Just wanted to send out an FYI on some of the things that are going on right now. Jen and I met with Cindy Meadows (county commissioner) two days ago to discuss recycling issues in Walton County. Here is what came out of our meeting. The county will run ads in the local paper giving details of locations of every recycling bin currently in Walton County.
This information is available at the county website, www.co.walton.fl.us under “citizen information and services” and then “recycling information”.
There will also be signs made and placed around the county showing the bin locations. Cindy is setting up a meeting with Rory Cassidy, Waste Management Inc, the Walton County contractor that handles waste management in South Walton, and Jen and I to discuss the issues of a blue bag program and a re-use program. We hope and believe that a blue bag program will be quick and easy to implement in the county until curbside recycling begins at the end of 2007.
Under this program, residents and tourists would get blue trash bags to put recyclable materials in. Information on what materials are acceptable would be printed on the outside of the bags. As for the re-use program we will be discussing what our options for such a program may be. This type of program is designed to keep unnecessary materials out of the landfill.
In talking with Cindy, we learned the landfill is a profitable sector of our county budget. I immediately thought this was due to all the development, but I was wrong. Needless to say residents dispose of a great deal of waste in this county and the landfill is a big source of revenue for the county. Under a re-use program residents could drop off materials/items they no longer need and pick up items they could use. This type of program is limitless in terms of what it would encompass. Wood from old beach walk overs destroyed in storms could be used by residents in their yards and driveways. Someone remodeling their bathroom may have a perfectly good sink or toilet that another may have use for. We will keep you posted with further info.
Arix & Jen
Arix Zalace
azalace@earthlink.net
This is great news. Thanks for working on this. As long as Walton County limits the items recycled, I need to work at it myself. I live by Eastern Lake but recycle in Pensacola, where I can take PAPER. As in cardboard boxes. As in junk mail. I take foam peanuts and white packing blocks to Mailboxes, Etc.
Thanks for your input Caroling. You’re right about the Mailboxes and UPS, both take packing materials. Sometime I’d like to talk to you about your whole-y-o dome. I checked it out online, very cool.
I looked on the county site and this graphic (http://www.co.walton.fl.us/citizen_services/tinted%20bluebag%20imprint.jpg) says that blue bags can contain non-glossy paper, plastic, glass, cans, and corrugated cardboard! That is marvelous. I’ve never lived where I could recycle ALL plastic. Other places only accept food plastic with certain numbers in the recycling triangle mark. Also I wonder if the corrugated cardboard shipping boxes with shiny printing on them are accepted. I guess I’ll just stuff those blue bags and let the county worry about it.
About the dome Wholeo. OK, glad you found it cool, what’s to talk about?