The city of Phoenix continues to encourage residents to sign up for its Green Organics Curbside Collection, which launched as a pilot program in the Arcadia area in February 2012 and expanded to its first phase in July 2014. This voluntary program provides a new, large, tan container for yard waste, such as grass clippings, shrubs, twigs and branches. This program is perfect for households that like to do their own landscaping maintenance and/or own large properties. The additional monthly fee for the Green Organics Collection program is $5 a month per tan container requested.

There are certain materials that aren’t allowed in the tan container because they would contaminate the green organics load and make them unusable for mulching and repurposing. Those prohibited materials include: oleander, palm fronds, treated or painted wood, trash and food waste, recyclables, pyracantha and creosote.

The goal of the Green Organics program is to minimize the amount of trash the city sends to the landfill. The green waste collected in the tan barrels is processed and mulched in the Phoenix transfer station located on 27th Avenue south of Lower Buckeye Road.

The Green Organics Curbside Collection is still available in the Phase I area for both curbside and alley trash collection. Residents interested in signing up can visit www.phoenix.gov/publicworks, and click on the “Solid Waste Programs.” Look for the map of Phase I to determine if you live within its boundaries.

For more information, call 602-262-7251.