[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6608538,"mediaKeyId","2939434-fc3d6d68360e6e55e5e804d8eff73d43","parentId",2939434,"title","Austin Resource Recovery reports dip in recycling tonnage, previews aseptic packaging and major contracts","audioSeconds",2308,"startMs",2408000,"endMs",4716000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2939434-fc3d6d68360e6e55e5e804d8eff73d43&start=2408&end=4716","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2939434-fc3d6d68360e6e55e5e804d8eff73d43/thumbnail_2408000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6608538/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Austin-Resource-Recovery-reports-dip-in-recycling-tonnage-previews-aseptic-packaging-and-major-contracts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608538-31f2ecd136a52a68964eebde3c2b0294/orig.mp4?Expires=1770458772&Signature=jyllJy7lQUrw1EdhOI7sUMzX2OETnIW6Uuh6jHXTfxTcOuuof7bpj7ETQ8Z8w-RYNqyKXWopyJTfgvft2m~mkDURweAvwHQpuPVz2WGzrGbnRxwqU~Vw~4Gdvrf4sL2bKtJDeyL68v~b5j9zR3SZVG25w2~LvrAeTxWOysdCLUgrVrcLnyWiciHm1Qyp1zfULq~W~ihk9z3cR1SEQ1L0sgl4LwERAZGnBqLyRzsJOn3-ghli-BIrJefwO9qudmQcBbTY6ETURKnztoD2b7AUA81kjzNLqoQ7nBh7sSNM4jZInZ~R7mUEBm0ARyNXPkO1bQv1UOagcenPQbhs-IoujQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Austin","date","2025-04-09T00:00:00Z","article","Assistant Director Ron Romero and ARR staff briefed commissioners on the city's residential recycling program, composition and participation data, and several department initiatives described in the director's report.

Romero reviewed historical tonnages and set-out data, saying recycling collection peaked during the pandemic and that tonnage has declined since. He highlighted that glass, cardboard and mixed paper remain large commodities and pointed to contamination and shifting household consumption patterns as drivers of lower tonnage. \"We're trying to put our finger on exactly why tonnage is going down and what we can do to continue to keep that steady,\" Romero said.

ARR shared results from set-out audits in April and October 2024: district-level set-out rates in audits ranged from roughly the low 70s to mid-90s by service area and day of week, with Fridays showing the highest set-out rates and Mondays the lowest. Romero said one recent overall set-out rate measurement was about 86% (April) and 84% (October) and noted district 7 consistently showed the highest participation.

ARR also described efforts to reduce contamination in the single-stream stream, noting composition studies and coordinated education work with MRF partners, neighborhood associations and Keep Austin Beautiful. Romero said the department is working to lower residuals and contaminants through targeted communications based on what MRFs report they find in loads.

On processing capacity and operations, ARR played a short MRF demonstration and summarized how MRF sorting separates cardboard, glass, fiber and container streams; Balcones Recycling and Texas Disposal Systems handle curbside material for the city. A Balcones/Alcony's Resources speaker (video) explained the mechanical and optical sorting process and quality-control steps used to make finished bales for secondary processors.

Romero told commissioners ARR plans to add aseptic packaging (e.g., certain beverage cartons and poly-coated paper) to residential single-stream collection later in the summer, pending vendor readiness. \"We're really excited about starting this, later on this summer,\" he said, and confirmed the material is expected to be collected single-stream rather than requiring a separate drop-off.

In the director's report, ARR said the Universal Recycling Ordinance (URL) annual reporting period runs October through February and that the department migrated to an online public-facing reporting system; roughly 43% of affected properties had submitted reports as of the meeting. Romero also noted upcoming solicitations including a compost-processing contract, central business district collection services and residential dumpster collection services. ARR announced acquisition of an electric vehicle that will operate in the central business district and described recent brush collection work in Emergency Service District 4 tied to wildfire mitigation.

Commissioners asked technical and program questions about contamination, aseptic packaging, and set-out trends; ARR staff said they plan additional data analysis, further audits and continued educational partnerships and outreach. Amy Slagle, assistant director, said the ESD 4 brush collection was coordinated with Austin Fire Department and that additional on-demand brush or household hazardous-waste services are available citywide where ARR rate area applies.

