By Lisa Piazza
RECYCLING CORRECTLY IS CRITICAL
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Waste Management Hierarchy recommends managing waste in this order
- reduction
- reuse
- recycling
- creating electricity via waste-to-energy
- landfilling as a last resort.
Pinellas County Solid Waste follows the EPA’s hierarchy; it operates an integrated solid waste management system with programs for waste reduction, reuse, recycling, energy recovery, and disposal. While the county’s waste-to-energy process provides a beneficial use for garbage by reducing its volume and creating electricity, it is considered “energy recovery,” not “recycling.” Recycling is preferred over energy recovery because it saves natural resources by avoiding the depletion of virgin materials.
The greatest environmental benefit of recycling is conservation of natural resources, such as energy. Recycling also prevents pollution that is generated when a raw material is used to make a new product. For example:
- Recycling glass takes 30% less energy than producing glass from raw materials. Glass is used to make fiberglass and glass containers. Glass never wears out and can be recycled infinitely.
- Recycling aluminum cans saves 95% of the energy that is needed to make aluminum from its virgin source. Aluminum cans are 100% recyclable and there is no limit to how many times they can be recycled. Around 75% of the aluminum ever made is still in circulation.
- The U.S. recycling rate for mixed paper has met or exceeded 63% since 2009. Recycled mixed paper can be recycled 5-7 times to make new paper products.
- The U.S. recycling rate for cardboard has exceeded 82% since 2009. In 2021, the recycling rate for cardboard was 91.4%.
- Recycling high-density polyethylene or HDPE bottles and jugs (plastic milk, water, and laundry detergent bottles & jugs) reduces total energy consumption by 88% compared to making the items out of virgin materials.
- Recycling polyethylene terephthalate or PET plastic bottles (examples of this plastic are soft drink bottles, water bottles, and peanut butter jars) reduces total energy consumption by 79% compared to making this plastic out of virgin materials.
Based on the county’s projected population growth and increased waste generation:
- The county’s WTE Facility will reach operating capacity in 2026, which means that more garbage will need to be landfilled without the added benefit of the WTE’s volume reduction.
- The county’s landfill has just 80 years of remaining life if recycling continues at today’s rates.
- If residents were to stop recycling today, the landfill would be full and out of service within 60 years.
As Florida’s most densely populated county, Pinellas County lacks the space to build another landfill. Once the landfill is out of service, the county will need to ship waste out of county, which will be expensive due to disposal fees and loading and transportation costs.
What Can and Cannot Be Recycled?
Recycle Guide www.pinellas.gov/recycle-guide-pdf
While recycling collection is managed independently by municipalities and private haulers, it all goes to the county. The Recycle Guide is designed to provide universal recycling guidelines to all Pinellas County residents. No matter where you recycle in Pinellas County, if you follow this guide – you’ll be recycling the correct items. If you have questions, visit www.pinellas.gov/topic/garbage-and-recycling-for-homes.
