The waste game is changing in Surprise, Arizona. Starting March 4, local garbage disposal steps up with the launch of the city's curbside recycling program. Wave goodbye to Saturdays spent at drop-off recycling centers because, starting next week, the blue bins at your curb will mark the new frontier in the city's waste management.
During a pre-launch phase that saw recycling trucks already hitting the streets, residents of Surprise were acquainted with the sight of their blue bins being trundled away. This however, the collected items will find their way to a recycling center to be reborn as something useful. Residents will need to follow some new ground rules to ensure a smooth collection process, according to the Surprise, Arizona.
Foremost among these, bins must hit the curb by 6 a.m. sharp, poised against the curb with handles facing homewards. Spaced out with at least a four-foot berth from their refuse brethren, light posts, fences, and the like – the bins should be left clear of cars, with a suggested 15-foot distance to avoid game-day pick-up fouls. These preparations, the city believes, are crucial for the program's success.
Meticulous sorting is the new recycle rally cry. Acceptable items include numbers 1 or 2 plastics, sleek aluminum or tin cans, stoic glass bottles, steadfast paper – though not the kind that has been shredded – and cardboard with a tale to tell but only if it's clean and dry. Recycling rule-breakers can expect a tag of shame, an educational notice about their errors. And those who buck the rules repeatedly might just land a violation notice, as per the Surprise, Arizona.
For those resisting change or simply looking for one last hoorah, the Public Works North Yard will open its gates for drop-off recycling one final time on March 2. But come March 4, residents will be encouraged to embrace the new curbside service, touted as the most efficient recycling method for the city's future. Details on pickup schedules are a click away with the MySurprise App, easily found in any app store or online at surpriseaz.gov/mysurprise. As always, Surprise's digital arm reaches out to inform and engage its citizenry in the quest for environmental stewardship.
