JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Curbside recycling resumes Monday in Jacksonville. For the first time in six months, you can bring your bin with the yellow lid to the curb on your assigned collection day for recycling pickup.
One of the main questions First Coast News had for Mayor Lenny Curry was what has changed between now and when they had to halt curbside recycling in October?
"We're now fully staffed, in a position where we can do all: recycling, yard waste and garbage," Curry said.
The labor shortage problem continuously blamed for the lag in yard waste pickup that led to the halt in curbside recycling pickup has been fixed for now, according to Curry and the city's Division of Solid Waste Chief Will Williams.
"If you look at all the private haulers, they have sign-on bonuses, they have been doing everything they can to hire," Williams said. "And we've been doing the same thing as the city, so there's no magic trick. Everybody's out trying to hire."
Curry says he does not support a fee increase and does not see Jacksonville stopping the recycling of glass, as other cities have. He also says you won't be reimbursed for the money you paid for recycling when there was no curbside pickup.
"We're just going to continue with where we are," Curry said. "If we were going to do reimbursements at this point, it wouldn't be material to individuals, and it would put a hole in our ability to provide service in the months and years ahead."
Curry and city officials say a big point to remember going forward is that you cannot recycle plastic bags.
The director of public works says thanks to a grant, soon a group will be able to go through your recycling to show you what is actually recyclable. He says the city is developing an app to help you know what can and cannot be recycled right on the spot.
You can find out when your recycling will be picked up here. Recycling may not resume for your neighborhood until next week.