Residential recycling could return to Coral Springs as early as November

Coral Springs, Florida – Next week Coral Springs officials will consider a new agreement to restart residential curbside recycling as early as Nov. 1.

Waste Management would get a two-year agreement – as well as two additional one-year renewal options – to haul recyclables to their facility.

According to a city memo, Curbside recycling ended in Coral Springs in May, 2020 because of rising contamination and declining recycling commodity values. The city was facing $300,000 increase in costs.

City managers encouraged residents to continue putting their recyclables in the bins even though the service was suspended and had the city’s trash hauler.

Waste Pro, take whatever materials were in the bins to a waste-to-energy facility.

According to officials, the plan back then was to turn to traditional recycling once markets bounced back.

“City staff has been monitoring the markets and determined they have stabilized, and it is the right time to resume traditional recycling,” the memo said.

According to the memo, today the “blended value of materials” is $107.37/ton, and at the time of the suspension of recycling service was $23/ton.

The increase is the result of the markets’ correction following China’s legislation to significantly restrict imported recyclables.

According to Lynne Martzall, the city’s spokeswoman, the new agreement with Waste Management won’t require additional costs to taxpayers because “recycling once again has value.”

According to the memo, due to the fluctuating values of materials, Coral Springs will need to reduce recycling contamination.

As a result, a new “Recycle Right” program will be launched to educate residents on what can and can’t be recycled. On Wednesday city commissioners are expected to vote on the agreement.