By Josiah Sananda
AUSTIN, TX (September 10, 2024) –
Recently, Keep Austin Beautiful had the opportunity to tour our local Recycle and Reuse Drop-Off Center (RRDOC) in Austin, Texas. It was nothing short of eye-opening! If you’ve ever wondered what happens to those tricky-to-recycle items like old electronics, tires, or even Styrofoam, this place is where the magic happens. The RRDOC is run by Austin Resource Recovery (ARR), and they’re all about finding ways to properly dispose of or repurpose materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill. As we walked through the facility, we were amazed by the variety of items they handle. Tires, paint, oil, string lights, Styrofoam, electronics, and even campaign signs— so many different things can be given a new life!
One surprising fact we learned is that each year, the center processes over 2 million batteries. They’ve even come up with a shorthand for the materials they focus on: BOPA—batteries, oil, paint, and antifreeze. Speaking of paint, we were really impressed by the Austin ReBlend program. Did you know that around 70% of all unused paint is latex? The RRDOC takes that leftover paint and blends it into new, low VOC paint. The colors are inspired by the local landscape, with names like Texas Limestone and Balcones Canyonlands. And the best part? You can pick up a couple of 5-gallon buckets for free! During their 2022 fiscal year, this center collected and recycled over 26,000 gallons of unused paint. Impressive.
Innovative Solutions
Another highlight of the tour was learning about how they handle Styrofoam. Styrofoam is notoriously difficult to recycle, but the RRDOC has a solution. They melt it into dense blocks, which can then be turned into products like picture frames or insulation. Just be sure your Styrofoam is clean and free of any tape or stickers before you drop it off—those little details really matter in this recycling process.
Tires, on the other hand, can’t be turned into new tires due to safety concerns, but they’re still put to good use. At the RRDOC, tires are shredded and repurposed in a variety of ways, including filling cracks in highways and as a base material for playground surfaces. It’s pretty incredible to think that something as seemingly worthless as an old tire can find new life in such important infrastructure.
Making Recycling Easier for Everyone
What really stood out to me during the tour was the center’s commitment to making recycling accessible and convenient for everyone. For residentsof Austin and Travis County, dropping off materials at the RRDOC is completely free—you just need to schedule an appointment online. And for those who live farther away, in districts 4 and 10, a new door pickup pilot program is in the works. By January 2025, this program will be available citywide, making it even easier for people to responsibly dispose of household hazardous waste.
The ARR website and mobile app contains a tool where residents can schedule drop off appointments at the RRDOC, and where they can search the best way to deal with specific materials.
We Should All Do Our Part
Our most important takeaway from the tour was that recycling doesn’t have to be perfect—it just needs to be done with care. The RRDOC staff emphasized that while plastics and other materials can be tricky, the key is to give it our best shot. After all, every small effort counts toward fixing the solid waste problem.
If you’re looking to dispose of household items in an environmentally friendly way, or if you’re simply curious about where your waste goes, we highly recommend visiting the RRDOC. It’s a reminder that we all have a role to play in protecting our planet, one recycled item at a time.
