Omaha Residential Recycling & Composting Options
Whether you’re new to town, looking to go deeper, or frustrated with the state of recycling in Omaha, here’s 4 actions you can take to divert your materials from the landfill …
Step 1: How-To Recycle More of the Basics
PROBLEM:
For cardboard, paper, metals, and plastics, the City of Omaha has moved from weekly recycling pickup to every-other-week. With the same size of container (at the time of writing this), that means more material is going to the landfill instead of being recycled.
SOLUTION:
Curbside Rewards is a curbside program you can opt into. Costs $12.50/month for most. In exchange you’re given a 96-gallon cart (3 times the volume of the current green bin) that’s picked up every-other-week, and you get points for participating that you can use at local businesses to get discounts.
Free Option: The city has set up a handful of drop-off locations.
Step 2: Glass Recycling
PROBLEM:
The City of Omaha doesn’t accept glass in curbside recycling.
SOLUTION:
But for those that don’t want the extra effort, there’s a new family-run curbside program called Glassman. At the time of writing this, it’s $35 to get a bucket and $20 per pickup with the average family doing about once a month.
Free Option: City of Omaha provides drop-off points.
Step 3: Composting
PROBLEM:
The City of Omaha has limited yard waste collection (that actually gets composted).
SOLUTION:
We offer a subscription program called Compost Club that gives you access to compost drop-off locations around the city, plus you get soil back! Ideal for collecting all types of food waste, compostable take-out packaging, paper towels & napkins and more.
Free Option: While home composting is limited to mainly just fruits, vegetables and yard waste, there’s a free way to start today.
Step 4: Go Deeper
Below is a big ol’ presentation we did for City Sprouts on how to divert materials from the landfill. From how to recycle better, state of Omaha’s recycling industry, EnergyBag, composting at home or with Compost Club, reducing waste overall and getting into Exist Green’s zero waste retail options — here’s our deep dive to give you everything you wanted to know.