Erie has a new plan to give out free recycling cans. Here are the details

The city of Erie has revamped its distribution plan for free 35-gallon recycling/waste cans to city residents — a process that was abruptly halted earlier this week after officials saw overwhelming public demand .

City officials now plan to hand out as many as 3,000 of the cans at a Sept. 7 first-come, first-served distribution event at the city’s public works complex near East 19th and Holland streets.

In addition, as many as 1,500 cans will be made available to neighborhood groups, community centers and refugee resettlement organizations, so they can be distributed to residents in various city neighborhoods, said Renee Lamis, Erie Mayor Joe Schember’s chief of staff.

The city announced recently that it had roughly 5,000 such cans available for residents, paid for through a $260,000 recycling grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

However, distribution at the public works complex was, which started on Monday, was halted Tuesday after city officials saw long lines of traffic; people attempting to obtain more than one can; and non-city residents showing up seeking cans, Lamis said.

Lamis said about 400 of the roll cart-style cans were handed out Monday and Tuesday before the distribution was put on hold.

'We just got overwhelmed'

City officials originally planned to distribute the cans Monday and Wednesday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.

City officials said cans are limited to one per household, and anyone seeking to obtain a can must show proof of city residency.

“We just got overwhelmed by the response,” Lamis said. “Part of the reason was people thinking they could get a ‘trash can.’  These are recycle bins, the grant was awarded to encourage recycling and these cans are only for recyclable plastic, cardboard and metal cans.”

New distribution plan

Lamis said the Sept. 7 distribution event, at the city's public works complex at 1926 Holland St. will start at 9 a.m. and end at 2 p.m.

It will be be handled similarly to the city’s yearly collection of unwanted electronics and tires — also provided at no cost to city residents —which also takes place at the public works complex.

“It will be a lot more organized.  Traffic will be blocked off in the area, police will be involved with our public works people, and residents will have to show proof of city residency,” Lamis said.

“There will be one way in and one way out so things go smoothly.   They’ll put the can in people’s cars and they can be on their way.”

As for the planned distribution to neighborhood groups, community centers and refugee resettlement organizations, Lamis said city officials are still coordinating that.

“We will ask them how many cans they think they need, and when we schedule the events we’ll have a short presentation on the fact that these are for recyclables,” she said.

“Again, we don’t want people just throwing regular trash in them.”

Learn more about recycling in the City of Erie at cityof.erie.pa.us/recycling.

Contact Kevin Flowers at kflowers@timesnews.com . Follow him on X at @ETNflowers .

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie has a new plan to give out free recycling cans. Here are the details