Commercial Waste & Recycling

Step 1.Commercial Recycling Contact

The City of Fort Worth currently does not provide commercial recycling services, but staff is available to answer questions about starting a recycling program for your business, church, school or multi-family housing complex.

Contact the city’s Material Management Program or call the help line at 817-392-1234 to learn more about starting a recycling program.

Step 2.Starting a Recycling Program

Before you talk to a recycling provider or waste hauler, consider your building, your operational needs and your recycling goals as well as access limitations at your facility.

Questions to consider include:

1. What potential recyclables are we throwing away?
2. Which recyclables will be the easiest to collect?
3. How valuable are these recyclables?
4. Which employee or building manager will be responsible for coordinating the recycling effort?
5. If a recycling container is needed, where can it be located?

Questions To Ask When Choosing a Recycling Provider

• What types of material do you accept?
• What is the minimum amount of material you will accept?
• Can our recyclables be collected in a single container or do they need to be separated by type (i.e. metal, paper, plastic, etc.)?
• Do you provide containers or bags for recyclables?
• What is the rate for your recycling services, and will recycling a greater amount of material than expected affect our rate?
• Can we reduce the amount or frequency of waste collections (and in turn, cost) by recycling?
• How much does it cost to add additional types of recycling to our service in the future?
• Can we partner with other companies in our building/facility?
• Do you provide waste audits at our facility to assist in determining what to recycle?
• How often do you collect recyclables? Is it on a set schedule or on a call-in basis?
• Can you provide us with the amount/weight of material we are recycling? 

Step 3.Commercial Recycling Service Providers

Recycling vendors are exempt from the waste hauler Grant of Privilege required by the City of Fort Worth.

This list is not comprehensive and is not an endorsement of any businesses or the services provided by them. Check the Internet or Yellow Pages for other recycling vendors.

* Single Stream — Paper, Metal, Glass, and Plastic collected for recycling in a commingled form.
** Construction and Demolition material

Step 1.Multifamily/Apartment Recycling

Fort Worth requires property managers and owners of apartments and condominiums with eight of more units to provide recycling services for their residents.

Visit the Multifamily Recycling page to learn more about the rules.

Property managers and owners of apartments and condominiums with eight or more units are required to provide recycling services for their residents.

Multifamily Recycling Plan

 Property owners/managers must complete and submit a recycling plan(PDF, 648KB) to the city a minimum of three months prior to their scheduled recycling start date. Property owners/managers with pre-existing recycling programs are asked to complete a Recycling Plan describing their existing recycling program and submit the plan to the city as well.

Property Owner Resources

Download the property owner checklist(PDF, 89KB)(PDF, 89KB)of items to complete in order to achieve ordinance compliance.

Step 2.Advertise Your Program

Let your residents and employees know that your facility offers recycling. Download a flier to post or distribute:

• Version 1 (English(PDF, 534KB) | Spanish(PDF, 449KB))
  For facilities with cardboard, paper, metal, rigid plastic and plastic bag recycling.
• Version 2 (English(PDF, 668KB) |Spanish(PDF, 553KB))
  For facilities with cardboard, paper, metal, glass, rigid plastic and plastic bag recycling.
• Version 3 (English(PDF, 625KB) | Spanish(PDF, 522KB))
  For facilities with cardboard, paper, metal, glass and rigid plastic recycling.
• Version 4 (English(PDF, 521KB) | Spanish(PDF, 435KB))
  For facilities with cardboard, metal, paper and rigid plastic.

For more information about Multifamily Recycling, call 817-392-1234 or email AptRecycling@FortWorthTexas.gov.

Step 1.Request recycle bins for special events

The City of Fort Worth offers loaner recycle bins for events taking place in Fort Worth, based on availability. To request recycle bins for your special event through the Bin Loan Program:

1. Fill out the Event Recycling Request Form.
2. Arrange a time to pick up recycling bins and bags.
   Pick up supplies at:
   Parks and Recreation Dept.
   North District Service Center (NDSC)
   1700 Brennan Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76106
   Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
3. After your event, call 817-564-8849 or 817-718-8997 to arrange a time to return recycling bins, unused bags and all recyclable materials collected during your event back to the NDSC. Borrowers will be charged $55 for each bin not returned in clean working order.

Step 2.Recommendations for successful recycling

• Collect cardboard boxes in a designated area available only to vendors during setup and takedown.
• Target aluminum cans and plastic drink bottles only. The bin lids are labeled to reduce confusion and contamination.
• Use the buddy system and pair each recycle bin with a trash can.
• Glass is accepted but can create a hazard when collecting. Be careful with broken glass.
• No Styrofoam, plastic bags or plastic films.

Step 3.Contact 

For more information contact the city's Keep Fort Worth Beautiful Team at 817-392-2046.

Step 4.Sponsors

Prepared in cooperation with the North Central Texas Council of Governments through funding from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.