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Rethinking Waste for a Greener Fort Worth

October 17,2018

With the approval of the 2017 – 2037 Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan (CSWMP), the City of Fort Worth has undertaken one of it’s largest green initiatives to-date, setting our community on a 20-year journey towards making Fort Worth a greener, and increasingly better place to live. 

Just the facts: Fort Worth is growing

  • It’s grown by 50 percent over the last 20 years.
  • Residential waste only comprises about one third of all of the waste generated within the city.
  • Industrial, commercial and institutional waste comprises the remaining two-thirds.

The CSWMP sets specific goals and timelines to address the current challenges and long term needs of the residents of Fort Worth. Recognizing that the Southeast Landfill (SELF) is being filled up with some materials that do not belong in there, the CSWMP promoted the creation of a Material Management Program (MMP). The MMP program was formed in July 2017 and provides information, resources and technical assistance to residents as well as businesses, institutions, the school district, multi-family complexes and industry (altogether known as the ICI Sector) to divert materials away from the SELF that can be either re-used, recycled, mulched or composted. All of this help is provided free of charge.

The main goal of the MMP is the preservation of the SELF by moving beyond traditional waste management practices to find the best material management program and solutions for Fort Worth’s residents and businesses.

The following services are provided free of charge to the ICI Sector:

•    Visual assessment of the waste of a given entity to identify possible materials to be diverted;
•    Customized diversion plans;
•    ICI personnel education and training;
•    Information on local recyclers, mulchers, composters, and construction and demolition debris processors;
•    Facilitation/coordination of businesses and service provider’s interactions;
•    City recognition and certification of particular successes.

To learn more about starting a recycling program, please check the City’s Commercial Recycling page or e-mail the City’s Material Management Program at joao.pimentel@fortworthtexas.gov or call Joao Pimentel, MMP’s manager, at 817-392-5157.