Manatee County unveils new recycling system

MANATEE -- Recycling in Manatee County will soon get a little easier.

Beginning this summer, Manatee County will roll out Single Stream Recycling, which will eliminate the need for residents to sort the recyclables into two bins.

"We always thought Manatee County is one of the leaders in recycling and we are pursuing that goal," said David Pickup, manager of special waste in the county's utilities department. "To enhance the recycling program, we chose to go to single stream recycling."

At no cost to the county or taxpayers, the new 64-gallon carts will start to be delivered July 11, with delivery running through the end of September. Waste Management and Waste Pro purchased the new containers.

"You can start using them as soon as you get them," Pickup said.

While the two blue 18-gallon bins will go away and be replaced by the rollable cart for residents living in unincorporated Manatee County, the county will still collect the same materials, such as plastic and paper, and service days will remain the same.

"It's just a different process," Pickup said. The old bins will be collected and recycled if residents choose not to keep them.

This new program is another step in the county's goal to increase participation in recycling. By 2020, the county is aiming to reach the state's 75 percent recycling

goal, which means only 25 percent of solid waste generated in the county will be buried in the landfill.

"It's going to increase our participating and awareness of recycling in general because we are going to be giving everyone these new carts right off the bat, so we are hoping they will take it to heart and participate," said Billy Malfese, the county's recycling program coordinator.

With single stream recycling, participation and tonnage typically increases, Pickup said.

"It is much easier and convenient and cleaner and safer," he said.

The waste haulers will be responsible for the next step at their respective material recovery facilities, Malfese said. Waste Pro is in the process of building its own facility in Manatee County, which will create new jobs, he added.

"It is the responsibility of each of the waste haulers to properly recycle all those materials once they collect them," he said.

Manatee County hit the 51 percent recycling mark at the end of 2014 and needs to be at 60 percent by the end of this year, Pickup said.

"We have always moved forward to achieve any of the goals that the state has asked us to do," he said.

The county's motto is "Recycle All Together -- Recycle Right."

"You can recycle all materials together plus coming together to achieve goal," Pickup said.

A lot of other counties and cities in the state are moving ahead with the single stream recycling, Pickup said. Bradenton already uses the system.

"There is no sorting," Pickup said. "Everything goes into one container. We are promoting it as easy and convenient. You just fill it up, close the lid and wheel it to the curb."

Recycling is "the environmentally right thing to do," Pickup said.

"It's an environmental thing and especially here in Florida, it saves the natural resources," he said. "It's a lot to do with keeping the waters clean."

Malfese echoed Pickup.

"It is extremely important to manage these finite resources that we have to be sustainable and to be able to create new products in the future," he said. "It is really one of the easiest, most personal things people can do to minimize environmental impact and make an impact too."

For more information, go to mymanatee.org/recycling or call 941-792-8811.

Claire Aronson, Manatee County reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7024. Follow her on Twitter @Claire_Aronson.

This story was originally published March 29, 2016 at 10:59 PM with the headline "Manatee County unveils new recycling system ."