Chambers County revamps recycling through TALKE USA partnership
December 24, 2025
Chambers County residents can drop their recyclables at three reopened Select Citizen Collection Stations beginning Jan. 2.
The county will only accept plastics for now, but officials plan to expand. Items must be clean, empty and dry, and any boxes must be flattened.
“We’ll also be rolling out special recycling initiatives, including our new Bag It & Bring It campaign, focused on education and reducing materials that end up in the landfill,” the Chambers County Facebook post read.
Chambers County paused recycling services in 2022 when the former recycling partner of the county closed its operations. Chambers County was required to transport recyclable materials more than 60 miles to an alternative facility since the partner closed operations.
“The long-distance hauling required significant staff time, increased wear and tear on county vehicles and equipment, and, in many cases, resulted in entire loads being rejected due to contamination or changing acceptance standards,” Director of Economic Development and Grant Management Samantha Humphrey said. “These factors made the recycling program costly and inefficient.”
Chambers County entered a public-private partnership model with TALKE USA. The petrochemical company provided the land and will operate a baling site, or land where waste materials, such as cardboard, plastic or metal are compressed into dense blocks or bales and bound with wire or other material.
Chambers County contributed a one time capital investment of $1 million for the construction of the facility. The county’s ongoing costs are limited to operational expenses only, which include staffing, collection, and transportation.
“This partnership model allows Chambers County to reintroduce recycling in a fiscally responsible way while minimizing long-term financial impact on taxpayers,” Humphrey said. “The program operates at little to no cost per load to the County. This approach reduces transportation burdens, improves reliability, and positions the program for potential future expansion as participation and conditions allow.”
Commissioner Rusty Hammond led the Chambers County Recycling Collaboration project by entering negotiations with partners at TALKE USA, the City of Mont Belvieu, and ExxonMobil to revamp the county recycling program. ExxonMobil introduced Cyclyx, a company based out of the Woodlands that provides systems that accept difficult-to-recycle plastics, like plastic films, flexibles, and multi-laminates.
“While our community relies heavily on the plastics and petrochemical industries for jobs and economic stability, those same producers have proven to be strong partners in this effort,” Humphrey said. “They are just as committed as we are to finding solutions that reduce long-term environmental impacts while supporting a sustainable local economy.”
Locations and Hours:
Anahuac
1811 Belton Lane, Anahuac, TX 77514
Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cove
8138 B FM 3246, Cove, TX 77523
Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Winnie
47414 I-10, Winnie, TX 77665
Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.