Recyclables Collection Sites Consolidation Plan

Thank You for Your Commitment to Recycling

Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) Solid Waste Management Division is proud to have provided environmentally friendly recycling opportunities for the general public for the last 30 years. LTU Solid Waste Management is focused on providing services its customers request and will continue to offer recycling as a sustainable solution for residents through consolidation of its recyclables collection site program.

YouTube video Watch: video of expanded recycling sites (1:09)

Recyclables Collection Sites Plan

Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) Solid Waste Management will begin consolidating Lincoln's recyclables collection sites from June to the summer of 2021. The effort will increase efficiency, sustainability and maintain the division’s financial health in the short and long-term.

The recyclables collection program will expand and maintain four or five of 19 recyclables collection sites. There will be a large site in each quadrant of the city.

All other sites will slowly close including all nine recyclables collection sites located outside of Lincoln, in Lancaster County. The City is returning recycling responsibilities back to the County. People living in Lancaster County are welcome to drop off recyclables at the new sites.

Signs will be posted at every site during each opening and closing of recyclables collection sites to assist the public in navigating where to go.

The Lincoln cardboard ban will still be in effect.

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New containers will hold an average of 5 to 15 times the amount that current containers hold Watch: video of new containers (0:42) Fact sheet on new containers(PDF, 870KB)

Expanded sites will have 14 to 18 roll off containers at each location. Watch: video of expanded recycling sites (1:09)

Current and Future Recyclables Collection Sites

Two current collection sites have been selected as final sites:

  • East High School at 70th and “A” streets
  • North 48th Street Transfer Station at 5101 N. 48th St.

These sites will be expanded as other sites are closed. The other two or three final locations have not been determined and will be announced at a later date. The new sites will be available to all Lincoln and Lancaster County residents.

  • Current recycling sitesCurrent sites
  • Potential future collection site locationPotential future sites
  • Finalized collection site locationFinal future sites
  • Closed sitesClosed sites

Why Consolidation and Why Now?

LTU wants to run efficient and financially healthy programs to better serve the community. LTU would like to stress the importance of recycling and would encourage citizens to continue to do so through curbside recycling or at the Recyclables Collection Sites if curbside recycling is not an option for your household. As a reminder, all garbage collectors offer recycling as a service. Contact your collector today to find out more about curbside recycling.

The consolidation planning team has taken many factors into consideration:

Data provided by recycling collectors show the number of residents who invest in curbside pickup grew 24 percent from 2017 to 2018. Currently, 40 percent of single-family households invest in curbside recyclables collection in Lincoln.

Garbage/recycling collectors are equipped to handle the addition of more curbside pickups.

Through increased curbside use, garbage/recycling collectors become more efficient, as they pick up recycling from more homes on the same street, using the same tank of gas.

Data shows residents who choose curbside recycling collection recycle four-and-a-half times more material than all others. If residents have questions about how or what to recycling, the Solid Waste Management Division or your recycling company can help. Call our hotline at 402-441-8215.

Solid Waste Management invests a minimum of 60 hours per week maintaining recyclables collection sites due to illegal dumping, vandalism or other poor uses.

This proposal will save LTU Solid Waste Management an estimated $2 million per year in operation costs.

Efficiency Improvements

Consolidation will save $130 per ton of recycling material in operations costs.

  • Current collection site operations cost $376 per ton of recycling material in operation costs
  • After consolidation, LTU expects collection site operations to cost $246 per ton
  • Curbside recycling costs $229/ton
  • Standardize bins and collection equipment will improve the look and function of each large site

Future Benefits

Being aware of recycling benefits and creates a path for the future is important to Lincoln's success.

  • Four or five large sites spread out around Lincoln
  • Increased bin sizes will be able to hold large amounts of recyclable material
  • Increased security to monitor for illegal dumping
  • Recycling preserves the use of natural resources
  • Recycling grows the local and national economy
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