The city of Tampa’s Department of Solid Waste & Environmental Program Management is currently conducting a study of recyclables collected from residents and businesses within the city, with an emphasis on ultimately cutting down on the percentage of contamination in its recycling bins. The study comes at a time when recycling has changed significantly around the globe over the past decade.
The Florida Legislature set a statewide weight-based recycling goal of 75% by this year, but that’s not going to happen. The statewide recycling rate is currently just at 49%, according to a 2019 report from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. “Many of the challenges we currently face with recycling have occurred as a result of changes in collection methods, recycling markets and the types and quality of materials acceptable for recycling,” the report reads.
A previous survey done by the city of Tampa showed that a whopping 37% of what is placed in recycling bins are contaminated items – meaning those items that are not recyclable or include dirty food containers (think of a stained pizza box).