By Carolyn Newcomer Ketchel
Okaloosa County, in partnership with Waste Management—the largest recycler in North America—is committed to recycling. Items like cardboard, cereal boxes and plastic bottles placed in your bin begin a recycling journey, transforming into new products such as clothing, shipping boxes, and playground equipment.
What else can recycled materials be turned into? A variety of new paper products such as carboard boxes, napkins and printer paper, pellets for packing, new cans for soda, fabrics and even carpet. Did you know that the carpet at VPS Airport is recycled fishing line? Check out blue carpet the next time you are in the Airport!
When visiting the local recycling facility on Ready Avenue in Fort Walton Beach recently, it was interesting that so much of the process is automated and uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to sort products. Thousands of tons of products are processed each day. To watch a quick video of the machines in action, type https://bit.ly/RecycleRightinOkaloosa into your search browser. It’s amazing!
The drivers pick up your recyclables and take them to the plant to sort. The material is loaded into a drum feeder for the first stage of sorting. Optical Sensors use AI Technology that takes over to sort glass, aluminum, paper and plastics. After the materials are collected, sorted and baled, they are sold to manufacturers to be used again. This is crucial to advancing a circular economy where products can be used again and again. Waste Management is committed to insuring a more sustainable tomorrow.
Here are four simple tips to help you recycle correctly:
- Recycle clean bottles, cans, paper, plastic containers (#1, #2, #5) and cardboard.
- Flatten all cardboard and paper board for recycling.
- Keep batteries, propane tanks, liquids and food out of your recycling.
- Do not bag your recyclables.
Plastic trash bags are a big issue at the plant. Please do not place plastic trash bags in your recycling nor use plastic bags to contain your recyclable materials.
The most important take-away from this newsletter is this: please do not put anything into plastic trash bags or take-home grocery bags. Recyclables stuck inside plastic bags are at risk for never making it through the recycling process.
Things that should not go into your curbside recycling bin are:
- Flexible packaging like chip bags and juice or soup pouches
- Cups with plastic or waxed coatings – even the plastic lids should be trashed
- Polystyrene foam “to-go” containers and cups
- Tanglers or twists like old rope, cord, or water hoses can wrap around equipment, endanger workers and shut down entire recycling centers.
- Clothing, textiles, shower curtains, mini-pools, fencing and furniture
- Medical waste, car parts, scrap metal, tires, oil filters, propane cylinders and the like pose a safety hazard and should never go in curbside recycling or waste bins.
Remember, recycling works when we work together as a community!
Carolyn Ketchel is Okaloosa County Commissioner, District 2, Vice-Chairman 2024-2025. Contact her at CKetchel@myokaloosa.com or 850-651-7105.
