ECUA Is Getting Back To Recycling, Normal Collections This Week

October 11, 2020

The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority is getting back to a normal collection schedule  this week, including recycling.

Recycling in Escambia County was temporarily put on  hold after Hurricane Sally substantially damaged the ECUA Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) at the Perdido Landfill.

“Repairs to the Material Recycling Facility have progressed well and we are resuming processing operations with a soft restart by processing recyclables collected by our ECUA sanitation crews,” ECUA Public Information Officer Nathalie Bowers said.

The MRF sustained about $800,000 in damage to the structure and equipment during Hurricane Sally, and a contractor was on site to begin repairs within a few days.

Recycling trucks will collect recycling cans this week and deliver the recyclables to the MRF to be processed. But if recycling loads are found to be too contaminated they will be disposed of in the landfill, Bowers said.

ECUA will also return to collecting yard trash and bulk waste this week — but only if the items were not debris from Hurricane Sally. Hurricane debris is being collected by FEMA contractors in Escambia County, totally separate from the services provided by ECUA.

“The yard trash crews will be directed to pick up only ‘green’ limbs and branches, that appear to be freshly cut and are within normal ECUA yard trash collection limits,” Bowers said. “Any piles of ‘brown’ limbs and branches are considered storm debris and will not be collected by ECUA crews.”

ECUA Bulk waste collection crews will resume their collections. However, the bulk waste crews will be directed not to pick up any items which appear to be storm debris. No building materials, carpet, fencing, or other storm-related debris will be collected by EUCA.

ECUA customers with questions can call their customer service at (850) 476-0480.

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

Comments

10 Responses to “ECUA Is Getting Back To Recycling, Normal Collections This Week”

  1. Mike J. on October 13th, 2020 11:05 am

    I had the recycling container full of things that I had cleaned and ready. Then I saw the same garbage truck empty both of my ECUA containers! They say keep the recycling habit, but after I worked to clean that stuff just for them to dump it makes me choose to just trash the plastics for now. If I go back to cleaning the plastics but others on my street are not, then my stuff will get trashed anyway. So I’ll wait until the facility is back up to full operation.

  2. Lou on October 13th, 2020 9:19 am

    Why is ECUA acting like a private contractor when in reality they are public servants funded by taxpayers. Citizens need debris vegetation and trash removal now. Millions of dollars are spent to fund this county agency a year. We even elected five people to represent our districts. Hello privatized it or get to work. Thanks

  3. Joyce on October 12th, 2020 4:47 pm

    When will wood and other debri be picked up? Like carpet, wood from fences, containers, other stuff?

  4. Rosie on October 12th, 2020 9:34 am

    Miranda, all the big recycling containers at drop-off sites such as the one behind the Extension Center belong to the County’ Solid Waste Department and they were taken out of service in June due to COVID-19. It will be up to the County as to when they may be reopened

  5. David on October 11th, 2020 4:25 pm

    No issue…read the article to the end…dont pick and choose what you want the end results to be or not!
    ((((ECUA customers with questions can call their customer service at (850) 476-0480.)))))

  6. Barb on October 11th, 2020 3:49 pm

    Really? I’ve had yard waste on the street, since before Sally. I incorporated what little yard refuse from the hurricane into one pile. This past week, these “contractors” came down our street, but was selective in what they picked up. So, who is picking up what?! All my yard refuse is brown now, because it’s been out there for longer than three weeks. What are our other options, if no one is picking this stuff up??!

  7. MR REALITY on October 11th, 2020 9:56 am

    so in other words we now have garbage men deciding what is and what isnt garbage….UNREAL…we know what the answer will be from the drivers…..OH THAT WAS TRASH?

  8. Keith McCann on October 11th, 2020 8:04 am

    So…. that gives them an excuse not pick up anything.

  9. Miranda on October 11th, 2020 7:24 am

    Do you know when they will put the big recycling containers behind the Extension Center back out? I have a bunch of large cardboard boxes.
    Thank you!

  10. Denbroc on October 11th, 2020 6:32 am

    Given ECUA’s track record of yard waste removal lots of now green limbs will soon be brown.

    (It may be prudent to get an affidavit of when I place trash at the curb.)