No formal action was taken on the presentation; staff said several items will be brought forward through solicitations or council committee briefings in the coming months.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Austin - Zero Waste Advisory Commission - Apr 09, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","ARR staff reviewed recycling tonnages, contamination concerns and a recent set-out study, said the city will add aseptic packaging to curbside collection later this year, and summarized director's-report items including the Universal Recycling Ordinance reporting, upcoming solicitations and a pilot electric collection vehicle.","taxTitle","Austin, Travis County, Texas","taxId",2819,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6608543,"Commission recommends Austin Resource Recovery's proposed administrative-rule changes, votes to support update",545,1849000,2394000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2939434-fc3d6d68360e6e55e5e804d8eff73d43&start=1849&end=2394","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2939434-fc3d6d68360e6e55e5e804d8eff73d43/thumbnail_1849000.jpg","/articles/6608543/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/Commission-recommends-Austin-Resource-Recoverys-proposed-administrative-rule-changes-votes-to-support-update","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608543-78b409e6658370025c7bf4164daef7ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1770458772&Signature=SIlrufuLQbqZ1VQCZTy7N7JGyw2mY8cbS6x9NtCvQFj9bvF3qAtfcz8TnAO7qtJUwjW67IZdx-wM6DKRo2aDpEQDD0sIDZrEW8mMPEhCPhLNYWNz-oE1eBlmZYaTn~4el2GbhNsLG4EJVeypDodlK8uEkXhNpR-w4HtxshEFE5W56-xijycuggZlBXMxFgdL8bv5uFNE~XIEgLjylAYnyewGxtEOYCon1XETTSdwQFFfhhACB0eoL6HBYFjoei0KHQOcbwf1jBzHNo7Fyf8Dtjue3nqK91lje5cJI2xD68-4et2-6BVEmigUwxRm3KIhD2Kl3pMojAB-h8vcYHx~pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Austin Resource Recovery staff presented proposed amendments to department administrative rules that primarily address single-family collection procedures, cart placement and operational details, and the commission voted to recommend the changes for adoption.

Jason McCombs, division manager with Austin Resource Recovery, told commissioners the amendments \"are how the department implements code\" and that the draft posted on Speak Up Austin was revised following public comments. He said the changes aim to align the written rules with existing operations and outreach and do not rewrite city code.

Staff explained that the proposed amendments include operational clarifications such as a revised early start time for routes (implemented for operational safety), a five-foot recommended spacing guideline for carts at the curb, and rules governing return-trip fees when a cart is missed. \"We've been changing that time. But then really that's just to help with operations, but it's also for safety too of our crews,\" McCombs said.

Commissioners asked about implementation and enforcement. Amanda Masino asked how staff determine whether a cart was set out by the required time; ARR staff said they use routing software, operator reports and onboard technology that can record GPS breadcrumbs and images to verify set-outs. \"That technology not only, you know, does a GPS, breadcrumb at that particular address, but ... also has the capability of taking pictures,\" said Ron Romero, assistant director.

After questions, Commissioner Michael moved to support the recommended changes to the administrative rules; Amanda Masino seconded. The commission voted in favor; commissioners recorded the motion with a unanimous voice/hand-raise vote.

In discussion and public outreach, staff said they posted the draft to Speak Up Austin for 30 days, summarized public feedback in the meeting backup materials, and plan to present the rules to the City Council's Climate, Water, Environment and Parks Committee and then to full council for adoption. Staff noted these are administrative rules, not municipal code changes.

Other procedural business at the meeting included routine approvals: the commission approved the February 12 meeting minutes and a special March meeting date earlier in the session (both by unanimous vote).","The commission voted unanimously to support proposed administrative-rule amendments from Austin Resource Recovery that update cart-placement, operational hours and return-trip-fee procedures; staff said the changes align rules with current operations and outreach.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6608548,"AISD outlines districtwide zero-waste plan, cites 23% diversion rate and staffing shortfall",1298,246000,1544000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2939434-fc3d6d68360e6e55e5e804d8eff73d43&start=246&end=1544","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2939434-fc3d6d68360e6e55e5e804d8eff73d43/thumbnail_246000.jpg","/articles/6608548/Austin/Travis-County/Texas/AISD-outlines-districtwide-zero-waste-plan-cites-23-diversion-rate-and-staffing-shortfall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6608548-85201ad92f7e7a74a0c93867e57be940/orig.mp4?Expires=1770458772&Signature=TJ5V-QkeIoOtZ5tl6GmVmm-PKxm~SDjV4KaLPK~6kxipG-agSu3COVmbrc00TBJZFG~Q1nu5uoiPAXQw3lSiRpuXhqmxKK2atPC0oWYFhqN~4WBmpwWLn4i-KZZRu1zhJIQu7bHA7ODZM9EX6BLeSR1hbiR9rqMzy4UKZZ6FpsaQsUXnVjbKKnXu9E7GtlLsoyTFI4tb-hzzvh~T31YMuOt1JSe-sLl58OrbeJ1HrqOhwLfCWvOeVShuxRHJZ1wpzsII4A~q3z1EzCz6PX6eyK19f44ledVx0jADsBFY66wm7f4qKO6Glz4V~MaLnLJCHNxCHh~j~6d9C7xawt8V~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Darian, director of sustainability for the Austin Independent School District, gave the commission a districtwide briefing on AISD's recycling, composting and landfill-diversion efforts, saying the program covers infrastructure, curriculum and partnerships across all campuses.

