ECUA Will Collect Recycling Cans This Week, But It Will All Go Into The Landfill

September 27, 2020

The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority will pick up both trash and recycling cans this week, with both going into the landfill.

ECUA’s recycling program remain on  hold after Hurricane Sally substantially damaged the Materials Recycling Facility at Perdido Landfill.

Recycling collected this week will go straight into the landfill with the regular trash, according to ECUA, but will allow customers to have their recycling can emptied.

ECUA is also reminding customers that storm debris is being collected by contractors working on behalf of Escambia County and that ECUA is not picking up construction or building debris, whether bagged or loose. Construction and building materials are never items that are collected as part of the ECUA residential sanitation service.

The facility sustained about $800,000 in damage to the structure and equipment. A building contractor is already on site, has completed inspections and is ready to begin rehabilitation work. The best estimate right now is that the facility will be in service and ECUA recycling will return at the end of October.

“I want to assure our customers that ECUA is 150% committed to our program, and we are going to work to have the facility back up and running as safely and quickly as possible,” ECUA Public Information Officer Nathalie Bowers said Tuesday afternoon.

Bowers encourage residents to try to stay in the habit of recycling, if possible, by storing clean recyclables in their cans or elsewhere until service resumes.

Pictured: Damage to the ECUA Material Recycling Facility at the Perdido Landfill. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

17 Responses to “ECUA Will Collect Recycling Cans This Week, But It Will All Go Into The Landfill”

  1. David Huie Green on September 28th, 2020 10:55 pm

    You can always dig it up later.

  2. Rodpumas on September 28th, 2020 9:29 pm

    I would hope that common sense would prevail with recyclables being placed in a separate location in the landfill.

  3. Moe de Lone on September 28th, 2020 5:55 pm

    @ Dave Starnes

    Man, you were lucky…a wife with a garden hose. A lot of neighborhoods would find people standing around with their phones videoing the incident.

    Back to the blimp hanger. When this facility debuted several years ago, I made a comment on this website with a concern about high winds.

  4. Ray on September 28th, 2020 4:45 pm

    They are putting a canvas roof on a warehouse in a hurricane zone. That sounds a bit deranged – I’d love to hear the reasoning. The next hurricane is going to blow that $800,000 dollars into the wind, the mysterious contractor is going to collect a fat government check, and our fees are going to increase.

  5. Big Steve on September 28th, 2020 8:25 am

    Looks to me like a couple FEMA tarps and they should be back up and running. Most expensive tarp building I have ever seen.

  6. MR REALITY on September 27th, 2020 9:10 pm

    how was this junk $13,000,000?

  7. J. M on September 27th, 2020 7:01 pm

    So will our recycling fee be waved until the plant is up and running?

  8. Freddie Biggs on September 27th, 2020 6:54 pm

    I have watched our trash truck dump both cans in same truck for years. Callled former Rep Larry Walker who said he would take care of it. Never did anything. Maybe Kevin can fix. Hey, no concerns for me now. Use to it. Glad to have another trash can.

  9. Dave Starnes on September 27th, 2020 4:08 pm

    I apologize to ECUA employees for flying off the handle when I called in. The stress of everything was too much. When I came home and saw that they didnt pick up the recyclables and the trash can was knocked over and the recyclables were all over my lawn I blew a gasket. I ended up picking up the trash then dumped it in a heap then doused it with gas and it went up in flames. Unbeknownst to me a little gas had spilled onto my pant leg. My jeans went up in flames then my wife who happened have the hose extinguished me as I rolled around in the dirt. My dog became alarmed by my flailing and started attacking me. After the dust settled I realized I probably over reacted. Once again I apologize.

  10. Diane on September 27th, 2020 2:05 pm

    Well maybe they could rebuild with insurance money & this time build it to withstand wind & handle all types recycling products… we live in such a wasteful county.

  11. Charles on September 27th, 2020 11:59 am

    I’m at least happy that our can that’s been full for two weeks will get emptied, but this sounds like a one time deal. I bet they don’t lower our fee for services not rendered next month.

    Also city of pensacola is getting twice weekly pickup. That sure would have been nice since we had to throw out everything in our fridge and freezer. And now anything that would have been in the recycling can has to go in the regular garbage.

    A good public relations move would be to continue dumping the recycling weekly even if it’s going into the landfill.

  12. Michael Nelson on September 27th, 2020 11:42 am

    What’s the big deal, now? I’ve been watching ECUA dump recycling waste at the top of the hill on De Lisa here in Milton ever since the inspectors left after they opened.

  13. Boss on September 27th, 2020 10:59 am

    “If my recyclable goods aren’t being recycled, I sure hope they pls on suspending my already high recycling fee.”

    Mr. Sullivan. No problem. We will suspend you zero fee. ECUA includes it in the regular service there is no recycling fee

  14. Adam J Sullivan on September 27th, 2020 10:20 am

    If my recyclable goods aren’t being recycled, I sure hope they pls on suspending my already high recycling fee.

  15. Josh Jones on September 27th, 2020 9:22 am

    This should please all those complainers last week who wanted a rate reduction. I hope we see them post their thanks to ECUA for restoring the recycle pickup component of the weekly trash collection.

  16. Me... on September 27th, 2020 9:02 am

    Should have purchased a decent building in the first place! What did they expect?

  17. Brian on September 27th, 2020 8:42 am

    How about regular trash. Its been 2 1/2 weeks on our road. Its getting ridiculous