Florida County Awarded Grant for Recycling Improvement Program

The Orange County, Fla., Board of County Commissioners approved a grant agreement with The Recycling Partnership to enhance Orange County’s recycling quality improvement program through education, outreach, access and training opportunities.

The Recycling Partnership, a national nonprofit organization that provides grants and technical support, will award Orange County $193,000 plus an additional $150,000 in staff and resource support. For its part, Orange County Utilities agreed to dedicate $30,000 of staff time resources toward advancing the recycling quality improvement program.

“Orange County is proud to be selected to receive this funding support from The Recycling Partnership for our recycling efforts,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings in a statement. “We’re committed to sustainability in Orange County, and these grant funds will help us better educate our residents on how to properly recycle.”

The county’s recycling quality improvement program started last summer by inspecting recycling carts, tagging and providing feedback to customers on how to recycle right. Wrong items, such as plastic bags, pizza boxes, clothing and other non-recyclable items, impact how much material can be recycled in the county program. Unincorporated Orange County residents are encouraged to “Think 5: Only recycle plastic, metal and glass containers, cardboard and paper. When in doubt, leave it out.”

“The Recycling Partnership is proud to work with Orange County and the Green Blue Institute to increase recycling in the community by sharing with residents what can and cannot be recycled,” said Jill Martin, The Recycling Partnership’s vice president of technical assistance, in a statement. “Our goal is to help Orange County have a long-term impact by showing residents that recycling is as easy as throwing things away. When we recycle more, we save money and live, work and play in healthier communities.”

Results from this partnership will be shared by Orange County, The Recycling Partnership and Green Blue Institute with other Florida communities at a training workshop tentatively scheduled for late 2019. The overall program is being supported by a grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation.