Keeping Killeen Clean: How Smart Recycling Can Support City Efforts

The City of Killeen is taking litter seriously—and it’s showing. Since December, a three-person Litter Crew collected nearly 14 tons of trash from city streets, underpasses, and high-traffic areas. That’s a remarkable effort to keep neighborhoods, downtown corridors, and key gateways like Fort Hood Street clean and welcoming.

Mayor Debbie Nash-King made improving the city’s appearance a top priority, and the Litter Crew was part of that vision. Budgeted for FY 2025, these full-time workers have tackled illegal dumping, cleaned up homeless encampments, and prepared public spaces for community events.

But it’s not yet clear whether this initiative will continue into FY 2026. Like many local efforts, its future hinges on funding—and that’s where a smarter recycling system could help.

Deposit recycling programs—where consumers pay a small refundable fee for bottles and cans—have a proven track record of reducing beverage container litter by as much as 50%. That means cleaner streets, fewer clean-up costs, and a stronger local recycling economy. For cities like Killeen, that’s not just good environmental policy—it’s good budgeting.