Jacksonville Recycles

An exploration by Anne Patterson

December 12, 2001

IN 1994 my husband got stationed in Jacksonville, Florida. It was around this time that the local city government began an intensive media campaign about making Jacksonville "the cleanest city in America." All military housing "requires" its members to participate in recycling, but the city of Jacksonville has a very comprehensive recycling program and makes it very easy for all its residents to do their part in recycling.

I know that many states and cities have good waste management/recycling programs. Jacksonville is the only city I have lived in out 11-year military career that has truly made an impression on me. The city's programs are truly carefree. They provide recycling bins, literature and pick up practically everything curbside each week. From plastic, glass, newspapers (even glossy inserts!) to cardboard and even metal soup cans (most programs I've experienced don't offer to pick up these type of containers).

Jacksonville, FL, recycles more than just the obvious.

Yard waste is picked up year round, each week and recycled by mulching and using it in local landscaping projects. They recycling tires by shredding them and using it for playground cover, asphalt, resurfacing of tracks, parking lots, and horse arenas. Even the local Walmart sells the locally recycled tires. The local joke in the South is that every Southern has a major appliance in his yard, but not in Jacksonville. All appliances are picked up CURBSIDE and then disposed of properly. I can only assume since such items are prohibited by law in landfills, the city takes some measure to recycle them. Oil wastes (up to 5 gallons per customer per trip) can be taken to local oil retailers free of charge and disposed of. No excuses for the local resident to containment ground water with used motor oil.

As you can see, recycling is extremely easy in Jacksonville. It requires no thought from the everyday consumer, and the positive effects from such actions are numerous.

For more info, visit www.coj.net/tig.

Thanks!