30ashopper

Has anyone ever seen any figures on how successful the blue bag recycling program has been, and how much extra revenue it's generated?

30ashopper

Found this, they just had a workshop on the subject. No numbers but apparently the bb program is quite popular. I wish I could have gone to this, I was wondering if TDC money could be used to promote the bb program to short term renters. That'd be an interesting way of generating general revenue for the county through the use of TDC funds.

http://www.co.walton.fl.us/DocumentView.asp?DID=296

goodwitch58

This was a year ago--I think they have given up on the Blue Bag program.

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30ashopper

Goodness, I didn't notice the year in the date. Thanks goodwitch. I hadn't heard about a cancelation, the bags are still available (just picked some up the other day) and walton county still has the page up on it -

Walton County, FL - Home Page - Blue Bag Program

I wonder if anyone on SoWal knows more about what's going on?

Chandra

If you want to get the skinny on the recycling and BB program, Arix Zalace and Jen Kuntz (Raw & Juicy airstream in Seaside) would be the ones to talk to. They did a lot of research and helped get the BB program started.

FWIW, Walton County does recycle as required by law, though it's important to remember that recycling is only a partial solution to garbage. If people/businesses don't buy products made from recycled materials, there isn't a market to purchase recyclable materials. The other component of this is that the solution begins with the manufacture of products and consumer choices.

Recycling is something we see (or don't see in the case of Walton County) and therefore a feel good thing to do, though it's impact is minimal at best.

For more information, pick up a copy of The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices: Practical Advice from the Union of Concerned Scientists and check out my latest blog post.

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goodwitch58

As I recall the discussions, the problem appears to be the lack of any specific pick up for the blue bags. If they are put out with the regular trash, they often break open and all is lost as far as the effort to recycle...so, we might as well just put everything in the garbage pickup and let the prisoners sort it at the landfill

we can still use the bags and take them to the recycling trailers that are parked around the county, which is what I do.

the BCC maintains it is too expensive to have pick up for recycled materials; or have a system where the trucks are divided to accept the garbage and recycled materials all at the same time.
This is what Leon County does and it works very well. I am sure there are other counties who do it this way. And, it is Waste Management, the same collection company, that does it. I am unsure why it would not be cost effective, after the initial cost of the different trucks. Perhaps there is some issue with finding a company to purchase recycled materials too...

NotDeadYet may have more information too...

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Chandra

Goodwitch, I do remember hearing from Arix that when he visited the waste collection facility, they often had months worth of reclaimed plastic being stored, waiting for a buyer. I know that Bay County doesn't take glass anymore for the same reason - no one to buy it.

The most efficient materials to recycle are newspaper, cardboard, glass, and aluminum. Plastic, not so good. Reclaimed plastic has to be mixed with new plastic and the resulting product is not typically recyclable because of the dyes, shape, and differing resins. This is actually referred to as "downcycling" instead of recycling because the product still ends up in the landfill, just at a later date.

Of course, it's difficult in our time, to completely avoid plastic, but if we have a choice between plastic and another packaging, the other packaging is a better environmental choice.

Newspaper and cardboard I love and I really love the biodegradable take home boxes. All of those materials I throw in the compost bin.

Aluminum can be recycled over and over and over.

Glass also requires new materials to be added to the reclaimed material. Recycling glass saves energy and other resources in the process, but a better option is to reuse glass if possible.

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SWGB

Unfortunately with the economic downturn recycling took a huge hit.

Bad economy affects recycling industry, too | Oakland Tribune | Find Articles at BNET

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Daugette_Matt

Up at thr landfill on SR 83 they seem to do a good job of separating out various types of garbage. As far as I can tell the county ladfill is a good operation, some level of recycling is going on there......

SWGB

Is that the program where prisoners sort through the garbage looking for recyclables?

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30ashopper

Yes. The problem there is that a lot of the paper and plastic material they pull out is of a lower grade due to contamination. That was the original reason for starting the BB program - higher quality recyclables can be sold for bigger bucks.

