Recycling Can Be Complicated: Here’s How to Do it in Lubbock

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As someone who tries to live as sustainable of a lifestyle as I can, recycling is something I find very important. Unfortunately, I live in a city that doesn’t make recycling as user-friendly as it could be.

I grew up in an area where every house had its own recycling and garbage bins that the city would pick up for you. It made recycling so much easier and more desirable, so it was a common thing for each household to participate. Obviously, the system wasn’t perfect, but it was much easier than it is here in Lubbock, Texas.

Fortunately, you can still recycle in Lubbock, but many people don’t want to bother to take the time to do it because sorting your own recycling can seem really intimidating and time-consuming. While it does take a bit more time to sort your recycling and bring it to a drop-off center around town, it’s actually much easier than it looks. So I wanted to share some tips for recycling in Lubbock to make the process a little less intimidating.

The first thing you need to do before you start recycling in Lubbock is to learn what you can and can’t recycle. The eight categories they accept include aluminum, tin, paper, newspaper, cardboard, plastic #2 color and plastic #2 opaque. Some of the things they don’t accept include plastic bags, glass and plastics #3-#7. For a detailed list of what is and isn’t accepted, you can visit the City of Lubbock’s website.

Once you know what can be recycled, you just need a few different bins in your home where you can separate and organize the recyclables you’re working with. Once you’re ready to drop the materials off, head to your nearest drop-off and put each category in its designated bins. It’s as simple as that.

If sorting and dropping off your own recycling still feels like too much effort, you should consider checking out a local recycling service for some options that'll do it for you. They're just a quick Google search away.

For more information about recycling in Lubbock, visit the City of Lubbock’s website.