Recycling in Santa Rosa County
Santa Rosa County continues to work with Emerald Coast Utilities Authority, or ECUA, on finding an alternative for recycling. ECUA was contracted to accept all recyclables in Santa Rosa County and transport them to a center in Montgomery, Ala. This center abruptly closed in October 2015. ECUA then began transporting recyclables to Tarpon in Loxley, Ala. Due to it being cost prohibitive, ECUA stopped transporting recyclables to Tarpon in December when they began charging a $12.50 per-ton tipping fee. ECUA is currently in the process of establishing a new processing facility in Escambia County and Santa Rosa County has begun discussions with ECUA concerning future agreements as well as looking for all available long term alternatives.
What can residents do?
Residents are encouraged to not only continue placing recyclable materials out for pickup but also to practice ways of reducing and reusing materials.
Reducing and reusing provides many benefits including preventing pollution cause by reducing the need to harvest new raw materials, reducing the amount of waste that will need to be recycled or sent to landfills, and allowing products to be used to their fullest extent. Below are tips from the United States Environmental Protection Agency on how to reduce and reuse:
- Buy used. You can find everything from clothes to building materials at specialized reuse centers and consignment shops. Often, used items are less expensive and just as good as new.
- Look for products that use less packaging. When manufacturers make their products with less packaging, they use less raw material. This reduces waste and costs. These extra savings can be passed along to the consumer. Buying in bulk, for example, can reduce packaging and save money.
- Buy reusable over disposable items. Look for items that can be reused; the little things can add up. For example, you can bring your own silverware and cup to work, rather than using disposable items.
- Maintain and repair products, like clothing, tires and appliances, so that they won’t have to be thrown out and replaced as frequently.
- Borrow, rent or share items that are used infrequently, like party decorations, tools or furniture.
- Buy products made from recycled material.
- Reuse grocery bags or bring your own cloth bags to a store. Don’t take a bag from the store unless you need one.
- Donate unwanted appliances, tools or clothes. Not only will you be reducing waste, you’ll be helping others. Donating items helps prevent usable goods from going into landfills, helps your community and those in need, and may provide tax benefits when counting it as a charitable donation.
When will recycling be transported to a recycling facility again?
It is anticipated that this will be a short term issue of four to six months as ECUA works to open a recycling facility at the Perdido Landfill in Escambia County.
Will there be any change in what items are accepted for curbside recycling?
No. The following items can be placed in your recycling container:
| • Glass, any color
• Newspapers & Inserts • Magazines, Catalogs, Phone Books • Junk Mail & Envelopes • Cardboard • Office and School Papers (all colors) • Brown Paper Bags (grocery) • Boxboard (cereal, cracker boxes) • Pizza Boxes • Juice Boxes / Bags • Plastic Produce Clamshells • Plastics No. 1 through 7 • Plastic Milk Jugs, 2-Liters, bottles and containers • Plastic & Metal Hangers • Plastic Cups, Plates, Utensils
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• Aluminum Cans & Lids
• Pet Food Cans, Dry Pet Food Bags • Aluminum Foil Baking Pans • Balls of Tin Foil, Foil Pie Tins • Metal Pots, Pans & Cookie Sheets • Tin and Steel Cans & Lids • Bubble Wrap • Egg Cartons, cardboard only
Non-recyclable Materials: • No Empty Plastic Bags • No Ice Cream Cartons • No Waxy / Paper Milk Cartons • No Aerosol Cans • No Garbage or Yard Waste • No Building Debris
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Questions? Contact the Santa Rosa County Environmental Department at (850) 981-7135.