North Lake

All of the above is very true...with the addition that many were just putting regular household garbage in the free blue bags instead of recyclables.

Using the blue bags and taking them to the collection trailers is the most effective recycling option at this point.

Changes are forthcoming at the landfill with the new building that is in the bid phase right now that should enhance handling of recyclables. That said, it will still require a clean recyclable stream coming in, and having a viable market to move those recyclable materials on for processing.

That gets us back to the collection process. Yes, Leon County and many other jurisdictions have the trucks equipped to collect. But they have a much larger population, are a college town where I suspect a larger segment of the population is more attuned to recycling...and they've had them for a long time.

It's a huge cost to start it from scratch if the carrier doesn't already have the equipment. It has to make good business sense for the franchise, or there is heavy public demand (on the local government in our case where residential pickup is paid for by the .01 sales tax) or the individual paying customers are willing to pay an increased cost.

Then people have to be willing to separate their recyclables from other trash for pickup. It's fine to say, all right, we won't pick it up unless separated -- but in our case here at the beach, I can envision mountains of refuse left beside the road after check-out day if it were enforced.

Not saying it shouldn't or won't happen here, but we're going to have to really support it to make it happen...hearts and minds and pocketbooks.

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goodwitch58

Since Waste Management is the collection company and they do have the trucks already equipped to pick up both, at least within their overall system--is it possible they could switch some trucks out and do a "trial pickup pilot program' to see how it would work in a certain portion of the county?

Also, how about getting some industrious high school or college student or class to design an educational campaign -- they could modify many that are available -- and see how successful we could be at educating people, including tourists, to the value of recycling?

There could be a poster contest, businesses could sponsor ideas, etc. etc.

It just seems that there should be a way to make this happen even if we are smaller, and less knowledgeable, and less concerned about the value of recycling...as they say, it might not make a huge difference in the overall world, but it would make a big difference in our little part of the world.

The litter that I see around here is appalling--if we had some awareness of the value of recycling and putting trash in its proper place, it would improve the quality of our surroundings for sure.

I think we could do if we had some leadership from either a government entity or a business or the TDC or the Chamber or someone....or all of the above!

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wrobert

So in your business you keep some extra vehicles, computers, and other capital equipment laying around? These guys are no the government. They, more than likely, have the number of trucks that they need to do the task.

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North Lake

GW,

I agree 100% with you on all counts! Some great ideas here. We thought we had liftoff with the blue bags -- catchy idea that fit in with our landfill operations, "free bags" - at least to the end users, schoolkids and media were hugely involved, etc... Businesses and HOA's were involved too. Wish I had a nickel for every box of blue bags I delivered to various places that wanted to help out.

Yes, we are smaller...but I wouldn't say less knowledgeable or concerned about the value of recycling. We have some very enlightened and committed people about who helped start up the blue bag campaign. They did their homework, visited the landfill, talked with their Commissioners, and it went forward.

Getting Waste Management onboard is going to be key -- as you observed, they do have the equipment within their system...just not here.

Getting the visitors and the rental property management agencies onboard is another key part of the equation. Many of the locals already recycle with what we do have, or would gladly participate if a more visible system was in place. I hear from lots of visitors and property owners who live in larger areas who are looking for the recycling bins and curbside pickup they enjoy where they live. It still takes that personal effort to segregate the trash -- either the local homeowner, the visitor, or the cleaning service that comes behind the visitor has to do it. A good informational campaign would go a long way to help this out as you suggested.

Call your Commissioners. The TDC, Chamber, and individual businesses can help...but the county commission does the solid waste franchise and has the landfill operation. They need to know that it's a priority for you, and hopefully many others. They are glad to lead, but a lot of people are encouraging them to do different things with a high priority.

The Friends of 30A, which is the "corridor management entity" for the new Scenic 30A designation, is also discussing the trash and garbage pickup issues (along with many other issues pertaining to the route). We're really just getting started, and are looking for more members and people to be active in the groug. State designation is great, but it's only going to be as good as the people who live and work along the route make it. Meetings are the first Monday of each month at 5:00 pm in the District 5 Commissioner's office in Grayton Beach (the old Regional Utilities office across from Frank's Cash and Carry). Next meeting is tomorrow evening. We'd love to have you join us.

