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TALLAHASSEE – Celebrating November 15, 2008 as America Recycles Day, Governor
Charlie Crist recently signed a
proclamation, encouraging citizens to rethink
habits and increase recycling at home, school and work as well as purchase
products made of recycled materials. America Recycles Day serves as a good
reminder of the social, environmental and economic benefits of recycling all
year and encourages people to be a part of creating a better natural
environment.
“Floridians must be active partners with government and the private sector in
reducing waste by reusing, recycling, composting and buying recycled products,”
said Mary Jean Yon, Director of the Florida Department of Environmental
Protection’s (DEP) Division of Waste Management. “America Recycles Day reminds
us all to be good environmental stewards of our nation’s limited resources.”
One unique feature of America Recycles Day is the opportunity for people to
sign a personal pledge to recycle. For the fifth consecutive year, DEP along
Recycle Florida Today, Creative Recycling Systems, Inc. and Publix Super Markets
are sponsoring the Florida (K-12) Schools Recycling Pledge Card Contest. The
three schools that submit the most recycling pledge cards will be awarded with a
refurbished computer. Last year, a DEP survey found that more than 86 percent of
the 14,000 Floridians who took the pledge to recycle and buy more recycled
products through this campaign were elementary, middle and high school students.
In 2006, Florida recycled about 24 percent of the municipal solid waste
collected. By improving recycling habits Florida’s residents and businesses can
protect the environment, preserve natural resources, and contribute to the
economic well-being and security of our nation.
Certain plastics are some of the most common items to be recycled. DEP
encourages everyone to get to know the recycling numbers at the bottom of
containers and packages found within the “chasing arrows”. The numbering system
groups plastics into seven general categories. Of the seven, 1 and 2 are the
most commonly recycled because they have the largest market for reprocessing
into new materials, whereas numbers 3-7 are more difficult for manufacturers to
recycle. Below is a guide to follow:
To increase recycling throughout Florida, this summer Governor Crist signed
the Energy, Climate Change, and Economic Security Act of 2008 into law which
establishes a new statewide recycling goal of 75 percent to be achieved by 2020.
Within the law DEP is directed to develop a program to achieve the goal and
submit it to the Florida Legislature for consideration by January 1, 2010. For
more information on the new statewide recycling goal of 75 percent, and to share
your comments on ways to achieve this goal visit DEP’s web-based forum, visit
www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/recyclinggoal75/.
Each community has different recycling guidelines, to learn about recycling
in your county or city please contact your local recycling coordinator by
visiting:
www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/recycling/
pages/contact_counties.htm
For more information on America Recycles Day 2008 and events, visit
www.dep.state.fl.us/waste/categories/
recycling/AR/2008/ar08.htm.
View the Governor’s proclamation.
"Floridians must be active partners with government and the private sector in reducing waste by reusing, recycling, composting and buying recycled products."
~ Mary Jean Yon
DEP Division of Waste Management Director
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