The amount of recycling collected in Flower Mound during the last fiscal year was up over 42% from the year before, according to the town of Flower Mound.

Republic Services recently released its annual recycling report for the town, and it showed that from October 2020 to September 2021, Republic collected 8,530 tons of recycling from residences and businesses in Flower Mound, up from 6,005 tons in the previous fiscal year, according to a town news release.

All that recycling helped save nearly 30,000 cubic yards in landfill airspace, more than 102,000 mature trees and nearly 60 million gallons of water, according to the town.

“Your decision to recycle in Flower Mound made a big impact on the world, including reducing greenhouse gas by more than 27,000 metric tons, which is equivalent to saving more than 3 million gallons of gasoline or taking nearly 5,000 cars off the roads for one full year,” the town said in a statement. “Thanks for helping us create a greener tomorrow, Flower Mound!”

When recycling, it is important to know what to throw. According to an audit conducted by Republic Services in March 2021, 24.9% of all recycling in Flower Mound was contaminated, an increase since the start of the pandemic. Recycling contaminants are items that belong in the trash because of food, drink and other residues, or simply items that aren’t recyclable. Just one dirty bottle or unrecyclable item can contaminate the contents of whole recycling truck.