City of Augustine issued the following announcement on September 29.
Residents are requested to reduce or reuse glass products
In a Special Solid Waste Workshop Meeting on September 27, 2021, Todd Grant, P.G., Utilities Director, informed the City Commission that the City is no longer able to accept glass in recycling. The City is requesting customers to not place glass in the recycling bin, but instead find a way to reduce consumption, reuse it, or place it in the trash can. This includes glass bottles, containers, jars, mirrors, drinking glass, and decorative glass.
“There is currently no market for glass,” said Todd Grant. “So, upon arrival to the recycling facility, glass is being sent away and disposed of as trash anyways. Yet, the City is still responsible for the cost of hauling and the significant disposal fee of this heavy product.”
“The ‘reduce’ part of the equation is the most important part,” said Commissioner Barbara Blonder at the September 27 Meeting. “If we could really emphasize that reduce component of the three R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle), and get the weight of the glass out of there, I’m all for it.”
Residents are also encouraged to find other uses for their glass. Todd Grant gave an example of how a local business owner uses wine bottles to line her garden. Private organizations also may be collecting glass for reuse, and residents are encouraged to research how to donate their used glass to them.
“If there is an opportunity for us (the City) to collect glass again for a repurposed commodity, we will do that,” explained Todd Grant at the September 27 meeting. “But currently, we don’t have an outlet from a disposal standpoint, transportation standpoint that is using glass.”
For more information, contact Todd Grant, P.G., Utilities Director, at 904.315.8499 or via email. Media inquiries may be directed to Melissa Wissel, Communications Director, at 904.293.3307 or via email.
Original source can be found here.
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