About 60,000 of Dallas’ 240,000 households are currently putting out their recycling blue bins once a week instead of once every two weeks. Right now, this recycling schedule applies to single-family homes north of the Trinity River and west of Central Expressway.

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Another 40,000 will begin once-a-week recycling in February 2010; the change includes households east of Central Expressway and north of Grand Avenue/Garland Road.

Our neighborhood isn’t devoid of once-a-week recycling, however. Lake Cliff instituted this practice in 2004, when it became one of four pilot areas where the city first tested the program. Then in March 2009, 350 homes in Kiestwood began recycling once a week after Councilman Dave Neumann petitioned for the change.

Once-a-week recycling is the more environmentally friendly option, but it also saves the city money (both because the garbage trucks drive the streets less often and because residents tend to recycle more with once-a-week recycling, which means more revenue for the city). In light of the city’s recent budget shortfall, Nix says it’s possible the city council could switch to once-a-week service for all Dallas residents in 2010.