Alachua County Recycles

No “butts” about it 🚭 Cigarette butts are the most littered item in America - but they don’t have to be.

Each year, through the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP), Keep America Beautiful distributes over 1,200 receptacles to reduce cigarette waste.

These cigarette butts can then be recycled through our collaboration with TerraCycle. Learn more: https://hs.terracycle.com/kab

❌ Don't be fooled by the packaging. "Flushable" wipes should *NOT* be flushed! Spoiler alert: They wreak havoc on pipes and sewer lines. Learn more: www.gru.com/unflushables

As we celebrate Labor Day, we want to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the workers we often take for granted.

To the garbage truck drivers, the workers who sort our recycling at the Material Recovery Facility, the truck drivers that transport waste to the landfill, the staff that keeps hazardous waste out of our environment and the Waste Collection customer service team that answers our phones and emails, we appreciate you and we thank you for your tireless efforts to serve our community. ♻✨

Thank you for all that you do! Let's take this day to appreciate the dedication and resilience that keeps our community thriving. Happy Labor Day! 💖🙌

Don't worry about scrubbing your recyclables with dish soap. A simple rinse will do to ensure the container is empty. Remember, a little smear is no problem!

Learn more about proper recycling at recyclecheck.org.

Residential curbside collection service for solid waste, recycling, and yard trash will not be affected by the Labor Day holiday. In addition, the Hazardous Waste Collection Center and the Leveda Brown Environmental Park and Transfer Station will be open during regularly scheduled hours on Monday, September 2nd.

The five Alachua County Rural Collection Centers, and the Office of Waste Collection will be closed on Monday, September 2nd. They will resume normal schedules on Tuesday, September 3rd.

America’s 250th birthday is less than two years away! 🥳 To help our country look her best as we honor this important moment in history, we’re asking everyone to come together to for the .

By July 4, 2026, we aim to:
🗑️♻️ Pick up 25 BILLION pieces of litter
🌲🌸 Beautify 25 THOUSAND communities

These goals might be seem ambitious, but we know we can do it if we ALL work together to 💪 Learn more and get involved today: kab.org/greatest

We love getting feedback from our tour groups and presentees, especially when they are this adorable!

MEDIA RELEASE - Wednesday 8/14/24 11:35 AM
Cleanup from Hurricane Debby continues throughout the County. The County and their hauler, GFL, are working diligently to collect the large volume of yard trash created by the storm, in a timely manner. It is our hope to be caught up by September 1. Until that time residents should not expect their yard trash to be collected on its regular schedule.

Please remember that any yard trash placed out for collection needs to comply with the regular specifications for yard trash placed curbside. Any material outside of those specifications will not be collected by the County’s hauler, GFL.
Yard trash includes leaves, grass clippings, tree and shrub trimmings, and small tree limbs. It does not include boards, fencing, landscape timbers, lumber, dirt, rocks, brick, or concrete.

The regular specifications for yard trash placed curbside are:
1. No item longer than 5 feet in length
2. No item wider than 8 inches in diameter
3. No item heavier than 40 pounds
4. All loose material must be placed in a paper yard waste bag or reusable container
Thank you for your patience as we do our best to be caught up in the next few weeks.

If you have additional questions contact the Alachua County Solid Waste & Resource Recovery Office of Waste Collection at (352) 338-3233.

MEDIA RELEASE - Tuesday 8/6/24 12:20 PM
Alachua County faired relatively well through Hurricane Debby and will not be receiving additional assistance for the collection of yard trash and fallen trees. Any yard trash placed out for collection needs to comply with the regular specifications for yard trash placed curbside. Any material outside of those specifications will not be collected by the County’s hauler, GFL. The County does expect that the volume of yard trash placed curbside for collection will far exceed a regular collection week resulting in GFL requiring additional time to complete their collections. Customers should anticipate that their yard trash collection may not occur on their regular collection day.
Yard trash includes leaves, grass clippings, tree and shrub trimmings, and small tree limbs. It does not include boards, fencing, landscape timbers, lumber, dirt, rocks, brick, or concrete.
The regular specifications for yard trash placed curbside are:
1. No item longer than 5 feet in length
2. No item wider than 8 inches in diameter
3. No item heavier than 40 pounds
4. All loose material must be placed in a paper yard waste bag or reusable container
For those residences located on dirt roads, GFL will determine whether their vehicles can safely maneuver those dirt roads without causing excessive damage to the road or having their vehicles become stuck. Depending on the drainage and quality of the road, your waste collection services may be delayed.
For those residences which contract directly with GFL for waste collection services, GFL has suspended all collection services for this week. GFL will collect reasonable amounts of overflow waste for those affected residences.
If you have additional questions contact the Alachua County Solid Waste & Resource Recovery Office of Waste Collection at (352) 338-3233.

