Historical November–December 2025 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
The St. Louis City recycling program has changed from alley pickup to an expanded system of drop-off locations to address high contamination rates and costs as of August 2025.
The city will instead grow its number of recycling drop-off locations by 50%, increase its number of alley refuse dumpsters by 100%, and commit additional staff to the collection of trash. Recycling costs the City almost five times more per ton than trash. Yet, more than half of the recycling collected in St. Louis this year is rejected at the recycling center due to contamination. For those materials, St. Louis taxpayers have been paying the full cost of recycling without receiving any of the benefits.
Residents with alley recycling dumpsters should now use the new drop-off sites for their recyclables and are encouraged to use their alley dumpsters for trash only.
This shift also includes a commitment to improving trash collection and is part of a broader plan to modernize refuse services. Key changes • Alley recycling has ended: Alley recycling pickup has been discontinued due to high costs and contamination issues. • Focus on drop-off locations: The city is expanding its network of drop-off locations, with a goal of having a site within a mile of every resident. • Alley dumpsters repurposed: The blue alley recycling dumpsters have been converted to regular trash dumpsters and should be used for trash only. • Improved trash collection: The city will increase its focus on trash collection, with more frequent alley refuse dumpster pick-ups and additional staff dedicated to trash removal. • Single-stream recycling continues: You can continue to put paper, plastic bottles and containers, metal cans, glass bottles and jars, and cardboard into the drop-off dumpsters without sorting. What residents should do • Take your recyclables to one of the new drop-off recycling locations.
• Use your alley dumpster for trash only. • For roll cart recycling, continue to use your roll cart as you did before, as this service is not changing. • The location for the Skinker DeBaliviere neighborhood are on Des Peres Avenue at the intersection near Washington Avenue.
Original photograph caption
Recycling drop off bins accompanying service change notice.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, November–December 2025.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2025_11.pdf, printed page(s) 1; PDF page(s) 1.
