Recycling
Recycling is collected every other week on the same day as waste collection. To give an accurate answer we’ll need to look up the address. You may do so by clicking here or call 402-444-5238 for assistance in determining your collection day and whether you are in the A group or the B group. Then follow the calendar posted here.
A complete explanation is available when you click here or you can jump directly to our recycling chart.
To put it simply you may place the following in your green recycling cart:
- Aluminum cans
- Steel cans
- Plastics bottles and packaging 1, 2, 3 and 5 (check the bottom of the bottle for number inside a triangle set of arrows)
- Milk cartons, juice and soup boxes
- We don’t accept glass in the cart. Glass can be recycled at the drop-off sites.
Put the following in a paper bag so you don’t cause litter and then place in your green recycling cart:
- All clean paper including newspapers, magazines, junk mail and cardboard.
More than 15 years ago The city switched to an easier way of recycling called “single stream.” All recyclables go in your green lidded cart mixed together. No need to sort anything.
Omaha switched to single-stream recycling collection to make recycling even easier but single-stream recycling is collected in a compactor truck that would break glass. This meant that Omaha had to remove glass from the system because it can be dangerous for the recycling workers and contaminate other materials such as paper. You can still recycle glass by taking your glass to one of the Omaha area drop-off sites. The list of drop-off sites is available by clicking here.
Six holidays are observed by the collection contractor and affect the collection schedule of all material, recycling, waste and yardwaste. When holidays occur during the work week collection is delayed by one day for the remainder of that week, with the regularly scheduled Friday collection occurring on Saturday. View our holiday schedule » An e-mail reminders service about the holiday collection schedule is available. To register click here.
Visit our website at www.OmahaRecycles.com. Also watch your mail for our publication WASTELINE that is mailed out several times per year. To look at back issues, click here.
Omaha’s recycling program offers an easy and convenient way for you to do good, all from the comforts of your own home. Recycling is O! So Easy. By placing your recyclables in your green recycling cart, you can help divert materials from the landfill and help preserve natural resources. Each year residents of Omaha recycle around 15,000 tons of materials. That equates to half a million dollars in energy resources saved each year.
Recyclables are picked up every other week in Omaha. FCC, our collection contractor, uses packer trucks, commonly called garbage trucks. Trucks are labeled for the material they are collecting, RECYCLE, or GARBAGE. The recyclables are taken to an indoor, semi-automated, processing facility under contract with the city. This company separates the different materials, compacts and bales the material for shipment to various companies to make new items. By using recycled resources to make new items, companies save billions of dollars each year in energy costs. Here is an example of the process: an aluminum can that is recycled in Omaha, will be shipped to an aluminum plant where it is melted and used to make a new can that is then back on store shelves in as little as 60 days. That is called closed loop recycling and it starts right in your kitchen when you choose to recycle that can!
Like this but it will say recycle
We offer recycling to all the single-family households in Omaha and also the apartment buildings where the property owner has registered to have the City collect the building’s waste and recyclables. For apartment buildings that we don’t provide service to, we do encourage you to use any of the Omaha drop-off locations. A listing of drop-off sites is available by clicking here.
No. The recycling cart is for recycling only and it is important to not contaminate the contents with other wastes. Repeated misuse of the recycling cart may result in it being removed.
YES! Starting the week of November 30, you can’t use anything but the carts provided. No garbage cans and no green bins. You can’t use look-alike carts, either. By look-alike, we mean carts that retailers sell that look like the City of Omaha’s new collection carts. The big difference? They aren’t marked with the official City of Omaha seal. FCC Environmental WILL NOT collect your waste and recyclables if you don’t place them in the carts you received from the City of Omaha. It’s that simple!
An occasional rinse with a hose is all that should be needed to keep it clean and free from attracting pests.
If you can repurpose your old garbage can, that would be great!
You can also place your old garbage can in the black lid waste cart if you can still close the cart’s lid.
Every other week on your normal collection day. Remember – the switch to the every other week schedule started back on June 29, so just keep doing what you’re doing. Your assignment of A or B group recycling, and which week we are on can all be found at wasteline.org.
YES! Starting the week of November 30, only material in carts will be collected. You can’t use look-alike carts, either. By look-alike we mean carts that retailers sell that look like the City of Omaha’s new collection carts. The big difference? They are not marked with the official City of Omaha seal. FCC Environmental WILL NOT collect your recyclables if you don’t place them in the recycling cart you received from the City of Omaha.
Firstly, we want to congratulate you on being so green! Secondly, you can lease an additional 96 gallon recycling cart from FCC Environmental. The annual cost is $45.50 – half the cost of renting an additional waste cart! It must be paid in advance and includes delivery. If your home has more than five family members living in it, the City of Omaha can provide you with an additional 96 gallon recycling cart at no cost to you. There is a registration form for this service available at wasteline.org/mycart, or call 402-444-5238 for the form to be mailed to you. It may go without saying, but are you flattening your boxes? That can take up a lot of space.
Energy Bags are a way to alternatively dispose of non-recyclable plastic items in a more beneficial way. You can visit Hefty’s webpage about Energy Bags by Clicking Here. There are many retailers that sell the bags, and Hefty maintains a list here. Lastly, you can refer to the overview brochures we have about Energy Bags by clicking here.
