Bradenton may end curbside recycling so workers can focus on yard waste pickup
The city of Bradenton’s blue bins may soon find a new purpose as officials consider ending curbside recycling pickup in favor of yard waste.
In the coming months, residents who want to recycle their trash may be asked to bring those materials to one of several new drop-off locations throughout the city. The blue recycling cans will then be repurposed to hold yard waste for weekly pickup.
“If we go away from curbside recycling, (our recycling employees go) toward yard waste,” Public Works Director Jim McLellan said. “We’ve heard from the people, yard waste is their priority other than garbage.”
The proposal hasn’t been approved yet, but the planned shakeup is Bradenton’s latest step toward resolving trash pickup issues that have plagued city officials for months. Since July, the city has only been able to pick up recycling and yard waste once every other week.
By asking residents to handle their own recycling, Bradenton’s Solid Waste Division hopes to improve its ability to pick up piles of grass clippings, leaves and branches at the end of local driveways more frequently.
During a public meeting Wednesday morning, the Bradenton City Council voted to discuss key changes to the city’s yard waste and recycling programs on March 9.
By the end of April, the city expects to put a halt to recycling pickup.
How will residents recycle under new rules?
Instead, the city plans to provide up to 10 recycling containers throughout the city for residents to bring their recycling waste. The locations have not been finalized yet.
Dedicated recycling areas should also improve the amount of waste that actually gets recycled. McLellan explained that around 60% of the city’s recycling volume ends up at the Manatee County Landfill with the regular trash.
“There’s an illusion of recycling,” McLellan said.
The city brings recycling materials to the local Waste Pro recycling facility, but not everything gets recycled. If there are too many non-recyclable materials, such as plastic bags and pizza boxes, the entire load gets sent to the landfill.
Before 2019, the city used to make a profit on handling recycled materials, but the market has shifted over the years. These days, recycling is a money-losing venture.
“I’ve known for years that our recycling operation is not going in the right direction,” said Councilman Patrick Roff. “I see it as a wasted resource for what we do.”
“Recycling is just not happening,” added Councilman Bill Sanders. “We’re paying an awful lot of money for something that’s just going to waste anyway.”
Bradenton suggests yard waste changes
Regular trash pickup has been prioritized, but a driver shortage has limited Bradenton’s ability to collect recycling and yard waste materials.
In recent months, members of the Bradenton City Council have tagged along to help collect piles of yard waste. Officials shared stories about the massive piles of tree limbs they found while volunteering.
“There are some piles we’ve seen over the past few months that are impossible to pick up by an individual,” Mayor Gene Brown said.
“This community has become accustomed to superior yard waste pickup, but there are some abusers,” said City Administrator Rob Perry.
Instead of dealing with huge piles of tree limbs and leaves, city officials will ask residents to follow the “Three Bs” by putting their yard waste to the street with the following methods:
In the blue bin (recycling cans)
Bagging it
Bundling it with rope
The city will still accommodate large piles of yard waste, but residents will need to call the Public Works Department to schedule a pickup and pay a fee based on the size of the pile.
Bradenton officials voted to continue the discussion during their next public meeting so that city employees have time to put together a plan for educating residents on all of the proposed changes to recycling and yard waste collection.
The meeting will be held at City Hall, 101 12th St. W., at 8:30 a.m. March 9.
This story was originally published February 24, 2022 at 5:40 AM.