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goodwitch58

Thanks. I have been involved, and I did not mean we do not have people who are knowledgeable and committed to this; I was responding to your comment about us (the community in general) being different from Tallahassee in awareness...I have called/written to Commissioners and I will continue to. I will attend some meetings, but not tomorrow night, already committed to another "project" for that time.

Thanks though. Is this an ongoing meeting schedule, plan... I will be happy to help and I, too, thought the blue bag project was going to work. Maybe the educational part of it needs to be given more visibility I think there are a lot of people who want to recycle; and I think Waste Management might be convinced a pilot project was a good idea, given the right incentives..it could be good PR for them.

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NotDeadYet

No doubt some of this is laziness, but I do think some of it is also due to confusion. While glass and cans are pretty self explanatory, paper and plastic require a bit more thought. I know one person who puts virtually every scrap piece of paper in the blue bag, including used envelopes, junk mail, those saran-like shrink wrappers that come on various packages, etc. - because, as she said to me, "it's all paper, isn't it?" And really, I had no answer. Is all that actually going to get recycled? Somehow I doubted it, but I can't say that I really know.
Right now I am looking at a styrofoam egg carton, a flimsy plastic deli package from Publix, and my empty yogurt carton. And I do wonder, are any of these recyclable? Isn't styrofoam a form of plastic? And what about the yogurt container, is it paper or plastic? To be honest, I can't quite tell for sure just looking at it. It might be either, or a combination. If I put all three of these in the blue bag, would someone think it was just my regular household garbage Would someone else think me ignorant for being uncertain where they should go
Sort of reminds me of a game of animal, vegetable, or mineral. When you really start looking closely into the origins of a lot of stuff we take for granted in modern society, not just packaging, it is amazing to find out where it comes from and how it is made.

scooterbug44

If you get a free blue bag from the county it has printed right on it what can be recycled. If in doubt, don't put it in the bag.

Only plastics w/ a triangular code on the bottom and w/ certain numbers in the triangle can be recycled.

Given how many municipalities are experiencing budget issues, one would think borrowing a "recycling" truck or 2 for a test route would be relatively easy.

Most of our visitors come from places with recycling programs, so as long as there is a CLEAR system, we should be ok.

Once again we are trying to reinvent the wheel - I find it hard to believe that there isn't another community w/ our similar issues that has successfully implemented a recycling program.

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SWGB

I know that many rental companies started giving out the blue bags to visitors in the units. This lead to many visitors thinking they were "heavy duty garbage bags" and using them for regular trash. We pulled them from the units and offered them during check-in, most people got it and gladly obliged. The only problem in some rentals is that there has always only been one trash can and most people don't want to just leave a bag sitting around.

I'm curious how many condo's could implement their own recycling programs?

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30ashopper

I just wish we could work out the blue bag program better. It's so convienent. I really am not a fan of the curb side recycling buckets, they trash up the nieghborhood as people tend to leave them out. Not to mention they get kind of gross after a while and start to smell.

I guess I will just keep seperating my recyclables out and using the blue bags for now.

Thanks to everyone for the input!

Creeklover

the county could use the tax money to drive around in a truck and trailer and pick up the blue bags from the curb as some communities do. WM would wont to be paid for their time and efforts as nothing is free. Okaloosa county (Ft. Walton Beach) just gave up their program as it cost to much and no one to purchase the items

goodwitch58

I really would like to get to the bottom of this. Leon County has a great program. 30Ashopper, the trash and recycling bins (one for paper, one for plastic, and one for glass) are put streetside on the same day. The Waste Management truck is divided -- the trash goes into one bin; the recycled materials in another.

There is nothing left out on the street; there is no more smell than usual with trash.

