February 14, 2003
Subject: Recycling Carts Begin Arriving February 15

Crews will begin delivering blue recycling carts to Fort Worth residents on
February 15. It will take several weeks to deliver carts to all 154,000
households, so some residents will not receive a recycling cart until mid or
late March.

All residents should wait to begin using the blue recycling cart until the
week of March 31. In the meantime, residents should continue to place
currently accepted recyclables in the green, rectangular recycling bin and
set the bin at the curb on their recycling day. Garbage pickup will continue
twice a week until June 30, except in designated pilot areas.

Each household that currently receives residential curbside garbage and
recycling pickup will receive one 64-gallon recycling cart. There is no
upfront charge for the cart or delivery. The cart remains the property of
the City of Fort Worth and must be left behind if you move. The city will
make any needed repairs or replacements, but citizens are responsible for
keeping the cart clean by rinsing with a garden hose, when necessary.

Where To Store Carts
After the recycling cart is delivered, residents should retrieve it from the
front curb and begin looking for an appropriate place to store it. The city
requires only that carts be stored where they can't be seen from a public
street. Depending on your home, proper storage could be in the garage, under
the carport, screened behind a shrub or fence, near a back door, in the
kitchen or utility room.

Recycling carts measure no more than 27.5" wide by 31.5" deep and
41.75" high. Durable wheels allow carts to roll easily over gravel and grass and up
and down stairs. Each cart has a serial number that will be recorded with
the street address where it’s delivered, allowing the city to track any
lost or stolen carts.

What About Bins?
When recycling begins in carts March 31, recycling will no longer be
collected from the green, rectangular recycling bins. Residents may keep
their bin to store recyclables or other household items.

New Recyclables List
Recycling carts will come with instructions and an updated list of
recyclables. Many new items have been added to the recycling list, including
more types of paper, glass, metal and plastic. In general, any paper that
tears -- junk mail, catalogues, even cereal boxes -- can be recycled. All colors
of glass and china can be recycled, even if they're broken. Food and drink
cans and lids made of aluminum, tin or steel are recyclable. Also, recycle
rigid plastic bottles, cups, jars, tubs and trays with the numbers one
through seven recycling symbols on the bottom. A few items, such as pizza
boxes and Styrofoam, still cannot be recycled in the curbside program.

Recyclables can be tossed in the cart all together -- no sorting is
necessary. Food containers should be rinsed before putting them into the
cart to help reduce odor and keep the cart clean.

Recycle More, Pay Less
Recycling will play an important role when new curbside garbage service
begins in wheeled carts in late June. By recycling more, residents can
reduce the amount of garbage they throw away. With less garbage, residents
may be able to save money on their monthly garbage bill.

After using the recycling cart for a while, residents will receive
information by mail to help them choose the right size garbage cart for
their household. By returning a form, residents will choose a 32-, 64- or
96-gallon garbage cart. The monthly garbage service fee will be based on the
garbage cart size: $8 per month for the smallest cart, $13 per month for the
mid-size cart or $18 per month for the largest cart. Citizens will be
notified by mail when it's time to choose their garbage cart size.

For more information about current or new garbage and recycling services,
visit www.fortworthgov.org/dem or call 817-392-EASY (3279). To schedule a
speaker for your neighborhood, church or civic group call 817-871-6301.