ALACHUA COUNTY, FL - Alachua County and the City of Gainesville are helping residents to "Embrace Zero Waste," by striving to eliminate the inefficient use of natural resources. The curbside collection program has added more items to the list of recyclables collected at the curb. Additionally, Alachua County, through its adoption of the Energy Conservation Strategies Commission's recommendations, is pursuing the creation of a Resource Recovery Park.
Newest to the list of recyclables is pasteboard or boxboard (boxes that hold items like crackers and cereal, toothpaste and cake mixes). After any plastic liners are removed, these items should be flattened and placed in the orange recycle bins. Other items for the orange recycle bin include: junk mail, magazines, newspapers, brown paper bags, catalogs, flyers and corrugated cardboard (no pizza boxes, paper towels or tissues).
Yogurt and margarine containers are now accepted in the blue recycle bin. Other items for the blue recycle bin include: plastic and glass bottles and jars, aluminum and steel cans, including empty aerosol cans (remove the spray top). Remember to remove tops and rinse containers before recycling (this adds value, streamlines processes, and creates a safer work environment at recycling facilities).
The curbside yard waste recycling program no longer picks up waste at the curb in plastic bags. All yard waste must be place in reusable containers or in paper lawn and leaf bags.
The upcoming Resource Recovery Park will work with private companies to process recyclable materials, including organic matter, or manufacture products from recycled materials. The Leveda Brown Transfer Station is planning an expansion to host these companies and services as part of this green industrial complex providing reuse, recycling, composting, and manufacturing jobs. County staff are working with the Chamber of Commerce and Council for Economic outreach to develop existing Alachua County businesses and recruit targeted industries to be a part of this park.
Click here to watch an interview Neil Seldman, President of the Institute for Local Self Reliance, explaining the Resource Recovery project.
Click here to read more on the Alachua County Resource Recovery Park.
For more information about recycling, visit www.thewastewatcher.com or call 352-338-3233.
40 Days of Change - For more information concerning events on and leading up to Earth Day, go to the University of Florida, Office of Sustainability's "40 Days of Change" website by clicking here.