The City of Amarillo’s landfill will no longer accept cash payments starting March 1st. From that date, debit and credit cards will be required to make payments at the landfill.

A press release from the city quoted Managing Director of Public Works Donny Hooper, who said that “this change simplifies the payment process for those required to pay a fee to use the city landfill.” Hooper further cited convenience and efficiency as reasons for the change.

While a refusal to accept cash has been a growing trend in recent years, the trend has received pushback. In 2019, the ACLU published an article titled “Say No to the ‘Cashless Future’ — and to Cashless Stores,” a position which has increasingly also been touted by conservative leaders, including Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie.

The press release did stress that “The change will not affect residential customers in the city limits disposing of normal household waste where a sanitation charge is implemented.”