City Sanitation Issues Getting Resolved: Let's Do Our Part To Help The Environment

The Thanksgiving Holiday followed, which always creates a large volume of garbage. Our Staff was trying to work around these dominos by using a regular truck as a substitute for Recycling. Then there was another regular truck that had maintenance issues. This caused a big back-up. So last Thursday they announced that they would be caught up by Friday. As of Monday, DPW sent a memo which projected us up to date and back to normal by Friday, December 8th, 2023.

I have not written about trash for a while. I wanted to brief our readers since there has been a bit of misunderstanding throughout the City about our Recycling Program. Currently the city is Recycling. All Blue Bins are intended only for Recyclables. Our Sanitation Department takes all Trash to a Local Transfer Site with two different types of trucks. There the Trash is tipped into two Separate Shipping Containers. One is for Garbage and the other is for Recyclables. The problem is residents are using the Blue Bins for everything. Also, some well-intended residents are not Recycling properly. This becomes what is called contaminated and is not allowed to be tipped into the Recycling Container.

What is and what is not Recyclable? That is the most important question. Newspaper, Magazines, Mail, Soft Covered Books, Cardboard Shipping Boxes, Soft Boxes from Cereal, Tissues and Soda Boxes. Glass is Recyclable but not from Cars Windows, Mirrors, Bulbs or any type of Glass Cookware.

Plastic is always a big dilemma. Firstly, all items that are used for Food should be cleaned of Food. Also, no Film Wraps or Plastic Bags ever. This means do not place Bagged Recyclables in the Blue Bins. Plastic Utensils also cannot go into the Bin. Containers made to be Biodegradable need to go in the Garbage. All other containers can go in Bins. Aluminum Containers can also go into the Blue Bins.

What cannot go into the Bins? Batteries, Electronics, Small Appliances, Old Toys, Scrap Metal, Paint, Gas Tanks, Building Debris, Rocks and Dirt. If you have to think twice, the Golden Rule is do not put it in. Our readers can always be sure by visiting our website at: www.cohb.org

So, we know what can and cannot go in the Blue Bins. What can go into the Green Roll Outs? All other Garbage. Large items like: Electronics, Furniture and Large Appliances can go into Bulk Trash Pick Up. Do not EVER put Tanks and other Hazardous Materials in the Green Bins. We have actually had a Trash Truck catch fire due to someone disregarding the rules.

Our City now has a quarterly drop off of all Hazardous Items at our Department of Public Works. At this time, we also collect Small Electric Items. These are used for a Special Program to help Handicapped Individuals. Bulk Waste is picked up curbside once a month in each quadrant. All Trash can only be put out the night before picking it up or you will receive a Fine.

Obviously, you can also Recycle by taking Slightly Worn and Used Items and donating them to GoodWill which is just west of 1-95 located in Pembroke Park. Also, there are other NonProfits but not all will pick up. As the old saying goes, someone's trash may be someone's treasure. Some people also Compost Food Scraps for their Gardens.

Broward County is in the midst of developing a Comprehensive Plan for Trash. Some cities have joined and others have decided to take their own look at the future of Trash Disposal. There are so many ways to Process Garbage. Landfills have become obsolete in South Florida. We have had a Trash to Energy Plant in Davie for years. This process has become very stigmatized since older plants could not Filter Air properly and Ash from the plants could not be used.

This process over the past ten years has greatly evolved. The plant's exhaust can be scrubbed through a Water Process and that Water Filtered. Ash is now being used and Recycled for Construction and Cement, Cities like Pembroke Pines are looking at Trash Compost to Jet Fuel Models. Coral Springs is looking to Palm Beach who has developed a State-Of-The-Art Trash to Energy Plant. The County process is projected to last almost two years. At that time, we will be better informed as to what direction and if partnering with the plan will help our residents. Please help do your part to help our Environment.

As we celebrate Hanukkah, the Festival Of Light, let us all pray for peace and the release of all hostages.

As always please feel free to contact me anytime with your questions, concerns, and ideas to make our city a better place. I am available at: jcooper@cohb.org. Or: joycooper@aol.com. On my Office Number at: (954) 457-1318. Or Cell/Text: (954) 632-5700. You can always visit my Facebook and follow me at Mayor Joy Cooper.