Don’t Bag It!
After cutting your lawn don’t bag those grass clippings, recycle them by leaving them on the lawn. This is called Grasscycling which allows grass clippings to renourish the soilas a fertilizer.
Advantages of Grasscycling
- Improves lawn quality.
- Saves time and work.
- Clippings are high nitrogen fertilizer.
- Save spending money on landfill grass.
- It’s great for the enviroment.
- Help prevent soil eroision.
- Reduces trash taken to landfills
- Grass clippings consist of nearly 90% water.
- Does not cause “thatch buildup.”
Tips on Grasscycling
- Mow when the lawn is dry.
- Use a sharp mower blade.
- Follow a lawn care schedule.
- Cut no more than 1/3 of the surface.
For More Information
Don’t Dump the Gunk!
Best practice on the disposal of cooking oil is to NOT drain it down the sink. Not only will the grease stick to the pipes but as time goes by it could block and back up sewage lines.
Manholes can overflow into parks, yards, streets, and storm drains, allowing FOG to contaminate local waters, including drinking water. Exposure to untreated wastewater is a public-health hazard.
FOG discharged into septic systems and drain fields can cause malfunctions, resulting in more frequent tank pump-outs and other expenses.
Restaurants, cafeterias, and fast-food establishments spend tens of thousands of dollars on plumbing emergencies each year to deal with grease blockages and pump out grease traps and interceptors. Some cities also charge businesses for the repair of sewer pipes and spill cleanup if they can attribute the blockage to a particular business. Some cities also add a surcharge to wastewater bills if a business exceeds a specified discharge limit. These expenses can be a significant.
What You Can Do to Reduce FOG
Just a few simple actions can prevent FOG buildup in the sewer system.
In Your Home or Apartment—quick and easy ways to prevent FOG from going down your drain
In Your Commercial Kitchen—how to implement a program to reduce FOG in commercial kitchens in food service establishments, churches, nursing homes, schools, hospitals, and other businesses
In Your Community—resources for local governments, public wastewater systems, and pretreatment programs to promote FOG reduction
Where can I find more information and assistance?
This information from the TCEQ’s Small Business and Local Government Assistance Section which offers free, confidential help to small businesses and local governments working to comply with state environmental regulations. Call them at 800-447-2827 or click on this link TexasEnviroHelp.org.
Recycling Motor Oil
The State of Texas prohibits dumping used oil on land or into sewer lines or waterways including used oil filters.
Used oil and used oil filters are produced in a wide variety of locations homes, independent garages, auto stores, air conditioning repair facilities, metal working shops, fleet garages, and industrial facilities, just to name a few.
The characteristics of oil, while very useful for certain activities can prove very detrimental when released to the environment, especially after it has been used. As a result, the Texas Legislature has prohibited the dumping of used oil on land, in sewers, and in waterways. It has also banned used oil and used oil filters from landfills.
But what can you do with used oil and used oil filters in Texas?
Individual citizens who change their own oil can take their used oil and used oil filters to used oil collection centers. Companies, organizations and other entities can also take their used oil (up to 55 gallons at a time) and used oil filters to used oil collection centers. If they have more than 55 gallons, or just choose to, they can make arrangements with a company to specifically manage their used oil. They can also make arrangements for a company to manage their used oil filters.
Either by going through a used oil collection center or some other company, the used oil will make its way to a recycler who will utilize the used oil to make fuel oil, lubricants, re-refined oil, or other petroleum products. The used oil filters can be drained, shredded, crushed, and/or heated to remove the oil. The removed oil is sent to a recycler who can then utilize the oil as described above. The remaining material must be further recycled (e.g., the metal value retrieved and the paper like components used as fuel).
Although used oil collection centers can be found in most Texas counties, they are generally sparsely located in the more rural areas of Texas. This can make limits on aggregation time a problem for both used oil and used oil filters as these rural facilities are not serviced as frequently as their metropolitan counterparts. Used oil collection centers will generally not charge a fee for accepting the used oil. However, they will likely charge a fee for used oil filters, if they accept them at all.
This information from the TCEQ’s Small Business and Local Government Assistance Section which offers free, confidential help to small businesses and local governments working to comply with state environmental regulations. Call them at 800-447-2827 or click on this link TexasEnviroHelp.org.
Motor Oil Recycling Centers
City of Alamo Recycling Center
411 North Tower Road
Phone: (956) 787-0006
Days/Hours: CALL
City of Brownsville Recycling Center
308 East Elizabeth
Phone: (956) 541-9501
Days/Hours: Monday to Saturday 8am to 4:30pm
City of Edinburg Recycling Center
3102 South Highway 281
Phone: (956) 383-7515
Days/Hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 6:30pm, Saturday and Sunday 8am to 5pm
City of Harlingen Recycling Center
1006 S. Commerce
Phone: (956) 427-8824
Days/Hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am to 1pm
City of McAllen Recycling Center
4101 N. Bentsen Road
Phone: (956) 681-4050
Days/Hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am to 12pm
City of Pharr Recycling Center
1015 E Ferguson Avenue
Phone: (956) 681-4050
Days/Hours: 7/24
City of Port Isabel Recycling Center
217 E. Hickman Street
Phone: (956) 943-6631
Days/Hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, Saturday 8am to 12pm
City of South Padre Island Recycling Center
4501 Padre Blvd.
Phone: (956) 761-8123
Days/Hours: Saturday 8am to 11am
