Recycling options could be headed to Del City

By Anthony Thomas
Contributing Writer

The decade-long debate over providing recycling services for Del City residents may soon be resolved. On May 12, the city announced that Recyclops began taking signups for residential recycling in Del City. The company needs 100 signups to launch the service. At press time, 20 residents have signed up.

The company uses a model similar to the Uber ride sharing app for recycling collection. They contract local drivers, with their vehicles, to collect curbside recycling. The collections are taken to a recycling sorting facility, yet to be determined.

Recyclops is a national company that provides recycling to municipalities that do not have recycling services. The company was founded in 2013 in Orem, Utah, with the mission to provide access to affordable recycling to all, regardless of where people live.  They now provide services to cities in Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Ohio, Utah, Kansas, Tennessee, and Wyoming. In Oklahoma, they provide service to Bartlesville and Yukon but are looking to expand to Del City, Moore, Bethany, and Comanche.

Del City’s only involvement is getting out the word since Recyclops is a private company. In recent weeks the city council had to approve the social media marketing but other than generic business contracts the city’s direct involvement will be limited.

They use a subscription-based model for their services. Citizens can choose between monthly or yearly subscription options. All options include a one-time $10 set-up fee and bags. The Basic monthly subscription costs $12 a month and include every other week pickups of plastic, aluminum, paper, and cardboard recycling. For $19 a month Plus subscription, the customer receives all the benefits of the Basic subscription with glass recycling included. The yearly Basic subscriptions provide everything the Basic monthly subscriptions do for a one-time payment of $144. Finally, the yearly Plus subscription includes the same services as the month Plus for a one-time payment of $228.

New subscribers will be sent yellow and teal bags for their recycling. Teal bags are for plastic, cans, cardboard, and paper. Yellow bags are for glass. Then the bags are picked up on your assigned recycling pick-up day. Any recycling that is not bagged won’t be picked up.

For the past decade there has been an ongoing conversation between residents and the city on whether the city should provide recycling service. Essentially it comes down to cost. Many residents do not want to pay for recycling if they are not going to use it. When Recyclops approached the city in recent months, Monica Hodges, Director of Public Relations for the City of Del City, explained that it was a sufficient compromise.

“We think it’s a really great compromise. A private company can come in and fill the gap,” said Hodges. “It’s a great way for smaller municipalities, who wouldn’t be able to provide recycling, to have a private company come in and fill the gap for residents who do want recycling.”

When 100 residents have signed up with Recyclops,the recycling service will begin. Residents that want to sign up may visit https://recyclops.com/locations/oklahoma/oklahoma/delcity.