St. Louis City recently ended alley recycling services, with plans to expand the number of drop-off centers in the future. For many residents, this has left big questions: How can disabled or elderly residents access our recycling system? How can we keep useful materials out of the landfill when one of our basic city services is gone?

While our community continues to work on finding long-term solutions, there are still practical ways we can keep materials in use and reduce waste in the meantime.

Here are a few steps you can take:

This is a moment where leaning on each other matters. Talk to your neighbors, offer or ask for assistance, and arrange joint drop-offs. In the face of losing basic city services, the best way to navigate is by working together.

For example, a group of neighbors can take turns each week driving recyclables to the nearest drop-off site. That way, not everyone is making the same trip, and no one is left without an option. Small acts of coordination can lighten the burden and build stronger community ties.

One of the simplest ways to cut back on waste is to reuse what we already have. Keep jars, paper bags, and boxes for reuse whenever possible.

• Glass jars make great storage containers for bulk goods, sauces, or leftovers.
• Cardboard boxes can be repurposed for organizing, moving, or even garden projects like weed barriers.
• Paper bags can be reused for shopping, trash liners, or carrying items to donation centers.

The more life we give an item, the less waste ends up in the landfill.

Shopping choices also make a difference. Avoid buying any items you don’t need, and whenever possible, choose zero-waste options in place of products that normally come in single-use packaging.

In St. Louis, several local businesses offer refill stations for groceries, cleaning supplies, and self-care items where you can bring your own container, as well as a variety of sustainable lifestyle items. A few to check out include:

• City Greens Market (The Grove)
• Local Harvest Grocery (Tower Grove South)
• The Social Goods Marketplace (South Grand)
• Dharma + Dwell (Webster Groves)
• The Refill Effect (Kirkwood)

If you don’t have access to these businesses, you can still make small changes by replacing products where you can, and seeking out low-waste or plastic-free options at your go-to stores.

While alley pickup may be gone, and several residents have reported overloaded drop-off bins, there are still ways to recycle in the city.

• Ripple Glass, a trusted glass recycler, hosts purple glass recycling dumpsters around the city. Their website has a map to help you find your nearest location.
• New Earth Farm has just opened recycling pick-up services, meaning they’ll come to you. You can view their website for more details. The first month is free!

These services can help fill the gap left behind.

None of these efforts replace a functioning recycling system. That’s why it’s important to let city leadership know that curbside recycling is a basic service that should be accessible for all.

You can reach out directly:

• Board of Aldermen: (314) 622-3287 or find your specific contact info here.
• Mayor’s Office: mayor@stlouis-mo.gov / (314) 622-3201

Even a short call or email makes a difference.

Losing alley recycling services is a setback, and it highlights how important it is to keep pushing for long-term solutions. In the meantime, working together as neighbors, reusing what we can, seeking out lower-waste options, and using available alternatives will help us keep materials in circulation.

None of this replaces a citywide recycling system—but it helps us make the most of what we have right now.