By Jeff Odom
Trash collection won’t be the only thing changing in Hillsborough County Oct. 1 — the way residents recycle will too.
The changes are aimed at encouraging more people to recycle, according to Damien Tramel, who oversees the switchover for the county.
With the current waste contract expiring this year, commissioners unanimously voted Jan. 10 to approve the system. The new system will replace manual service with twice-a-week trash pickup and once a week recycling collection, both of which are automated.
Instead of the traditional county-issued blue and green rectangular bins, the recycling service will mandate one large wheeled cart to hold paper, plastic and other materials.
Residents will be issued both the trash and recycling carts at a cost of $50 per household and will be paid for during a seven-year period.
“Once October hits, we will be delivering to our customers one container, and they will be able to put all of their material into one single container,” Tramel said. “We call that single-stream recycling. All of that material will go and be separated and be properly processed at a plant.”
The entire process is estimated to create a 20 percent increase in residential recycling in unincorporated Hillsborough, which includes all of Lutz and Odessa.
“This takes away the restrictions of having to separate the material out, and that makes it a lot more convenient for our customers,” Tramel said. “This is also broadening the materials we accept right now. Now, we only accept plastic No. 1 and 2s, but we’ll be accepting 1 (through) 7s now. Plus, we’ll be accepting all paper — anything that can tear — all glass, food and beverage containers — clear or green — and all plastics. We will even be accepting film and garbage bags, we’ll take that as well.”
The sweeping changes haven’t gone through without criticism, though.
During the county’s Talk Trash public hearings in November to discuss the possible changes, many were outspoken against the possibility of limiting the amount of certain wastes that trucks would pick up.
Even the commission’s decision to overhaul the waste service was heavily scrutinized as more than 62 percent of residents were in favor of keeping the old manual service.
Tramel, however, assures that the system will work, and said people will benefit from the new service.
“You remove the issue of container damage, containers in the streets and some of the messiness left behind from the old manual pickup,” Tramel said. “You won’t find those issues with the new automated system. Instead, you’ll see uniformity with the residential bins. … With this system, people will see it as a bigger convenience. I think the size of the bins are perfect because they will be able to hold more, and there won’t be a limit on what you put can out in there.”
