Pasco Begins New Recycling Program

By Matt Wiley

In an effort to improve recycling participation in Pasco County, including in Wesley Chapel, residents are being offered an alternative to the decades-old “Blue Bag” system.

Wesley Chapel residents probably noticed some mail from Pasco County in the past few weeks, specifically from the county’s Solid Waste department. Included in the envelope was a reflective sticker, along with a letter, detailing the county’s new “Choose & Use Your Own Container” program.

For 20 years, if residents wished to recycle, Pasco officials asked that the residents purchase clear, blue bags to hold recyclables when put out by the curb, known as the “Blue Bag” system. Residents had the option to recycle plastics 1 and 2, as well as glass and aluminum cans, using the bags. However, since mid-June, the county has expanded the program and changed the way that recyclables are collected.

Instead of purchasing translucent bags, residents now can purchase any sort of bin or container they choose and attach the program’s highly reflective sticker to it, letting the trash haulers know that recyclables are inside of the container.

“Our main goal is to improve recycling participation, which will naturally result in a higher percent of our trash stream being recycled,” Pasco Recycling coordinator Jennifer Seney said in a June 6 press release. “Making recycling convenient to the citizens is key.”

Now, residents can include plastics 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7, as well as aluminum and metal food cans and clear, green and brown glass containers in their recycling.

However, if desired, residents can continue to use the Blue Bag system, in which case, a sticker is not necessary.

For more information, please visit PascoCountyFL.net and click on “Utilities” from the “Departments” menu.