Report: Lee County tied for Florida’s top recycling spot
Lee County residents and businesses led recycling efforts statewide in 2018, tied with only with Charlotte County with a 77 percent annual recycling rate, according to a report issued by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
The amount of material Lee County residents recycled in 2018 would be enough to fill 107 football fields with material 70 feet high as high as the tallest point of the Sanibel Bridge.
Lee County received credit for recycling 1.5 million tons of the total 1.96 million tons of waste generated locally in 2018, according to numbers recently released by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
“Florida has a recycling goal of 75 percent by 2020,” said Pam Keyes, Public Utilities Director. “We are happy to report that strong participation by both residents and businesses has enabled Lee County to meet and exceed this goal.”
This is the fourth time Lee County has led the state in recycling since Florida began tracking in 2000.
Recycling credits include curbside recycling by residents as well as business recycling of materials such as cardboard, yard waste, scrap metal and construction and demolition debris, among other items. Lee County also receives recycling credit for energy produced from garbage processed at the waste-to-energy plant in Buckingham.
About Lee County Solid Waste
Lee County Solid Waste seeks to ensure the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of Lee County by providing a responsible and economical solid waste management system. The agency, a division of the Lee County Public Utilities Department, has established a track record of success. Including energy recovered from the agency’s Waste-to-Energy Facility, Lee County has already exceeded Florida’s 75 percent recycling goal. Lee County Solid Waste plans to continue implementing programs that make recycling, resource recovery and responsible waste management easier and pledges to strive for even more effective and sustainable solutions for the future. Learn more at leegov.com/solidwaste