The City of Tampa Department of Solid Waste & Environmental Program Management is conducting a composition study of recyclables collected from residents and businesses within the City. The study will sort materials collected into several categories, with the highest focus on the category of contamination. Contamination is the improper placement of items that are not accepted in Tampa’s recycling program. Contamination causes many issues and ultimately ends up creating the need to use additional resources negating the basic standard of recycling, which is to reduce resource intake and reuse through recycling. From a previous composition study, only about 63% of what is placed in recycling bins within Tampa is recyclable. The remaining 37% is contamination. This study will shed light on the errors residents and businesses are making most when trying to recycle, providing an opportunity to continue to focus on the confusion points in recycling with education and outreach.
The Department Director and Chief of Administration will be onsite for the composition study, Monday at 7:30 am and Tuesday at 10:00 am. They will be available for interviews regarding recycling, contamination, and the process of the composition study.
WHO: Tampa’s Solid Waste & Environmental Program Management Department Director, Mark Wilfalk and the Chief of Administration, Adriana Colina
WHAT: City of Tampa Recycling Composition Study – Interviews with Mark & Adriana available. No press conference.
WHEN: Monday, November 23, 2020 at 7:30 am& Tuesday, November 24, 2020 at 10:00 am
WHERE: McKay Bay Disposal Complex Transfer Station 114 S 34th St, Tampa, FL 33605
For more information, contact:
Ashley Bauman, Marketing and Communications Director
(813)-274-8262; Ashley.bauman@tampagov.net