You should store it inside your garage/shed or outside your home in a convenient location. You CAN’T keep your recycling cart at the curb all week – it can only be there on your collection day. If storage in your garage or behind your home isn’t possible, you may consider putting in a screen fence or adding shrubbery. Take a walk around your block and see how your neighbors are storing their carts – you might get some great ideas!
An occasional rinse with a hose is all that should be needed to keep it clean and free from attracting pests.
As we suggested above, consider using it to recycle glass or to collect recyclables in the house or garage before taking to your cart! It also makes a great storage container for items in your garage, garden tools, etc. If you add drainage to its bottom, turn it into a planter for your tomatoes! If you can’t repurpose it, you can place it in your new green lid recycling cart.
Yes. Some retailers sell carts that look like the City of Omaha’s new collection carts. The big difference? They aren’t marked with the official City of Omaha seal. FCC Environmental WILL NOT collect your waste and recyclables if you don’t place them in the carts you received from the City of Omaha. It’s that simple.
The new wheeled carts help automate the collection process, which will increase collection efficiency and help avoid worker injury. It standardizes the collection so everyone gets an equal and fair amount. Most cities Omaha’s size have already transitioned to an automated collection system. It’s time to join them and enjoy the benefits of a modernized system.
The new waste collection vehicles have a mechanism that lifts the carts and dumps the contents into the truck. Where possible, the collection will be completed without a worker outside the cab of the truck — again, for efficiency and safety.
The week of November 30, 2020 and no sooner! Your collection day won’t change. For example, if your collection day is Thursday, your waste cart will be collected Thursday, December 3 and every Thursday after that. Your recycling cart will be collected every other week according to your current schedule. If you are unsure of your collection day and recycling week, visit doc.wasteline.org.
The time has not changed. Your carts should be put out before 6:00AM on your collection day. You must remove your carts by 10:00AM the day after your collection day.
Carts should be placed directly at the curb or roadway and AT LEAST three feet apart from each other or other objects (like trees, mailboxes, lamp posts and parked cars) so the mechanism on the truck can reach each cart. The cart handle should be toward your house.
If cars park in front or there are objects in the way, the truck driver will determine if they need to get out of the truck and move the cart so that they can empty it.
FCC is collecting until 7:00 PM each day. Any missed collections should be reported to the City’s Solid Waste Helpline, 402-444-5238.
All City of Omaha carts have a serial number and an electronic RFID tag, so the carts that were delivered to your home have been “assigned” to your address. If your cart is found in another location, it can be returned to the address it was assigned to – yours! If we don’t know where it is, you will also likely be referred to the Police Department’s non-emergency number to report a minor property crime.
If your cart is stolen please follow these steps.
Step 1: File a police report. Online at https://police.cityofomaha.org/incident-form or call the non-emergency number (402) 444-4877.
Step 2: Once you have your police report number then call us at 402-444-5238.
You are responsible for protecting (and not abusing) your carts. In the case of damage due to normal wear and tear, your cart will be repaired at no cost to you. Be smart about what you place in your cart. If, for example, you put hot coals in your cart, you will have to pay for its repair or replacement. To report a damaged cart, please call 402-444-5238.
If you have five or more family members in your home, you can be provided with an additional 96-gallon cart at no charge. For more information click here, or to have the form mailed to you call 402-444-5238.
For all other situations, FCC Environmental will lease households an additional 96-gallon cart for an annual fee. To lease a cart, email omaha@fccenvironmental.com and include your name, address, phone number, and type of cart wanted. If you have questions, call 402-444-5238.
Great question! The carts have been “assigned” to your address, so you simply leave them at your old home. Carts will be waiting for you at your new home — good luck with the move!
Two of the drop-off sites moved recently. The former site near 75th and Corby Streets is now at 10910 Emmet St. a block north of West Maple Road.
A former site near 26th and Douglas Streets is now located near 17th and Burt Streets on the Creighton University campus.
Nothing can be placed outside of carts other than yardwaste bags and bundles, and lids on the carts must be able to fully close.
The Oma-Gro facility, 15705 Harlan Lewis Road in Bellevue, also accepts yard waste.
If you want yardwaste picked up that does not fit in your waste cart you will need a yardwaste sticker for each brown bag. Please read the rules on the sticker for proper placement.
NO, do not paint or damage your new carts. Each cart is equipped with an electronic chip that ties the cart to the residence where it was delivered. If you move homes, the carts stay behind.
Yes, but the city is asking people to try out the 96-gallon carts for three months. At that time, you can request carts that are half the size of the big ones.
The city also offers a program for people who need assistance with their waste collection. Residents who are 70 or older, or have a verified medical need, can request that crews collect their carts from a location of their choice — near their house, for example.
People interested in the program can call 402-444-5238 to register.
Yes, the driver will get out and move the cart so that they can pick it up with the truck arms. Do your best to space the carts 18 inches apart on the side of the road or in the area between the road and the sidewalk. It is best to have 18 inches around all sides of the carts so that the arms on the truck can pick up the carts without any problems.
You may lease an extra cart from FCC. There is an annual fee for this. You will make the request by email to omaha@fccenvironmental.com
Collections will remain in the same area you placed the carts in the past.
Yes. The original copy that was advertised is available by clicking here.
