About 70% of Bradenton’s recycling ends up at the landfill. Here’s why.
Rinsing out your cans and breaking down your boxes is the first step when it comes to repurposing your trash, but chances are that those recyclables are ending up at the landfill.
According to the latest data from Bradenton’s Solid Waste Division, about 70% of the recycling loads that get dropped off are not processed at the recycling center. Instead, they’re taken to the landfill because of improper recycling, officials say.
“We know it’s a big percentage. More often than not, it’s being taken to the landfill,” Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown said. “That’s the trend all over the United States.”
When trucks drop off recycling loads at the collection center, it gets inspected to make sure that most of what’s in the pile is actually recyclable. If more than 20% of the load is non-recyclable, such as plastic bags or Styrofoam, the entire load gets taken to the landfill.
A Florida Trend Magazine report from June 2021 identified at least five other Florida cities that have faced similar issues. Those cities decided to eliminate their recycling programs entirely, citing the higher cost associated with contaminated loads.
In general, recycling costs Bradenton about $70 per ton, but a contaminated load costs the city $110 per ton.
“It doesn’t make sense if we’re paying more and paying extra to take our recycling to the landfill,” said Councilwoman Jayne Kocher, who made the case for a public outreach campaign on how to recycle properly.
“We should focus on education for residents so that they know better,” she added. “I’ve had plenty of calls and people aren’t always informed on what they can and can’t put in the cans. Everyone wants to recycle and we can do more to educate them on how to do it right.”
During a public meeting on Wednesday, Bradenton City Council will consider voting on a new plan that would end curbside recycling in favor of yard waste collection. If approved, the city’s blue recycling bins will become containers for leaves, branches and other yard clippings.
“The Public Works Department has done a great job of researching this to come up with solutions and options for us,” Brown said. “It’s not something, in a perfect world, that we would want to do, but we need options to make our garbage, recycling and yard waste collection better.”
The new proposal would mean that residents interested in recycling will need to begin transporting their recyclables to drop-off sites that will be placed “strategically” throughout the city. If the board decides to move forward with this plan, city leaders will begin rolling it out over the next few months.
This story was originally published February 23, 2022 at 5:40 AM.
