Solid Waste Director ‘Talks Trash” at South Florida Regional Planning Council Meeting

MONROE COUNTY, FL – Monroe County Solid Waste Director Cheryl Sullivan presented solid waste management challenges and opportunities in southeast Florida at last Friday’s South Florida Regional Planning Council meeting in Boca Raton. Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties were at the conference. Also in attendance at the conference was Monroe County Commissioner Michelle Lincoln Coldiron. Sullivan discussed the unique challenges of solid waste and recycling collection along the 110-mile linear county that makes up the Florida Keys.

“Since we haul our trash to the mainland, collaboration with our northern neighbors is imperative to us in the Florida Keys,” said Lincoln Coldiron. “These counties face many of our same challenges, and we all work together to educate the public on best practices.”

A new term used at the conference included “wishcycling” – putting a non-recyclable item in the recycling bin, hoping it will be recycled. In Monroe County, items do not need to be separated, and residents and visitors can recycle:

• clean aluminum and steel cans
• clean food and beverage cartons
• clean glass bottles and jars
• paper, newspaper, magazines, flattened cardboard (not pizza boxes)
• plastic kitchen, laundry, and bath bottles

You cannot recycle:

• Garbage bags and plastic bags (they get stuck in the sorting machine). Many grocery stores have bins set up to return plastic grocery bags
• dirty food or beverage containers, they must be rinsed out
• clothes and linens – drop them to a donation center
• wires, hoses, chains, electronics
• Styrofoam containers
• Plastic outdoor furniture
• Toys
• Propane tanks
• Hazardous materials and chemicals
• Yard waste

To learn more about recycling and solid waste programs like the Household Hazardous Waste and e-waste collection details, visit www.monroecounty-fl.gov/solidwaste.