. The City has a twice-yearly leaf vacuuming program also.

Cardboard Recycling

Questions have been raised concerning the collection of cardboard. While cardboard is considered a single stream recycle material, some of Allied Waste’s equipment has not been updated to handle the compaction of the single stream line. While they are proceeding in the process of changing the equipment style to accommodate single stream recycling, they will be collecting cardboard in the best manner possible.

The procedure for cardboard is as follows:
 
Needs to be broken down.
No larger than 3'x3'.
Do not place boxes inside boxes.
Do not use boxes as a receptacle