Recycle Right

Published on July 03, 2024

Don't be alarmed if you see a Miami-Dade Department of Solid Waste Management (DSWM) worker looking through your recycling bin. The Miami-Dade County DSWM launched a program to reduce recycling contamination. Waste collectors will ensure recyclables are not contaminated. Only paper, cardboard, glass, cans, and cartons are accepted in recycling bins.

Recycling plastics can be tricky. Here are the dos and don'ts from the Miami-Dade Department of Miami-Dade County Solid Waste Management.

Plastic that can be recycled:
Plastic tubs and jugs: plastic tubs, such as butter or yogurt tubs, and plastic jugs, such as milk or detergent jugs. All residual food must be cleaned out. Numbers on plastics are no longer helpful indicators of recyclability.

Plastics that cannot be recycled:
- Plastic bags: do not place recyclables in plastic bags or place loose plastic bags in the recycling cart.
- Certain plastics: plastic bags, cups, utensils and plates, clamshell containers, polystyrene (foam) products, egg cartons, trays and plastic hangers.

What is recycling contamination? Items not allowed in recycling bins are liquids, plastics, and foods. If these items are in recycling bins, the bin will be tagged as contaminated. After the third warning, the county will issue a $152 disposal fee to remove the contaminated material from the recycling cart.

For more information about the the Miami-Dade County DSWM Recycle Right program visit www.pinecrest-fl/recycling.