Help keep Tampa Bay beautiful by contributing to recycling efforts across the region
Together we have made Tampa Bay one of the top recycling regions in Florida
Local governments across Tampa Bay have teamed up to improve recycling efforts in the region. Recycling rules vary by jurisdiction based on collection and processing capabilities so please check with your local recycling service provider to ensure you are recycling correctly and helping our region avoid the common challenge of contamination - attempting to recycle soiled items or materials our programs don't accept.
Whether you have been recycling for decades or just started, it’s worth taking a second look to make sure you are recycling correctly. Recycling technology and processes change over time, so recycling program rules change, too.
Join the social media conversation, share recycling tips, and ask questions by using #TampaBayRecycles
Featured topic: Keep plastic bags out of recycling
Remember to keep your recyclables clean, dry, and un-bagged when depositing them into recycling carts or local drop-off centers. Bagged recyclables aren’t recycled because they can’t be sorted by the recycling equipment.
Utilizing reusable bags is more eco-friendly than getting single-use plastic bags when shopping. Plastic bags can only be recycled at participating retailers. If you can’t return bags to store locations, it’s okay to throw them away in the garbage since all four governments use Waste-to-Energy facilities for trash disposal – turning garbage into renewable electricity.
When in doubt, throw it out
If you are unsure about whether an item is recyclable, visit your municipal recycling webpage below to verify if it can be recycled in your program. Remember “when in doubt, throw it out” as local recycling programs are designed to recover typical household plastic, glass and metal containers, and dry paper and cardboard. Not all plastics and metals can be recycled in local programs.
What is recycling contamination?
Contamination happens when residents attempt to recycle items that can’t be recovered in our single-stream residential recycling programs. Items such as plastic bags, cords, wires, tarps, and hoses jam and damage sorting equipment. Trash these tanglers to help us keep our recycling equipment working to recycle items that we can successfully recover.
Unrinsed food containers or soiled paper can’t be recovered and contaminate the other clean, quality recyclables. Items, such as electronics or clothing, also can’t be recovered in single-stream residential drop-off or curbside collection programs, but may be recyclable at specific locations and other collection programs within the region.
Contamination increases recycling costs and degrades the quality of materials, reducing the ability of the materials to be recycled. Help contribute to the success of recycling programs by reviewing what can and cannot be recycled by visiting your local government’s recycling webpage.
See how the State of Florida is tackling recycling contamination by visiting the Florida Department of Environmental Protection recycling page.