The presentation summarized two decades of sustainability work at AISD, described the district's 0-waste signage and collection standards, and identified staffing and funding as the largest obstacles to expanding diversion. \"We have composting, recycling, and landfill dumpsters at every single school,\" Darian said, adding that the district uses bilingual signs aligned with the city's color scheme so students can sort waste in cafeterias.

The presentation matters because AISD serves thousands of students and can integrate waste diversion into classroom learning while also generating measurable diversion benefits. District staff described operational rules for new construction, such as requiring ground-level dumpster access and keeping compost dumpsters within 50 feet of cafeterias to reduce manual lifting injuries. Darian said the district relies on diversion data provided by its hauler, Texas Disposal Systems, and that the district maintains a public-facing toolkit and training options for custodial and food services staff.

District officials traced sustainability policy to a 2004 construction policy and subsequent actions: a 2010 resolution and a 2011 policy, formation of an Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee in 2013, green-building requirements tied to the 2016 bond and integration into the 2017 facilities plan, and implementation tied to the 2022 bond passed by voters. Darian said those policies feed operational procedures that emphasize \"source reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting.\"

On staffing and funding, Darian said AISD previously had a full-time zero-waste specialist funded externally; that external funding came from Texas Disposal Systems. The district later lost the position during budget cuts and has been unable to maintain a permanent, dedicated district-level zero-waste staff member. \"It really makes a big difference to have somebody who can really put their full attention at a district level on it,\" Darian said.

Commissioners asked about concrete numbers and operations. Commissioner Gerald Hann asked about the source of the earlier external funding; Darian confirmed that Texas Disposal Systems funded the initial full-time position. Commissioner Michael asked about the current district diversion rate; Darian said, \"Right now, we're at about 23%.\" Darian added that diversion had been higher before COVID and fell when staffing and on-site sorting attention declined.

The presentation highlighted classroom and outreach work: an eight-module sustainable-schools course developed with EcoRise, a blended teacher-facing module to incorporate school-specific waste data, teacher and custodial trainings (offered in English and Spanish), volunteer waste-sorting days timed to Earth Month, and field trips to see hauling and composting facilities. Darian described a planned spring \"golden trash can\" award to recognize top-performing campuses and said the district marketplace and warehouse surplus sales give retired materials a second life.

The commission did not take formal action on the presentation. Commissioners thanked AISD staff and encouraged continued partnership and possible funding conversations with outside partners. Darian said the district was exploring pilot funding discussions with partners but had no committed replacement funding for the dedicated staff position at the time of the presentation.

Looking ahead, the district flagged gaps in continuous training, data completeness, and staffing as the key barriers to increasing diversion across its roughly 113 schools and an enrollment the presenter described as \"about 73,000 students\" with \"10,000 teachers and staff.\" The district also emphasized that operational standards for new construction (ramps instead of stairs, dumpster access for people of all heights) are meant to reduce injury risk and improve sorting outcomes.

AISD materials, signage and a toolkit are available online; the presenter provided QR codes and said the district maintains a dashboard of diversion data provided by its hauling partner.","Austin Independent School District presented its zero-waste framework to the Austin Resource Recovery Commission, describing infrastructure, classroom programs and partnerships while warning that loss of a dedicated staff position and inconsistent campus implementation have reduced diversion rates to about 23%.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Austin Resource Recovery reports dip in recycling tonnage, previews aseptic packaging and major contracts

Commission recommends Austin Resource Recovery's proposed administrative-rule changes, votes to support update

AISD outlines districtwide zero-waste plan, cites 23% diversion rate and staffing shortfall