Jefferson Parish not likely to restart curbside recycling
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Glass Half Full operates a drop-off recycling site in Jefferson Parish. Photo: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios
It's been a year since Jefferson Parish has had curbside recycling, and it doesn't look like it's coming back any time soon.
Why it matters: Leaders are encouraging residents to sign up individually with vendors who are offering alternatives.
Catch up quick: Jefferson Parish Council members let the recycling contract lapse at the end of 2023, citing increased costs and low residential participation.
- Members Scott Walker and Jennifer Van Vrancken told Axios at the time the goal was to sign a new deal, but it never happened.
- Instead, the council hired Glass Half Full and Realcycle to operate weekly drop-off sites.
- Residents were able to sort their recycling and drop off items for free.
Yes, but: Walker said the popularity dropped after an initial surge in participation.
- The East Bank site averaged 350 cars a week, which he said in a Facebook video wasn't enough to justify bringing back parishwide curbside recycling.
- Jefferson Parish has about 420,000 residents, according to census estimates.
- "The program wasn't working," Walker told Axios on Friday. "It didn't make sense to continue it in the form it was. ... We need better options."
Recycling options in Jefferson Parish
Zoom out: The parish will continue offering the free drop-off sites, Van Vrancken tells Axios.
- The council is in the process of soliciting bids for a multi-year contract to run them.
Zoom in: The parish also is promoting three subscription options for curbside recycling.
- Ramelli Waste: $15/month for weekly pickups. Details.
- Glass Half Full: Starts at $20/month. It also operates free drop-off sites. Details.
- Realcycle: Starts at $15/month. Has multiple options, including compost pickup. Details.
Other items: Rouses, Winn-Dixie and Target have bins at the front of stores to recycle plastic shopping bags.
- Best Buy locations allow up to three electronics items per day. See list.
💠Carlie's thought bubble: I live in Metairie and tried the drop-off sites for several weeks when they started. My family eventually stopped doing it — not because we didn't want to recycle, but because the process was a time-suck and we often had other commitments during the window.
- Good to note: Van Vrancken tells me there's no longer a wait at the drop-off sites.
- We signed up for the Ramelli service last month and so far, so good. We've gone from filling our regular trash bin twice a week to barely once per week.
- I'm also bringing jars to Glass Half Full because those folks are fab.
- It's not the solution I'd hoped for, but we're making it work.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to note that there's no longer a wait at the recycling drop-off sites.