County libraries and chemical collection centers among facilities accepting old bins through January
Residents living in unincorporated areas of Sarasota County began using their new single-stream recycling carts this week, with Jan. 6 marking the carts’ official debut.
“Recyclable materials placed at curbside after Jan. 6 in the red and blue bins will no longer be collected,” a county news release stresses.
A Waste Management truck will use a robotic arm to lift and empty the recycling carts the release explains. Therefore, residents should keep in mind that they should place their carts at least 3 feet away from other objects, such as mailboxes, utility poles and cars, the release adds.
Residents should place into the cart only the items accepted by Sarasota County’s recycling program, as indicated on the cart lid and in the packet delivered with the cart, the release points out.
In a county video recorded on Jan. 6, Wendi Crisp, outreach coordinator for the county’s Solid Waste Division, also reminded customers not to put recyclables inside plastic bags and then into the new carts. Residents should just dump any materials out of plastic garbage bags and into the carts, she pointed out; then, the plastic bags should go into the residents’ garbage containers.
The carts should not be used for trash or yard waste, Crisp emphasized.
Residents wishing to dispose of their red and blue bins will have opportunities through Jan. 31 at 11 locations, the county release says. The list of locations follows:
- Betty J. Johnson North Sarasota Public Library, located at 2801 Newtown Blvd. in Sarasota.
- Fruitville Public Library, located at 100 Apex Road in Sarasota.
- Gulf Gate Public Library, located at 7112 Curtiss Ave. in Sarasota.
- Frances T. Bourne Jacaranda Public Library, located at 4143 Woodmere Park Blvd. in Venice.
- Elsie Quirk Public Library, located at 100 W. Dearborn St. in Englewood.
- Longwood Run Park, located at 6050 Longwood Run Blvd. in Sarasota.
- Twin Lakes Park, located at 6700 Clark Road in Sarasota.
- Englewood Sports Complex, located at 1300 S. River Road in Englewood.
- Chemical Collection Center, located at 8750 Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota, but only during operational hours.
- Citizens’ Convenience Center, located at 400 Knights Trail Road in Nokomis, but only during operational hours.
- Chemical Collection Center located at250 S. Jackson Road in Venice.
“Residents are asked to follow posted signs at drop-off locations,” which will be visible by area dumpsters, the release. “Old recycling bins should not be dropped off inside the libraries or park buildings,” the release adds.
Residents may keep the bins for storage or repurposing, if they prefer, the release notes.
Anyone with questions may call the county Contact Center at 861-5000 or go online at http://www.scgov.net/recycling.