St. Petersburg is set to live up to its promise of sustainability now that universal recycling is set to begin operations this summer.
The program, which will replace the current subscription-based service used by some residents, has been in the works since Mayor Rick Kriseman took his oath of office in 2014.
Beginning the first week of May 2015, the first of 76,000 homes will receive their blue, 95-gallon recycling containers. Approximately two weeks after households get their containers, the soft opening of the recycling collection will commence.
Deputy Mayor Dr. Kanika Tomalin is excited to see the program roll out.
“It’s a move that we’re very proud of,” Tomalin said. “It has been a long time in the making, but now it’s time. Our success is dependent on each of our individual engagements.”
Long-term sustainability was one of the more important goals which Kriseman and Tomalin sought to bring to the city upon entering office. “Curbside recycling is one of the ways we are moving forward as we engineer a city of opportunity,” Tomalin said.
“We have the resources, we have the willingness and the ability to have our city’s recycling policies reflect our philosophies,” Tomalin said.
St. Petersburg was the first city in Florida to become a green city – an accolade received in 2008 – and the recycling initiative aims to continue paving the way to the city’s sustainable future.
The recycling program is set to run mostly on the same routes as solid waste collection does, with the city divided into eight distinct zones. A map representing the zones is set to hit the city’s website this month, along with all the information residents need to learn more about the program.
“The recycle collection schedule will be directly opposite of the solid waste schedule with bi-weekly pickups at first,” said Benjamin Shirley, St. Petersburg sanitation department director.
Prior to the new containers being delivered to residents, the city is investing in a dedicated section of their website, stpete.org, and a series of eight meetings – one for each district – through the end of April.
“We have a full marketing plan in place for the promotion of the program,” said Regena Williams of the sanitation department. “The department will be at many of the city’s scheduled events promoting the program.”
A flat fee of $2.95 will be added to residents’ utility bills to pay for the service. Information on what is and isn’t recyclable, along with all of the other pertinent information, will be included on the lid of the blue containers and in an information packet inside.
City Council member Karl Nurse says once the program gains momentum and the amount of solid waste decreases due to more recycling, a tipping point will be reached and overall costs will decrease.
“Basically, as a city, we’ll work through this together,” Tomalin said. “It probably won’t be perfect at the roll out, but what will be absolutely comprehensive is our commitment to get it right.”
Learn more:
Visit the city’s recycling website at www.stpete.org/recycling.
