Residential recycling has remained relatively flat with a slight decrease—approximately 4%—between 2020 and 2022.
By measuring the capture rate in recycling bins—the blue bins—the City can focus on how much material is recovered from each household for recycling rather than going into the landfill. To learn more about the City's recycling program, visit sanantonio.gov/swmd/Recycling.
While 2022 shows a decline in residential recycling from 2021, there are a couple of factors to consider that don't necessarily mean fewer folks are recycling: 1) there was an increase in folks returning to work and school in 2022, thereby shifting where recycling takes place and 2) there has been a change in the composition of recyclables. For example, plastic bottles are thinner and made with less plastic and newspapers are smaller in size. This will change the weight of recyclables over the coming years and will also need to be taken into account as an indication of progress.
Increase residential recycling capture rate to 75% (75% by 2030)
| Year | Value | Margin of Error |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 48% | |
| 2021 | 47% | |
| 2022 | 46% |
Recycle Bin Recapture Rate
City of San Antonio, Solid Waste Department
San Antonio
The capture rate measures how much recyclable material is being recovered based on how much of this material is in the waste stream. It is calculated by dividing the tons recovered from the recycling bin—the blue bin—by the total tons collected for all material.
