OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — People living in Osceola County have been receiving brand new trash and recycling bins for a new curbside collection. Not only are the bins changing, but so is the cost.
- Osceola County residents get new curbside collection
- Trash and recylcle bins are changing
- Cost of new curbside collection increases
- More Osceola County stories
Humberto Jaramillo has been living in Poinciana for nearly 15 years. He doesn’t remember the last time there was a change in his curbside collection.
Unincorporated parts of Osceola County are going automated, meaning automatic side arm loaders will grasp the new bins. Residents just have to make sure the arrows are pointed towards the street.
A label on the new recycling bins explain what you can and cannot put in there. For example, the following are not recyclable: Glass, plastic shopping bags, and paint or spray paint.
“Cardboard is one of the items that we want in your bin, and all of those boxes that you get from your online shopping, please fold them up and put them in your recycling bin,” said Danielle Slaterpryce, Osceola County’s Public Works Director. “But the pizza boxes that you get for Friday movie night doesn’t belong in our recycling bin, because that is full of grease ... it will contaminate the other cardboard and then it all becomes trash.”
While many are looking forward to the new technology, Jaramillo tells Spectrum News 13’s Stephanie Bechara, “It’s frustrating, it is really frustrating that the cost will go up.”
The Board of County Commissioners voted to help with the cost increase. They reduced the assessment by using funds in their reserves. Homeowners will now pay less than $309.15 — which was the original amount it was raised to yearly.
“It’s unfortunate that things cost more as time goes on, but as I said earlier, we did put this contract out to bid. We got two bids,” Slaterpryce added. “The low bid was Advanced Disposal Systems, which we will be using, and they were 50 percent less than the next bid.”
Still, Jaramillo thinks there are other things the county could be spending money on.
“There are other things that are way more important they can be doing,” he said. “Like fixing the streets… Look at the one right in front of my house. It’s completely cracked.”
The new bins cannot be used until October 1.
If you are in Waste Connections service area in Poinciana, please place your empty recycle cart at the curb on Friday, September 27, for pick up. Questions? Call (407)-261-5000.
If you are in Waste Management’s service area and have a green recycle cart with a yellow lid, please place your empty green cart at the curb on your new Advanced Disposal recycle day, during the first week of October, for pick up. Questions about this green cart? Call (866)-724-2989.
If you are not sure who your service provider, feel free to contact the Solid Waste Department at 407-742-7750.
For frequently asked questions about the curbside collection change, visit Osceola County's website.