Ian Juarez BROWNSVILLE – The City of Brownsville has begun to take initiative for a new recycling program to take effect in 2026; however, the mandatory fee has received backlash from some residents online.
The city contracted RedFish, a local recycling company, to handle the program going forward. A monthly service fee will be added to the Public Utilities Board bill for residents.
According to Tino Villarreal, the Brownsville City Commissioner-at-Large, the city is working hard to keep prices low for residents.
He says if residents only have one trash bin, a recycling bin will be provided and a $1 to $2 monthly service fee will be added. If residents have two trash bins, one will be replaced with a recycling bin, saving $4 for the individual.
However, even if the bin is not being used, the fee will still be charged for residents, which sparked controversial posts on Facebook.
A Facebook post by a concerned resident stated the following, “The amount of people saying ‘the ignorance is astonishing’ because the people of Brownsville are upset for charging a mandatory service fee for recycling. The *exact* same thing was said when the city discussed raising your light bill 33 PERCENT for a project that never materialized. In my opinion both things deserved to be investigated for the process they were brought forward.”
On a similar note, another Facebook user posted a video of him with his RedFish recycling bin upside down in protest of the service fee.
Villarreal said he’s seen the discourse regarding the program but hopes people start to see the “big picture.”
“This is a vision that we have that’s long term for not just our generation, but for the next generations. It would be a shame for us to feel, the landfill in the next, couple decades.” Villarreal said.
He added that without the recycling program in place, the city would be forced to haul trash elsewhere or expand the landfill, leaving residents to pay a $30 to $35 increase in trash delivery alone.
Rose Timmer, education outreach coordinator at RedFish, said the monthly fees will go to the workers and drivers in charge of deliveries, pick-ups and the process of sorting recycling matter.
She defended the fee and said the cost was necessary for the future of the city and the environment.
“I just hope people realize that one person can make a difference when it comes to our environment. We are very lucky that the city Commission decided to pass the mandate, making everybody recycle at the curb,” Timmer said.
Jorge Rodriguez, a civil engineering junior, said the impact of the new bins depend on the people who use them.
“If people use it like on the proper way, like it will be a benefit because I mean, you know how the trash is always like on the floor and like I’ll mention that, like I think it will make a positive impact.” Rodriguez said. “I’ve seen like for example myself. Right. Like where I live, I always see like the water bottles and usually like chips they throw.”