MEDIA RELEASE - Sunday 8/4/24 12:20 PM
Due to the potential for high winds, all Alachua County Solid Waste & Resource Recovery facilities and operations will not operate on Monday, August 5, 2024. This includes the Leveda Brown Environmental Park and Transfer Station, the Rural Collection Centers, the Hazardous Waste Collection Center, and the administrative offices.
Residential waste collection services including garbage, recycling, yard waste, and bulky items will not be conducted on Monday, August 5, 2024. These services will resume on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, with all collections being delayed by one day through the rest of the week. Regular collection schedules will resume the following week.
Please bring any waste containers or items which you have placed curbside away from the street and secure them so they will not be scattered by the wind or otherwise become a hazard.

Sunday August 4 – 11:20 a.m. -- Tropical Storm Debby
TORNADO WATCH ISSUED FOR ALACHUA COUNTY

Go to weather.gov/jax for the full information including watch area and forecasts

Florida, amirite? It’s a great time of year to watch the weather and wait to water your yard. Giving your yard too much water can lead to disease and pests. It’s the most common problem the Alachua County team sees in residential landscapes.

Yes, Alachua County Recycles glass!

📰Incoming Zero Waste News📰 gainesvillefl.gov/ZeroWasteNews

Beyond the Bin: The Journey of Recycled Glass

Recycling glass containers into valuable products is a key element of today’s waste recovery systems. Over 3.1 million tons of glass bottles and jars are recycled yearly in the U.S. However, this represents only about a third of the glass containers produced, so substantially more glass containers could be recycled.

Recycled glass is incredibly versatile and can be transformed into a wide range of products, including:

• New Glass Containers: The most common use of recycled glass is to produce new bottles and jars. Known as cullet, recycled glass can be melted and reformed without losing quality, making it an ideal material for creating new containers. This energy-efficient process reduces the need for raw materials like silica sand, soda ash, and limestone.

• Fiberglass Insulation: Recycled glass is also used to manufacture fiberglass insulation. Cullet is melted and spun into fibers, which are then used to create building insulation. This not only aids in energy conservation but also provides a market for recycled glass.

• Construction Materials: Recycled glass can be incorporated into construction materials such as concrete, asphalt, and glass tiles. When used in concrete, it enhances durability and aesthetic appeal, while glass tiles add a unique, recycled touch to various design elements.

• Art and Decorative Items: Artisans often use recycled glass to create beautiful decorative items like vases, sculptures, and jewelry. This application promotes recycling and highlights the aesthetic potential of recycled materials.

Recycled glass plays a vital role in creating new products, conserving natural resources, and reducing environmental impact. By understanding the various types of glass and their recycling potential, we can all contribute to a more sustainable future.

Hopefully everyone had a chance to go plastic free this July and be part of the solution to plastic pollution! Share with us in the comments how you went plastic free this month.

Protect our future by using sustainable products today!

Alachua County 200th - Community Survey We are excited to celebrate Alachua County’s 200th Anniversary on Dec. 29! Please take a few moments to complete a resident survey and share your thoughts on the upcoming celebrations.

Office and school supplies are items that are often overlooked when going plastic free. There are many products available that are made from either post-consumer waste or made of recyclable/ renewable material.

Keep the ocean clean by using less plastic!

Go plastic free!

Creating your own natural health care and cleaning products is not just about personal health but also about environmental responsibility. By reducing the use of plastic in your kitchen and bathroom, you're making a significant contribution, and you can feel proud of your eco-friendly choices.

Research on plastic toys has yielded alarming findings. Out of 419 chemicals identified in plastic material, 126 were found to pose potential health risks to children. This underscores the need for safer alternatives. Wood and cotton toys, painted with non-toxic, child-friendly paint, offer a promising solution to keep children safe and free from plastic exposure. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210222124552.htm

Buy in bulk and avoid single use plastic packaging!

Irrigation Restrictions Watch the Weather, Wait to Water!

Make a sustainable change today!

According to Sustainable Menstruation, a California State University student led initiative, plastic menstrual products generate more than 200,000 tons of waste per year. On average, a person who menstruates will have 456 periods and use more than 10,000 menstrual products in their lifetime.* With an estimated cost of $12,800 over the span of 38 years in disposable products, this issue directly impacts 1.9 billion people. Switching to reusable, sustainable, period products can save you thousands of dollars and keep plastic and other non-biodegradable waste out of the landfills. Silicone cups (lasting up to 12 years), bamboo or cloth washable liners and washable "period panties" are examples of some reusable options.

* Regional Health-Americas TL. Menstrual health: a neglected public health problem. Lancet Reg Health Am. 2022 Nov 11;15:100399. doi: 10.1016/j.lana.2022.100399. PMID: 36778065; PMCID: PMC9903918.