As of July 1, 2024, the intentional release of balloons outdoors is banned throughout Florida. This new state law parallels the City of Gainesville’s existing ordinances prohibiting anyone from intentionally releasing plastic confetti, glitter, or balloons outdoors.
Signed into law on June 24, 2024, the new statute prohibits individuals from intentionally releasing a balloon inflated with a gas lighter than air, categorizing such actions as littering and imposing significant fines on violators. This state law addresses a pressing concern about litter in our environment. Plastic litter poses a grave risk to fish, turtles, and other animals, as these creatures can mistake balloons for food, leading to blockages in their airways or intestines.
There are plenty of eco-friendly alternatives to releasing balloons, glitter, or confetti that don’t result in litter, such as:
- Bubbles
- Kites
- Wind Socks
- Cloth Flags & Bunting
- Pinwheels
- Seed Balls
- Planting a Tree
These alternatives offer a way to celebrate and mark special occasions without endangering our wildlife or natural habitats. Learn more at gainesvillefl.gov/ZeroWaste, and follow @ZeroWasteGNV on Facebook and Instagram.
Find out the Answers to the 5 Most Frequently Asked Recycling Questions
Let’s get right to it!
Q: Are all plastics with a recycling symbol on it recyclable?
A: No, not all plastics with a recycling symbol are recyclable. The chasing arrows symbol only indicates the general type of plastic the container is made from and not its recyclability. In Gainesville and Alachua County, only plastic bottles, jugs, jars, or tubs are accepted for recycling. For more information, visit gainesvillefl.gov/WhatCanBeRecycled.
Q: Should I remove lids and caps before recycling containers?
A: Yes, you should remove lids and caps before placing recycling them. Small plastic caps and bottle caps should go in the trash. Larger metal lids from glass jars can be rinsed and placed back on emptied out containers. Large plastic lids from items like laundry detergent bottles and plastic tubs can be placed loose in your blue recycling bin.
Q: How clean do containers need to be for recycling?
A: Most bottles or cans only need a light rinse. However, if containers held sticky substances, like peanut butter or syrup, a more thorough cleaning may be required to remove all the residue before recycling.
Q: Are pizza boxes recyclable?
A: Generally, no. Used pizza boxes often have too much food residue or grease, making them unsuitable for recycling. However, clean box tops can be removed and recycled as cardboard.
Q: What do I do if I have more recyclables then what will fit in my two bins?
A: If you need additional recycling bins, you can request more at no extra charge. To request additional or replacement bins, please call 352-334-2330 (City of Gainesville residents) or 352-338-3233 (Alachua County residents). Extra flattened boxes can be placed next to or under your orange recycle bin.
Following these guidelines will help ensure your recycling efforts are effective and compliant with service guidelines. For more information, visit gainesvillefl.gov/Recycle.
FoodRecovery.org Set to Reduce Food Waste In Gainesville
Over 2 million people in Florida lack access to healthy food and are considered food insecure, which is astonishing when more than a third of our food supply ends up in landfills. Getting donated wholesome food to those in need is a solvable problem, and FoodRecovery.org is here to help.
FoodRecovery.org is at the forefront of addressing this critical issue. As a pioneering non-profit organization, this online platform bridges the gap between excess food and those in need by connecting food donors with local food banks and charities. Their innovative approach ensures that surplus food, which would otherwise be discarded, reaches people facing food insecurity.
Whether you’re a restaurant, grocery store, farm, or caterer, partnering with FoodRecovery.org is simple. They provide resources and support to help streamline the donation process, ensuring that food is safely and efficiently redirected to those in need. You can sign up on their website and start making a difference immediately.
Visit FoodRecovery.org to learn more about how you can join the movement and be part of the solution. Together, we can turn surplus into sustenance and build a more sustainable future for all.
Learn more at gainesvillefl.gov/ZeroWaste, and follow @ZeroWasteGNV on Facebook and Instagram.
What Happens to Your Recyclables?
There's a lot of misleading and confusing information about the future of recycling. For instance, you may have heard news stories stating that “only around 9% of all the plastic waste generated globally is recycled.” While this statistic is accurate, it doesn't mean that the materials you place in your curbside recycling bins are not getting recycled. Instead, it highlights the vast number of plastic products that exist and that only a small percentage of them are either accepted by or collected through community recycling programs.
Locally, all materials from your orange & blue recycling bins are taken to Alachua County’s Material Recovery Facility, located off Waldo Road. Here, non-recyclable items, known as contaminants, are sorted out. Recyclables are then separated by hand and machines into primary groups like glass, plastic, metal, and paper. These separated materials are baled and loaded onto trucks for shipment to secondary processors and manufacturers, where they are used to create new products. It is important to note that Alachua County does not ship any recovered materials overseas or to incinerators.
