ECUA Encourages Proper Recycling Participation

September 29, 2016

ECUA’s Interim Materials Recycling Facility, or IMRF, is up and running at the Perdido Landfill.  ECUA is encouraging customers enrolled in the recycling program to resume the separation of their recyclables .

The collaborative effort between ECUA and Escambia County is a state-of-the-art facility that will have the capacity to recycle up to 40,000 tons of materials per year.

The $10.6 million project was initiated to offer a long-term, regional recycling solution for this community, while at the same time, to assist Escambia County in reaching its state-mandated 75 percent recycling goal. On February 12, ECUA broke ground for the IMRF, which encompasses a 53,460 square-foot fabric building and recycling equipment that is expected to process up to 165 tons of materials per day.

The following items can be recycled:

  • Glass; any color
  • Newspaper & Inserts
  • Magazines & Catalogs
  • Junk Mail & Envelopes
  • Cardboard
  • Phone Books
  • Office and School Papers (colored paper)
  • Brown Paper Bags (grocery)
  • Boxboard (cereal, cake & cracker boxes, etc.)
  • Pizza Boxes
  • Plastic Produce Clamshells
  • Plastics No. 1 through 7
  • Plastic Milk Jugs; 2-Liters; bottles and containers
  • Aluminum Cans & Lids
  • Pet Food Cans and Dry Pet Food Bags
  • Aluminum Foil Baking Pans
  • Balls of Tin Foil; Foil Pie Tins
  • Tin and Steel Cans & Lids
  • Metal Pots, Pans & Cookie Sheets
  • Egg Cartons, cardboard only at this time

The following items cannot be recycled:

  • No Plastic Bags
  • No Ice Cream Cartons
  • No Waxy/Paper Milk Cartons
  • No Aerosol Cans
  • No Juice Boxes / Bags
  • No Garbage or Yard Waste
  • No Garden Hoses
  • No Window Blinds
  • No Tarps
  • No Bedding or linens
  • No Carpeting or Rugs
  • No Construction Materials

For more information, visit www.ecua.fl.gov.

Pictured: A small portion of the machinery at the IMRF. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

10 Responses to “ECUA Encourages Proper Recycling Participation”

  1. Nathalie Bowers on October 3rd, 2016 8:56 am

    Good morning,
    Here are answers to some of the questions:

    - You most certainly can place your can out every week even if it is not completely full.

    -Yes, ECUA accepts pizza boxes, even with grease on them. Please dispose of any leftover pizza in the regular garbage can before placing the pizza box int he recycling container.

    - It’s ok to place all the recyclables loose in the recycling can.

    - The Town of Century has their own sanitation department and you would have to contact them regarding plans for recycling bins. It’s possible those bins were placed there by the County previously, so you may need to check with Escambia County. This link will take you to the County’s recycling page and at the bottom, you will find a list of their existing drop-off centers.

    https://myescambia.com/our-services/waste-services/waste-services-recycling/educational-information

    - Yes, all Styrofoam products are not recyclable in the ECUA program.

  2. Mae Hildreth on September 30th, 2016 11:34 am

    I had some of their compost delivered. It’s great! I’m growing a heck of a garden this year.

  3. Mae Hildreth on September 30th, 2016 11:31 am

    When planning last year’s earth day event, I spoke with ECUA. I was told they don’t service the Century area. It would be lovely if the local company would offer some local bins. Hopefully people will treat them as recyclable bins, Only.

  4. North end resident on September 30th, 2016 9:18 am

    Are they going to bring back the recycle bin to the courthouse in Century?

  5. sue on September 30th, 2016 7:09 am

    Thanks William for the great detailed list. This helps! I have also heard that you are not supposed to put your “recycle” can out every week, that you should only put it out for pick-up when it is completely full? To save time and fuel. Is this true? I would hope that “someone” from ECUA would come on here and answer everyone’s questions.

  6. required on September 29th, 2016 11:07 pm

    Greasy pizza boxes cannot be recycled.

  7. Anne on September 29th, 2016 6:39 pm

    Are we supposed to just drop loose things into the recycle containers?

    Questioning because things like the small empty soda bottles and other small items might blow away from the truck.

  8. Wharf Rat on September 29th, 2016 6:02 pm

    Let me refrain this. I am talking about the big green metal containers, not my green plastic container. I have a tan recyclable container, which I really hope nobody uses theirs for garbage.

  9. Wharf Rat on September 29th, 2016 5:25 pm

    Question…Publix has bins for recycling plastic bags, paper bags, and styrofoam egg cartons. Do they have a different program?

    I understand if a person throws household (kitchen) garbage into one of the big green containers, the whole container becomes garbage. I hate this, as they are the same type of “people” who throw trash out of their car windows.

    Thanks ECUA, we, and the world need to get with the program.

  10. Jcellops on September 29th, 2016 3:17 pm

    Is ALL styrofoam NOT recyclable at this time? …Also worth mentioning, according to the ECUA inservice I recently attended, expired milk should NOT be poured down the sink.