The MRF Sorters, Photo by Olivia Smith
ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., Apr. 20, 2021- Have you ever wondered where your recycling goes? In today’s world, there is a strong push towards “going green” among organizations and individuals alike. But how can the average person “go green?” Well, the St. Augustine Recycling Facility answers this very question with tips on how the average person can better recycle in this busy city.
Flatten Cardboard: According to Recycling Coordinator Olivia Smith, cardboard and paper combined are the most recycled materials in St. Augustine. This is partially due to paper and cardboard being easy to reshape and repurpose. However, unflattened cardboard boxes tend to slow the recycling process.
“[Unflattened cardboard boxes cause] a problem for our machines at the Material Recovery Facilities,” says Smith, “The machines are designed to sort materials quickly into categories and larger materials like cardboard boxes can slow down the process.”
When unflattened items come into the facility, the MRF staff must manually deconstruct the boxes, which involves them turning off the machine. This wastes precious time and limits the number of materials that can be recycled in each day. Therefore, flattening your cardboard boxes would be doing the industry a huge favor.
Avoid “Tanglers”: Another major issue faced by the recycling industry is what the MRF workers calls “tanglers.” Tanglers can be any material that can clog up the converter belt in MRF facilities. Usually, these materials are ropes, old Christmas lights, extension cords, or plastic bags. Although thrown in recycling bins with good intentions, the St. Augustine Recycling Facility advises against recycling these items.
“Tanglers usually shut down the MRF belts about once every two hours,” explains Smith, “The belts can only be unclogged manually, and this process can take any amount of time. If we can avoid these items, our processing would run more smoothly.”
Tanglers, Photo from https://mydisposal.com/tanglers-slow-recycling-efforts
Discard E-Waste Separately: Since most computers and electronic items are made up of different types of metal, most people assume they can be recycled like every other item. However, although these items can be recycled, e-waste must be dealt with separately and broken down in a specific way. Thankfully, the recycling facility here in St. Augustine just recently launched a program where they will take e-waste and break it down itself at no extra charge to the public or city government. All anyone has to do is drop off their used electronics at the bin located at the facility gate, which is centrally located at 501 Riberia St.
E-Waste Collection at St. Augustine Recycling Facility, Photo by Allison Matthews
For more recycling tips, how to learn more about St. Augustine’s recycling program, or to learn how you can get involved, visit www.staugustinegovernment.com.
