City Sanitation Customers May Access Information, Services With New Online Tool

Bloomington, Ind. - In its ongoing effort to increase the efficiency and sustainability of the services it delivers, the City is offering residents a new tool for accessing information about and scheduling sanitation services. The interactive website allows City sanitation customers to submit information to receive automatic responses about collection schedules and acceptable items, and to schedule special pickups of large or bulky items. The tool was developed to simplify household trash and recycling disposal for customers, encourage compliance with recycling guidelines, and reduce unsafe or illegal disposal of large or hazardous items.  

Sanitation customers may visit https://api.recollect.net/r/area/bloomingtonin (also accessible via the QR code below) at any time for the following information and services:

• View and print trash, recycling or yard waste collection calendars (by entering one’s address)

• Schedule special collections (appliances, bulky items, mattresses, furniture, etc.) or an extra weekly pickup

• Determine whether an item should be disposed of in the recycling cart or trash cart        

• Request additional assistance

Awareness of recycling guidelines has become increasingly critical as the secondary market for recyclables has continued to narrow in the last several years. Sanitation crews report non-collection most frequently as a result of the presence of the following non-recyclable items in recycling carts:

• Grease-stained pizza boxes 

• Plastic film of any sort (plastic grocery bags, trash bags, packing tape, bubble wrap, etc.)

• Styrofoam of any sort (egg cartons, take-out containers, packing styrofoam, etc.)

Sanitation crews reject carts containing these and other non-recyclables (see a complete list here) because the mixture of recyclable materials with non-recyclable ones can result in the rejection of large lots of the City’s recycling at the facility where it is processed. 

Sanitation billing, including special collections or extra weekly pickups, will continue to be included in customers’ City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) bill.  Customers will receive notice in their February CBU bill of the new online tool, which is accessible by scanning the QR below with a smartphone’s camera or by visiting https://api.recollect.net/r/area/bloomingtonin.