Jacksonville to begin inspecting recycling bins to make sure items can be recycled If you live in Jacksonville you may have just received a refrigerator magnet in the mail telling you how to recycle.Get more news about recycling bin,you can vist our website! Well, pay attention to it because if you dont the Plastic Police will soon be watching you closely.News4JAX has learned the city is going to start inspecting your recycling bin in May to make sure youre doing it right. The idea to inspect your recycling may sound odd and intrusive, but many people that News4JAX spoke to in Arlington dont have a problem with it.I think its a good idea because I think people have a tendency to throw anything in the recycle bin, said one resident. As part of a federal grant, the city is going to use a not-for-profit firm to have people inspect items put in recycling bins.If theres some improper materials within the bins, therell be a tag placed on the bin to let people know, hey, this is not a proper material to go into your recycle bin. Please correct this behavior, said Eric Fuller, Environmental Manager of Public Works. It might surprise some to learn that once you put your trash on the curb, its no longer yours. The city can do these inspections without your permission. So if people are using the recycle cart as a garbage can, we cant have that, costs the city money, it contaminates good recyclable materials. So were going to warn people and educate them, were going to inspect everyones cart four times. And if that behavior continues, ultimately well remove their garbage, their recycling cart from the road, Fuller said. The city said it made the decision because 20% of the items that are put in recycling bins end up in the landfill, which can be costly.City councilman Ron Salem was instrumental in getting the project launched as part of a half-million-dollar federal grant. When it starts, it will begin in the citys urban core and spread out to the rest of Jacksonville in the weeks to follow.So starting next month dont be alarmed if you see people going through your trash. It may just be the cardboard cops. |