GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. — In a meeting Tuesday evening, the Green Cove Springs City Council voted unanimously to scrap the city’s curbside recycling program.
Less than one month from now, on September 26, the city will make its final pickup.
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While explaining the initial proposal at its first hearing in August, a city official said the curbside recycling program suffers from extremely low participation, largely due to changes by Clay County.
Green Cove Springs’ recycling program has historically relied on the County for intake of the recyclables. In October 2024, the County ended its own recycling program and has only been accepting corrugated cardboard from the city.
Previous coverage: Residents not happy with Clay County stopping curbside recycling
Before the changes, a city official said it was recycling 200 tons a year, with 30-35% resident participation. Recently, it’s down to just 18 tons a year and 10% participation.
“The numbers do speak for themselves,” said Mayor Matt Johnson in August.
The vote comes as the city seeks to finalize its budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year, with the first special budget hearing scheduled for Wednesday.
The city anticipates that the end of the program will allow it to save money by optimizing waste pickup schedules, cutting down on employee overtime, and selling the recycling truck.
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