Solid Waste Authority of Broward County is on the frontlines to ensure we recycle right.
Courtesy of Solid Waste Authority of Broward County
In the minute it takes you to send a text, check a restaurant review, or read this story, we have generated 20,000 pounds of waste in Broward County. All that waste must go somewhere and that somewhere is likely a waste-to-energy facility or landfill. Both of which are almost maxed out.
This is not a conversation reserved for sustainability experts or eco-enthusiasts. It belongs to every one of us who lives, works, and enjoys what Greater Fort Lauderdale has to offer.
That is why Broward County and 28 cities, including the City of Fort Lauderdale, have joined together to create a Solid Waste and Recyclable Materials Master Plan. Now, Broward County and each of the 28 cities will evaluate the programs outlined in the Master Plan.
We can stop a good amount of our waste from ever reaching the waste-to-energy facility or landfill with best practices. Getting there starts with the basics. Keep plastic grocery bags, cords, hoses, batteries, food waste, and diapers out of your recycling cart. They can contaminate a whole truckload of recyclables, which means more waste goes to a landfill. If you live in Fort Lauderdale, only recycle the items that are identified on your recycling cart sticker. If you live or work in another city, check that city’s website to see what items are accepted. The first step toward raising our countywide recycling rate, from 38% to the state’s goal of 75%, is to recycle right.
There is also real value in many of the items we throw away, often without a second thought. Paper, metals, plastics, food scraps, yard trimmings, and construction debris all have value and need not end up in a landfill. If we do a better job recovering these materials, they can be reused locally right here in our parks and communities.
Here is how you can join the recycle right movement. Visit browardrecycles.org to take the pledge to waste less, recycle correctly, and reuse as many items as possible. Together, we can drive our recycling rate up and set the example for our kids and the next generation of leaders in Fort Lauderdale and beyond.
Ben Sorensen is the Vice Mayor of the City of Fort Lauderdale, a member city of the Solid Waste Authority of Broward County.
This content was contributed to Browardist by the Solid Waste Authority of Broward County.