While the end markets are subject to change, below is a list of the common end uses for your recyclables after they are reprocessed:
- Cardboard: Used as backing for new cardboard boxes.
- Mixed Paper: Newspaper, pasteboard boxes, and other residential papers are reprocessed for protective packaging uses.
- Aluminum Bottles & Cans: Are smelted into sheets for the packaging industry to make new beverage containers.
- Steel Cans: Made into new food cans and rebar for construction projects.
- Plastics (PET): Get converted into plastic flakes used to make new products, such as carpeting and clothing.
- Plastics (HDPE): Your natural (milk jugs) and colored plastic containers (shampoo bottles) are made into plastic flakes and pellets to manufacture pipes and plastic lumber.
- Glass: Used to make glass containers, fiberglass, highway bead, glass abrasives, and specialty glass for decorations.
Learn more about recycling and the waste management hierarchy at gainesvillefl.gov/WhatCanBeRecycled, and follow @ZeroWasteGNV on Facebook and Instagram.
Cartons Dropped from Recycling Program
As the saying goes, there's no use crying over spilled milk. However, in this case, it's the carton that has met its end, not the milk. Food and beverage cartons are no longer accepted in the curbside recycling programs of Gainesville and Alachua County. Cartons are also no longer accepted for recycling drop-off at any of the Alachua County Rural Collection Centers.
Attempts to find domestic markets capable of processing this material have been unsuccessful. Additionally, the volume of cartons collected locally has been insufficient to fill shipments before the containers become moldy, rendering them unsuitable for recycling.
The following are no longer accepted for recycling:
- Gable-top containers, such as milk, juice & egg substitute cartons
- Tetra Pak (shelf-stable) containers, such as protein drinks, broth and boxed wine
- Juice boxes
For information on what materials are accepted for recycling, visit gainesvillefl.gov/WhatCanBeRecycled, and follow @ZeroWasteGNV on Facebook and Instagram.
Requesting a Zero Waste Presentation
Do you feel confused by the Zero Waste ordinances? Do you have a business within the City limits and want to ensure you’re in compliance?
If you answered yes to either of these, head to our website, and book a Zero Waste presentation today! Our dedicated staff can accommodate your schedule and tailor their presentations to your exact needs.
Here are some examples of what you can expect:
- Multifamily Property owners or managers – Request a presentation for your staff or tenants to better understand the Road to Zero Waste, including proper recycling methods, the Lease Transition Plan, the Indoor Recycle Storage Container requirement, and more.
- Food service establishment owners or managers – Request a presentation to learn about the single-use plastic straw & accessory ban, food waste collection and diversion, or general waste reduction tips.
- Municipal departments – As the Zero Waste ordinances help our businesses divert precious materials from the landfill, we have the chance to lead by example. The Zero Waste team can help you set up proper office recycling stations, food waste diversion stations, and provide training for better use of all our cost saving and waste reducing services.
- Civic groups or school clubs –Here’s your chance to get your group together for a fun and memorable educational experience. Learn about composting, recycling, and other waste diversion methods.
The Zero Waste team is here to help everyone – residents, business owners, and our municipal colleagues – as we all move toward the goal of the City of Gainesville reaching Zero Waste by 2040! We want to help equip your team with the tools they need to implement more sustainable actions in their day to day operations.
For more information and to request a presentation, please visit gainesvillefl.gov/ZeroWaste.
The Magic of the Zero Waste Wizard
Don’t know what to do with all your extra empty potion jars, broken staffs, and dusty witches’ hats lying around? Simply, visit gainesvillefl.gov/WasteWizard and ask your friendly Zero Waste Wizard to concoct a spell of responsible waste disposal!
The Zero Waste Wizard is the most reliable, up-to-date means for getting locally focused information on recycling, disposal, and reuse. City staff is constantly hitting the books at the School of Wizardry to keep the Zero Waste Wizard current, using information supplied mainly by app users like you.
In addition to answering crucial questions like “Is this recyclable?” a peek into the crystal ball will tell you everything from where to repair items, donate household goods, or find local scrap metal professionals.
While we think the Waste Wizard possesses all the answers, this Sorcerer of Sorting is also humble, so if you ask a question that doesn’t yet have an answer, you can suggest the addition of new items to the database of zero waste knowledge.
When you want to vanquish the dreaded foes of waste, clutter, and junk, the Zero Waste Wizard will cast a spell of all-knowing and all-seeing, giving you the answers you seek. In a world of darkness and uncertainty – “What do I do with all this old stuff?!” – let gainesvillefl.gov/WasteWizard light the way forward!