susan and I have had it happen a couple of times in last six months.
I wonder if this is occuring because not enough people are recycling? And so in some sections the driver does not travel unless he happens look down from the end of the street to see a blue bin? And if the bin is hidden by a trash can it does not then get picked up?
If we had more people recycling then maybe they would go down every street all of the time?
Perhaps we need to say something in our newsletters extolling the virtues of recycling
Give a Hoot - Don't Pollute
2/23/06: Tampa Solid Waste Recycling Program 348-1111
All City of Tampa residents with curbside garbage service now also have weekly curbside recycling service. All residents received a 14 gallon blue bin with a brochure. With curbside recycling you can now recycle paper, glass, aluminum cans and plastic bottles in your blue bin with just a short trip to the curb. A paper grocery bag can be used for extra newspapers. Recycling is collected once a week on your assigned recycling day (the day is printed in the brochure that came with your box). A separate truck will come by to collect the recyclables. The recycling truck collects recyclables between 6:30am and 5pm.
What can be recycled curbside in the blue recycling bin?
Brown, green and clear glass bottles and jars
Newspaper
Aluminum cans
Milk & juice cartons made from paper
Plastics bottles (such as soft drinks, water, ketchup, shampoo, etc.)
What can't be recycled at this time?
Here are a few tips of what to leave out of your curbside recycling bin:
Used motor oil and motor oil containers (please place the containers in the garbage); To find a location for recycling used motor oil, call the Florida Department of Environmental Protection at 1-800-741-4337.
Paint cans (open up to let paint dry or use newspaper to soak up any remaining paint; then take to a Hillsborough County household chemical collection center. Contact the Hillsborough County Department of Solid Waste at 813-272-5680 for dates, times and locations).
Batteries (AA, C and D batteries can go in the garbage. Button and nickel cadmium batteries from cell phones etc should be taken to a participating store such as Radio Shack, Target, Home Depot etc.)
Plastic bags (these should go back to the grocery store for recycling)
Paperboard boxes (cereal and cracker boxes and beer and soda holders)
Corrugated cardboard (not collected in the blue bin). If you have a large quantity, call a local paper recycler.
Here is a brochure
I recently moved back to Tampa from the Left coast and was surprised at the lack of interest the city seems to have in recycling. Out there recycling is almost a religion, with even less effort required. No sorting and almost everything is accepted except wet garbage. Even a small town I lived in near Gainesville had a much more active recycling program than Tampa. I have been pondering it and can only think of one reason that Tampa might be so lackadaisical about recycling. Perhaps the more they recycle the less they have to burn in the Waste-to-energy plant. Most recycling programs run close to break-even or are even profitable with the funds gained from selling the materials so I would think they would be more committed to it.
ReplyDeleteThis may be a little embarrassing (for me), but how do you get the recycling bins? We've lived in our house over a year and have never gotten any. Is there a # you can call to request them?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tampagov.net/appl_customer_service_center/form.asp?strServiceID=289
ReplyDeleteor you can call
813-348-1165
I used the web form and it took two submissions and about 3 weeks to get the bin. Again, it seems Tampa isn't enthusiastic about it's recycling program.
Clarification
ReplyDeleteThe general number is: 348-1111
The number above is the Recycling manager.