Recycle Right in Southwest Florida
Sometimes I have trouble getting things out of the house. It’s not because I want to keep them or because I’m ignoring them, I just want to be sure that I dispose of things properly. Valuable items might need to be listed on eBay or donated. Garbage (hopefully) fits in the trash bins, but we also have wonderfully convenient recycling programs in Collier and Lee counties that will make sure our items are disposed of in the best way possible.
If you live in Collier County, you know we have a single-stream recycling program—this means you do not need to sort your recyclables. Just place any clean recyclables into your yellow-lidded bin.
Be sure to:
Keep food and liquids out of your recycling
Empty recyclables LOOSELY into your cart
Do not bag! Return plastic bags to a local retail store or supermarket like Publix and Target. Many of these stores also have convenient drop-off bins for other recyclables like printer cartridges.
More information about Collier’s Residential Recycling program can be found on their website, or you call 239-252-7575 if you have any questions about what is recyclable or how to do it.
There are a number of additional items that can be disposed of through the county:
Household hazardous waste materials such as paints, cleaners, oils, batteries, and pesticides can be taken to Recycling Drop-off Centers. Just drive up and the friendly attendants there will assist you with your items.
Pharmaceutical waste can be disposed of through Operation Medicine Cabinet. There are a number of convenient places to drop off un-needed or expired medications.
Electronic waste, such as old or broken televisions, computers, printers, cables, speakers, cell phones, etc., can also be taken to the county’s drop off recycling centers.
If you live in Lee County, the system is basically the same. Five categories of items are recyclable:
Paper: Junk mail, newsprint, magazines, printing paper, phone books, etc. Essentially any kind of paper except shredded, waxed, metallic or soiled. (No hardcover books—donate those instead)
Metal Cans: Aluminum or steel (tin) cans
Cardboard: Any kind of box unless it held a liquid (such as those used to hold milk, juice, wine and broth). Flatten boxes to save room in your cart
Plastic Containers: Look for the numbers 1 through 7 within the recycle triangles on the bottom of the container (no Styrofoam, no plastic bags)
Glass: Green, brown, and clear bottles and jars
Putting anything outside of these categories in with your recyclables is “wish-cycling.” It’s disappointing, I know, but just because you wish you could recycle something, doesn’t mean you can. Putting non-recyclable items in your recycling bin adds a great deal of expense to the process. It could also contaminate the recycling stream and cause it all to be disposed of rather than recycled.
More information about Lee County’s Curbside Recycling program can be found on their website, or call 239-533-8000 if you have any doubts about what belongs in your recycle cart.
Lee County has a “Reuse Center” where your can drop-off or pickup household chemicals. Latex paint, household cleaners, and pesticides can be found here at no cost.
Residential Household Chemical Waste should not be placed in household garbage, in dumpsters, or poured down storm drains. These items can be taken to the Topaz Court Solid Waste Facility in Fort Myers.
Electronic waste, such as computers, components, printers, etc., can be placed curbside next to, but separated from, regular garbage. Televisions and monitors can be left out with the regular garbage. You may also bring electronics to the Topaz Court Solid Waste Facility.
Sort, Store and Style can help you figure out the best way to dispose of unwanted items during our organizing sessions. There’s no reason to hold onto things that no longer serve, especially when there are so many environmentally sound methods to help clear out the clutter.