In a surprising announcement, Austin’s Solid Waste Services announced their plan to phase out the ubiquitous blue recycle bins that line the residential streets of the city.

How does this make any sense, you ask? Late last year, the city awarded a contract to a California consulting company to set up a Zero Waste Plan “to achieve the U.N. Urban Environmental Accord’s goal to reduce by 20% the per capita solid waste disposal to landfills by 2012 and zero waste by 2040.” Lofty, but impressive plans.

According to the plan, recycling pickup will shift towards larger receptacles, removing the need for sorting in multiple bins, and less frequency in pickup, reducing emissions around the city.

Welcome to Austin, TX, city of the future.