DID YOU KNOW YOU COULD OPT OUT OF COB-REDFISH RECYCLING PROGRAM?

By Juan Montoya

Did you know that city residents – if they do not want to participate in the city's recycling program with Redfish Recycling starting January 2026 – can ask the company to remove the bins from their homes?

Apparently, this option not to participate is available, but it appears that residents will have to continue paying the monthly $5 fee, even if the bin is removed because they don't want it or for repeated violations of not following the directions on what materials are suitable for recycling. Does that sound right?

The city announced in November that it would launch launch a citywide curbside recycling program in January 2026, calling it "a major step toward expanding local sustainability efforts."

Recycling bins were distributed starting November as part of the city’s agreement with Redfish

Recycling, a Brownsville-based company. The new program gives residents the opportunity to recycle many common household materials that are used every day, such as newspapers, cardboard boxes, books, magazines, mail, cartons, paperboard food boxes, plastic bottles, jugs, and containers that are labeled with a recycle 1 or 2, aluminum, and tin cans.

The new bins look like regular trash bins, but will not be picked up if they contain the following items: glass bottles and jars, light bulbs, food scraps, yard waste, pet waste, Styrofoam products, to-go containers, cellphones, batteries, and electronics.

A local resident who did not wish to participate in the program called Redfish and his call was taken by Rose Timmer, Consultant and Education Coordinator with Redfish, as well as Executive Director of  Healthy Communities of Brownsville, Inc.

The resident had told Redfish that he did not want a recycle bin and was out of town and returned to find one had been left in front of his home He said he called Redfish and spoke with Timer.

"We're going around in January to pick up carts that people don't want," Timmer told him. 

  

According to the city-Redfish agreement, Redfish Recycling will provide curbside pickup every other week, and will collects, sort, and reuse materials that would otherwise be thrown away, turning items like paper, plastic, and metal into new products rather than sending them to the landfill.

City officials claim that the launch of curbside recycling will extend the life of Brownsville’s landfill and encourage residents to become familiar with what materials can and cannot be placed in the bins.

Each household will receive one recycling cart at no cost. Those who would like an additional cart may request one free of charge.

Starting in January, Brownsville homeowners will be required to have a recycling bin at their home.

“Every household will be provided a cart for recycling, and they will pay a monthly fee whether they use that cart or not,” Brownsville interim City Manager Alan Guard said. The initiative was approved by city commissioners during an August meeting.

Guard said the purpose is to not only rid the city of litter, but to also extend the life of the city's landfill.

“It’s the environmentally right thing to do, the city operates a landfill and that landfill only has so much life to it,” Guard said. “The longer we can get that landfill to last, the better for the community."

The city does not have its own recycling center. It’s why they're contracting with Redfish Recycling in the effort. The seven-year contract is worth around $4 million.

Homeowners will pay a monthly service fee of around $5 that will be added to their utilities bill. Channel 5 News was told money made from those fees will go toward paying for recycling costs — including vehicles and drivers.

“We have over 14,000 residents who have two garbage bins right now, they pay over $30 a month,” Guard said. “If they start recycling and they get rid of one of their garbage bins and substitute for a recycling cart, their monthly costs will drop by $5."

The city’s new curbside recycling program will begin servicing more than 46,000 households, each equipped with a new 96-gallon red recycling bin.

Bins containing non-recyclable items will be tagged, and repeated offenses may lead to service suspension, although a monthly fee will still be applied to residents’ utility bills.

“We hope residents call us if they get tagged. We want to explain what went wrong. Recycling the right way helps our whole community.”