Austin Resource Recovery (ARR), a department of the City of Austin, has started its second pass through the city to collect storm debris from customers. The second pass should be completed later this week. Crews will then begin a final citywide pass in April. ARR is on schedule to complete the final pass by the end of April.
ARR is collecting an unprecedented amount of debris from the winter storm. Crews have collected over 166,000 tons of debris in over 23,000 truckloads through March 20. ARR typically collects around 6,000 tons of material in a year of semiannual large brush collections.
Customers do not need to call 3-1-1 to request a collection for the final citywide pass. Crews are driving all streets and picking up debris that is properly set at the curb. All existing 3-1-1 service requests for storm debris will be closed at the end of March prior to the final pass.
"I want to thank our customers for their patience," ARR Director Ken Snipes says. "There has been an incredible amount of tree limbs and branches to collect across the city, over 1.3 million cubic yards worth. This includes four routes covering northwest and southwest Austin where crews have picked up over 100,000 cubic yards of debris on each route already.”
ARR customers should follow set-out guidelines as closely as possible to avoid collection delays. There may be several reasons why crews have been unable to collect all the debris on a street.
- The pile could have been blocked by a vehicle or set out too close to a mailbox or other personal property.
- Some setouts may have been too far from the curb or blocked by low-hanging tree limbs.
- Debris may have been incorrectly mixed with bulk items, such as furniture, appliances or fence pieces.
After April, customers should contact 3-1-1 to request a special collection for remaining storm debris. Crews will respond to 3-1-1 service requests through June 30.
Austin and Travis County residents can still drop off debris at Austin Water's Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant at 2210 FM 973 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The facility will also be open for drop-offs on Sunday, March 26 but will be closed on Sundays going forward.
Storm debris collection information and updates can be found at austintexas.gov/stormdebris
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About Austin Resource Recovery
Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) is a department of the City of Austin. We provide essential services that protect people and our planet. We collect recycling, composting, trash, large brush, bulk items and dead animals. We also sweep the streets, recycle and safely dispose of household hazardous waste, and provide community outreach and education. ARR is driving the global transformation of traditional waste management to sustainable resource recovery. Learn more at austinrecycles.com
