Universal curbside recycling rolls out in St. Pete this July. To gear up, the city is inviting residents to attend one of eight meetings throughout the city to learn more about the program.
Because the bi-weekly recycling program gets cheaper the more tonnage is recycled, officials want to make sure they are maximizing the number of people participating and making sure those who do choose to recycle are doing it right.
Residents in 76,000 single-family homes and multi-family residences with up to four units will begin receiving the 95-gallon blue bins in May, but are being told to wait until July to start filling them up.
The neighborhood meetings will emphasize that and also provide crucial information about what can and cannot be recycled. Materials like plastics and glass can be put in the bins together once they’ve been rinsed and are free of food particles. Dirty containers cannot be recycled.
The bins can also take cardboard and paper and the different materials will be separated after collection to make recycling easier for residents.
There are some items that can’t be recycled through the program like plastic bags, pizza boxes, used paper plates, styrofoam or take-out containers, light bulbs, mirrors, ceramics, electronics, paint, pesticides, and batteries.
The service will cost residents $2.95 on their monthly utility bills whether or not they use the service.
The first meeting is Monday at the J.W. Cate Center on 22 Avenue North. Other meetings will be at the Willis S. Johns Center on MLK Street just north of 62 Avenue North, Roberts Recreation Center on 50 Avenue North, the SPC Allstate Center on 34 Street South, the Child’s Park Center on 13 Avenue South, the Frank W. Pierce Center on 7 Street South and Gladden Park on 30 Avenue North.
City Council members will be on hand at each of the meetings. Residents are encouraged to go to the meeting closest to their neighborhood, but are welcome at any of the eight.
More information is also available on the city’s website for those who have questions, but can’t attend.
All of the meetings will be at 6:30 p.m.
Here is the complete list of locations for the meetings:
District 1 March 23 J.W. Cate Center, 5801 22nd Ave. N. Council Chair Charlie Gerdes
District 2 March 24 Willis S. Johns Center, 6635 Dr. M.L. King Jr. St. N. Council Member Jim Kennedy
District 3 March 31 Willis S. Johns Center, 6635 Dr. M.L. King Jr. St. N. Council Member Bill Dudley
District 4 April 2 Roberts Recreation Center, 1246 50th Ave. N. Council Member Darden Rice
District 5 April 7 SPC Allstate Center, Florida Room, 3200 34th St. S. Council Member Steve Kornell
District 6 April 14 Frank W. Pierce Center, 2000 7th St. S. Council Member Karl Nurse
District 7 April 21 Childs Park Center, 4301 13th Ave. S. Council Member Newton
District 8 April 28 Gladden Park Center, 3901 30th Ave. S. Vice Chair Amy Foster
