Most of us realize that Osceola County, and the two incorporated cities of St. Cloud and Kissimmee, are growing rapidly, and with that growth comes challenges. One of those challenges being waste management.

Being good stewards of our resources, reducing waste, and recycling programs effectively implemented within our community can improve the quality of life and provide a better and healthier future for our children. By reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills and improving our environment, we can actually build a cleaner and successful community that boosts the economy by creating jobs and saving money.

The City of Kissimmee’s Solid Waste Division announced on Monday, July 19th that it no longer will be collecting glass for recycling. The company that is contracted with both the City of Kissimmee, the City of St. Cloud, and Osceola County, is no longer participating in glass recycling, so currently, glass cannot be accepted as recyclable.

Kissimmee.gov/solidwaste
Recycle
Kissimmee Recycle

Glass, when not part of a recycling process,  is often the number one contaminant in single-stream recycling systems. When too much glass, broken of not broken, is in the recycling truck’s load, the recycling plan denies it being used in the recycling process, and it is then sent to the landfill, along with all the properly recycled items that are on the truck. It’s an unfortunate situation, one that is connected to the Chinese import ban. Also, glass recycling programs in the 1980s flooded the market with recyclable glass, which caused recycling glass prices to drop significantly. Over the last 20 years, glass has also been replaced by aluminum and plastic for many products, leading to less demand for recycled glass.  However, if the community works together to improve its recycling habits, we’ll all benefit, and if glass someday becomes recyclable once again, we’ll once again adjust our recycling habits with the purpose of keeping our community positively beautiful!

Here are the items that NOT allowed in recycling in Kissimmee, St. Cloud, and Osceola County:
• Glass
• Styrofoam
• Batteries
• Hardback books
• Electronics
• Ceramics or dishes
• Yard waste or trash
• Food waste
• Motor oil containers
• Hazardous waste containers
• Light bulbs, window glass or mirrors
• Plastic grocery bags and plastic wrap


Here are the items that ARE allowed in recycling in Kissimmee, St. Cloud, and Osceola County:
• Food boxes, paper towel rolls
• Tin, Aerosol, Cans
• Cardboard
• Junk mail
• Plastic bottles and containers
• Magazines and catalogs
• Newspapers, phone books, or paperback books
• Office paper and file folders
• Paper bags

“The City of Kissimmee and the City of St. Cloud, along with Osceola want to show the community how important this is to recycle correctly, and we’re getting together because it’s a synergistic thing. It’s not just a city or a county… we’re all in this together in Osceola County”, said Justin Hetu, Environmental Education Coordinator with the City of Kissimmee.

Remember, recycling bins must be placed with the lid opening toward the street. For more information about recycling visit Kissimmee.gov/solidwaste, Stcloudfl.gov/1703/St-Cloud-Recycles, or Osceola.org/agencies-departments/public-works/solid-waste.