With curbside recycling in limbo, Surprise residents get drop-off option
Aug 21, 2019, 2:00 PM
Surprise's city-run drop-off location is closed while the recycling program is being evaluated, but residents have a new option for depositing certain materials. (Google Street View)
(Google Street View)
PHOENIX – Residents of a West Valley suburb that suspended its curbside recycling program now have an option for dropping off certain materials to keep them out of the landfill.
On Monday, the day curbside service ended, Surprised announced a drop-off option at Waste Management’s recycling center in the city, located at 19401 W. Deer Valley Road.
The deposits can be made from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays, and the arrangement with Waste Management is good through the end of the year.
The drop-off service is for Surprise residents only and limited to the following items, which must be clean and dry: aluminum, tin and steel cans; plastic bottles, detergent containers and milk jugs; and flattened cardboard.
Waste Management says they will resume resident drop-off of specific recycling materials at their Surprise facility through the end of the year. If you are able to participate please do as we work to find a fiscally-responsible solution to our city curbside recycling program. pic.twitter.com/9qVESNoouE
— City of Surprise (@AZSurprise) August 19, 2019
“We hope residents that can will participate as we continue to search for a cost-effective solution to our curbside recycling program,” Deputy City Manager Diane Arthur told KTAR News 92.3 FM in an email.
On Aug. 12, Surprise announced it would start dumping the contents of blue recycling bins into the landfill this week, citing rising costs related to a market volatility.
The decision was made to avoid a rate increase and provide time to evaluate options.
“While we evaluate cost-effective solutions, we want residents to continue the practice of placing the correct recycling items in the blue bin, so that when we find a solution people will have never changed their habit of separating recyclables from trash,” Surprise Public Works Director Mike Gent said in a press release announcing the decision.
The city’s new utility rates, which went into effect July 1, didn’t anticipate a 300% spike in the cost of recycling drop-offs between May 2018 and May 2019, the release said.
The city-run recycling drop-off location at 13430 W. Westgate Drive is closed during the suspension.
