Recycle Right! The Secrets to Effective Recycling in Martin County

Recycle Right! The Secrets to Effective Recycling in Martin County

There is always more to learn and more to do to Keep Martin Beautiful! So, I was really excited to attend the annual Keep Florida Beautiful Conference this fall to find out what other affiliates across the state are doing and hear about best practices to make our own efforts even more effective in Martin County.

One hot topic was “contamination” – the problem that’s caused when recycling is done wrong.
Each county in Florida has its own recycling procedures based on the recycling companies they contract with. What’s considered a good candidate for recycling can vary from county to county. Is a pizza box okay to put into the recycling bin? Is an old book? It depends.

What’s absolutely certain is that putting an item into the recycling bin that doesn’t belong there contaminates the items around it - and that’s bad! Instead of doing one’s part to save items from winding up at the landfill, someone who recycles improperly actually increases the amount of waste heading for the local landfill.

Here are some tips to be a thoughtful and effective recycler in Martin County.. 

Martin County contracts with Waste Management for its curbside recycling program. A comprehensive list of what can be recycled curbside is on Martin County’s website here: Garbage, Recycling and Yard Waste | Martin County Florida. 

It’s a long list and includes plastic bottles, aluminum cans, glass bottles and jars, cardboard and paper, including magazines, catalogs and paperback books.

The website also lists items that should NOT be included in your weekly recycling. Things like clothing, paper towels, plastic bags, waxed cardboard, Styrofoam, and food-contaminated containers.

So, that greasy pizza box with some cheese stuck on it? NOT RECYCLABLE.  An old hardcover book? No.  A paperback novel? Yes! 

And absolutely no hazardous waste materials whatsoever should be put in your recycling bin ever. Things like aerosol cans, batteries, paint cans and light bulbs are all considered household hazardous waste.

In Martin County, we’re fortunate that those hazardous waste materials have a safe place to go. You can dispose of them at the county’s Hazardous Waste Disposal Center in Palm City or at the HazMobile at one of the locations listed on the county’s website. And it’s free!  

There are also locations within our community, including Publix, Target and Best Buy, where items like plastic bags, electronics and Styrofoam are collected. 

Let’s start off the New Year right and be better recyclers. It’s just one of many ways you can do your part to help keep Martin County beautiful!

Reilly Weidner's opinions are her own and may not reflect Friends & Neighbors viewpoint.