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Here’s What To Recycle. (And To Never Put In The Recycling Can.)
July 27, 2023
The Emerald Coast Utilities Authority has given tentative approval to a 9.5% sanitation rate increase, partially because of contamination problems with the recycling program.
The rate increase will allow residents that wish to recycle to continue, while others can use a second trash can instead at no additional cost (other than the rate increase). The idea, according to ECUA board members, is to help clean up the recycling stream. Right now, according to ECUA Executive Director Bruce Woody, about one-half of all recyclables are contaminated with trash — items that can’t be recycled in the ECUA program.
So that brings up the question: What can I recycle?
A list of what can, and what cannot, be recycled is below.
What Can I Place in My Recycling Can?
- Glass; any color
- Paper newspaper & Inserts
- Cardboard
- Boxboard (cereal, cake & cracker boxes, etc.)
- Plastic bottles
- Plastics No. 1 & 2
- Plastic Milk Jugs; 2-Liters
- Aluminum Cans & Lids
- Tin and Steel Cans & Lids
- Metal Pots, Pans & Cookie Sheets
- Pet food cans (no plastic liner)
What Can I NOT recycle in my can?
- Plastic bags
- Polystyrene products (Styrofoam)
- Pet food cans that have a plastic liner
- Pet food bags
- Ice cream cartons
- Waxy/paper milk cartons
- Aerosol cans
- Juice boxes or bags
- Garbage or yard waste
- Garden hoses
- Window blinds
- Tarps
- Bedding or linens
- Carpeting or rugs
- Construction materials
- Tin foil or foil baking pans
- Plastic chairs
- Residential Medical Waste
- Bubble Wrap
- Food Waste
- Propane Tanks
- Plastic or metal hangers
Bulk Recycling Available
Current customers can call ahead (850) 476-0480
- Car or truck batteries
- Tires (no commercial equipment tires)
- Limit of 5 tires
- 20 lb. propane tanks
- Large Appliances/White Goods
- Refrigerators
- Dishwashers
- Stoves
- Washers & Dryers
- Large amounts of cardboard (please empty and flatten all boxes)
ECUA also offers the Recycle Coach app for additional help.
Comments
14 Responses to “Here’s What To Recycle. (And To Never Put In The Recycling Can.)”
@Ronnie Adkins
Nothing humanity does could destroy the planet.
However, when we pollute the water table, throw trash in the ocean, increase carbon emissions, and devastate biodiversity, we are actively making the world a worse place for our neighbors, children, and grandchildren.
God commanded us to be good stewards of the Earth. Christ commanded us to treat our neighbors with love and respect. Let’s do that.
Recycle? Why, to save the big companies money, nope, never have, never will, simple, stop producing polymer, such a dirty process, and bad end results. This planet was actually made by God and he new in the future we would have our industrial revolution, our gasoline vehicles, burn coal, dump pcb’s, not REPORT spills at manufacturing facilities, we won’t destroy this planet, only he will, so don’t recycle, burn coal, ban plastic, remember when everything was made out of steel and glass, much better days, put the polymer manufacturing out of business.
I don’t know why some of you are talking about climate change when this has nothing to do with that. This is about keeping our landfills from filling up with plastic.
Throw your trash in your yard for a year and see just how much space it takes up, and then imagine it for every household in the whole county. There’s only so much room out there folks, there’s no more land being made.
My recycling was not picked up Tuesday and I have left it out two more days for pickup. No, still have a full can.
If they are going to charge me another 9.5% and fuss about what I put in the recycle can (I try to do right) They can have the recycle can and give me another garbage can.
There are many other plastics labeled above numbers 1 and 2 that say they can be recycled. However, ECUA notes it can take only no. 1 and 2 plastics. Why can’t ECUA take higher numbered plastics? Since they are labeled that they can be recycled, I have been putting them in the recycle can. I think most people would. I think ECUA needs to jump on the bandwagon for the higher level plastics that can be recycled.
So, we’ve had recycling here for decades and sometimes ecua recycles and sometimes they don’t, but you always pay for it. As long as the rest of the world (China) doesn’t participate in actual recycling then it won’t work and even then, it won’t stop the heat death of the universe let alone this planet.
The garbage in the ocean is mostly commercial fishing nets not your paper plates and plastic cups. Though they do make a very small percentage of that and the ones coming from our country even less.
The waste sold to China is not I repeat not cardboard and glass bottles it is mostly ELECTRONICS and that is then sent to Africa to Chinese owned “recycling” companies that dump it on the ground and pay children to dig through it for precious metals that the CHILDREN have to smelt down to get paid by the company.
Recycling in this country is indeed a money scam. You want to make a real difference compost not recycle grow your own food raise a few yard animal’s goats. chickens that sort of thing. You can’t turn off the Sun anymore then you can stop climate change. Climate change is real, and it happens with or without us ask the Dinosaurs and maybe take a trip to the Grand Canyon if you don’t believe.
@Dee
You’re partially right.
Yes, a lot of our recycling is sold to foreign markets (mostly China), where it is used to create new products. Reducing waste and reusing products should be our priority, but recycling is still a viable method to mitigate the production of trash.
No, China isn’t buying tons of recycling just to dump it in the middle of the Pacific. There is a massive problem with garbage ending up in the ocean, but it’s caused *despite* people recycling, not *because* of recycling.
Since we’re all paying for recycle now, we’ll probably just throw anything in there.
Of all the items that you CAN NOT put in recycle, why would I want to pay a 9.5% rate increase to recycle? I can get another trash can at NO extra cost. Something seems amiss here.
China and India have 2.2 million citizens which is approximately 1/3 of the world’s population. China opens 2 new coal plants a day or week. Neither country does anything to protect the environment or prevent climate change.
We think that recycling plastic bags or using paper straws will save the planet? Do the numbers and you will see that America’s “green energy” policies are a scam! Climate change is used to control our lives and take away our liberties.
Green energy is a money pit that is only possible because of taxpayer funding.
So most items that say to recycle and have a symbol that says to recycle are not good to send in. So our recycling center is not propely equipped or is the county not making enough money off of those items. Seems pretty restrictive on a bigger scale.
….Who is gonna remember all that?? And who has time to clean the garbage before it goes in the can just to be contaminated by other trash. It’s ridiculous.
Idk why ECUA cares what is put into the recycle bin. It’s not getting recycled. At least not in the US, if ever. The “recyclables” are sold to foreign entities, normally in the Middle East or, much more often, Africa, for potentially recycling. However, the vast majority of the recycling product that is sold, ends up dumped into the ocean. These 3rd world countries do not have the means to deal with the recyclables from their own country, much less the stuff we sell to them. The recycling industry is just one big racket that is under regulated. So don’t feel too good about the stuff you put in your recycle bin. Instead of it going in the ground at the dump, it’s floating in the Indian and pacific oceans.