In my neighborhood here in South Walton we have rules that say our trash cans can not be left out more than a few hours before and after pickup. I know several neighborhoods have that--surely Sandestin does.Recycled materials are clean--people rinse out the glass and plastic...

I lived in Tallahassee for 18 years from 1980-1998 and we had the program the entire time.

We did pay for our trash pick up as a direct charge on our utility bills, as opposed to the tax payment we have in Walton Couty, but IMO that was a small price to pay to help keep the community free of litter and to contribute to the well being of the environment at the same time.

I guess I just don't understand why it is such an issue here in Walton and apparently Okaloosa County.

When I have some time, I am going to see about getting more involved as North Lake susggested earlier, but I wish someone would tell me why these two counties are so different from so many other places that it makes it almost impossible to conserve energy and recycle waste. It seems there are plenty of communities throughout the country that are doing a good job with little effort and not too much expense, why are Walton and Okaloosa county so different?

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SWGB

goodwitch, Leon County does not to this day have a recycling program, however residents within the Tallahassee city limits do have curbside pickup. I believe the county does offer trailers similar to the ones we have here located at various locations. We used the one by the old Food Lion in Killearn.

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scooterbug44

My hometown has had a recycling program since I was in middle school. There was a separate special bin (purchased by the homeowner for $35 or something) that you put the recycling in and on trash day the recycling truck came around and picked it up. Easy as pie.

There was also a special dump for residents to take their yard waste to (grass clippings etc.)

15 years later the bin is now a big plastic garbage can w/ attached lid, but that is all that has changed, so I just don't see why it's so difficult to recycle here.

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goodwitch58

Thanks for clearing that up; I was referring to the city's program.

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wrobert

I believe Commissioner Larry Jones works for Waste Management now. I am sure if a group were to go to him and tell them that you want to pay more taxes in order to get your garbage recycled he could work something out.

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SWGB

What's funny is now that I think about it Tallahassee is almost 80% of Leon County anyway so it's kind of the same thing.

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goodwitch58

Thanks for clearing that up!

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Susan Horn

We were in T'hassee the weekend before Earth Day and saw fliers that some county or city agency was having an Earth Day truck sale of backyard composters, selling them at cost -- nice compost bins for like $30, that usually sell for $100 or more. To encourage folks to compost organic wastes and return them to the earth rather than landfilling. I was so wishing we had that sort of program here.

While we're on the subject of recycling and budgets--seems to me it's a no brainer the county could turn collection of yard/landscape/food waste into a money-making operation, or at least a money-saving one. Hot composting on a county or district scale. This is being done in localities all over the country; sometimes they farm it out to a private firm, who sell the compost at a nice profit. But no matter how it's done, it keeps organic waste out of the landfill (saves money) and perhaps more importantly, converts valuable nutrients into a useful soil amendment that is way better for us and the soil and critters than chemicals.

I have brought these kinds of things up a number of times at Planning Commission meetings and I usually get laughed at or told that now is not the time to deal with this, the time for this will be later. Perhaps if enough people got involved, contacted commissioners, etc., the sense of time would come into a little sharper focus. It gets a bit lonely and discouraging being the only voice speaking out for this kind of thing in the public meetings.

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scooterbug44

The yardwaste site we had growing up wasn't very high tech or $$$ - basically it was just a couple concrete platforms so you could easily throw the waste/empty the lawn bag into a standard dumpster.

Saved a ton of landfill space, as most people took their grass clippings there to be reused instead of discarded.

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Susan Horn

Yeah, composting can be as low- or high-maintenance as you want. Some folks have even figured out a way to take the heat generated from a hot compost and use it to heat water. I think there are all kinds of other technologies already available to use that heat energy instead of wasting it.

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Susan Horn
www.artisan-builds.com

North Lake

Susan,

Have you talked this up with Kendra Zamojski out at Extension Services? She's been working hard on getting ACT Walton started up to promote locally grown produce, farmer's markets, and the like. It seems to be gaining traction in a small way, but that's a start. This would fall right in line with that movement, plus could probably bring in the Master Gardener program folks who would have an avid interest in mulches and soil enrichments...plus all the science-based stuff that Extension has going that could be brought to bear on making it work.

I learned this morning that the Extension Office has just negotiated an office space in the new District 5 office over at Grayton with Commissioner Jones - the old Regional Utilities office - to extend their reach down here, particularly in these sort of areas. Up there it's trees and row crops, but down here it's more the small gardens, landscaping, and the like. It'll be part-time at first, but beats driving to DeFuniak to talk with them when you need to.

You can reach Kendra at 892-8172. Or you can see them on-line at http://fl-waltoncounty.civicplus.com/index.aspx?NID=125. They're a great resource for lots of things if you haven't tapped into it already.

Thanks!

Ken

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Susan Horn

Ken,

Thank you. Yes, I have met and corresponded with Kendra and attend as many ACT meetings as I can. Very pleased with and supportive of her efforts, and doing all I can to connect her with more and more folks so what she's doing will grow and succeed. Also working with TDC planning this year's environmental forum about community gardens, which has a goal of actually creating one or more community gardens after the forum (in November).

Thrilled to know we'll have an extension office down here. I know a LOT of people who want to grow food in their back yard but have no experience, no know-how -- and with this "soil" and extremely fierce microclimate, a new gardener needs all the help they can get. Experienced ones too, for that matter!

I think the Master Gardener program is run by the extension service...

One thing that seems to slow progress is that there are so many different gov't agencies, and not often a coherent uniting mission to them all. Plus the tendency for empire building and turf protection rather than getting something done that is inherent in bureaucracies as far as I can tell. Maybe these leaner times will trim some fat and boost efficiencies, reduce excessive redundancies and spur the overcoming of various agencies working towards opposing or noncompatible efforts. It would be so grand if the school district would get more friendly with the county gov't instead of hoarding their turf.

Still, I remain hopeful that we can make progress towards becoming a healthier and more self sustaining community, especially when I read about places like Curitiba (in Brazil).

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goodwitch58

I agree Susan There is a real lack in the communication area I think. Both among the different agencies, different commissioners, and certainly with the public.

It seems as though our government conforms to "the letter of the law"...they have the meetings, notice them IAW the legal demands, and give people time to comment (most of the time), but the "spirit of the law" sometimes feels neglected...there is not much in the way of a pro-active effort made to include everyone.

Part of it is that we do not have a very large media force; Sowal has made a real difference I think; and maybe it (the County process/attitdude) will improve eventually. There are so many things that could be done differently:

I listened to the information about Port St Joe getting the Bio-Mass Company, and again, had to wonder, why doesn't Walton County get some of this new business? There is land available--at good prices now--there is a port at Freeport; we have a railroad; and three airports; soon to be a bigger one--we are within easy distance of military installations that need all kinds of clean industry to support their mission; yet, Walton County has none.

It is a perplexing situation IMO.

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30ashopper

Curb side pickup has problems of its own. We have a lot of gated communities, which would prevent curb side from taking place. In SD for example, local and SOA HOA have rules in place to prevent the use of trash cans, so getting broad adoption across the county isn’t likely. Plus, in most gated communities, trash pickup is handled internally. Here in SD, maintenance picks up curb side trash every morning, transfers that to a compactor, which is then hauled to the dump. So separation would have to happen all the way down at the community level. The cost incurred isn’t just to WM, it’s to the communities as well.

It wouldn’t be too hard to ask people to presort for blue bag in communities like SD. These communities could then work out how to presort blue from normal trash bags with little effort before compaction. Neighborhood presorting could indeed be done by WM, however, if adoption isn’t wide spread, you’d have WM trucks driving around half empty. WM isn’t going to go for that. Maybe if you limited it to just once every two weeks or something? Not sure. Also limiting what goes in blue bags seems to make good sense. Elliminating anything that can cause contamination (like glass) might help.

I think in general though presorting is a good first step. Personally I already do this. Why we implemented a system where glass, aluminum, and dry paper all end up in the same containers is confusing.