CLAY COUNTY, Fla. — The new trash hauler FCC Environmental Services takes over all trash services for Clay County on Tuesday. Here's what residents should know.
Residents will get a new garbage collection day on Tuesday.
Clay Hill area residents will have a large gap in service between their old and new pickup dates, officials said. To mitigate this gap, for residents whose Waste Management pickup day is Tuesday and their new FCC pickup day is Monday, FCC will pick up their garbage on Tuesday, Oct. 1. This change will only occur this week.
Yard waste and garbage pickup will take place on the same day.
Cleaning up debris from Hurricane Helene
The county said it's using a debris removal vendor to pick up after Hurricane Helene swept through the First Coast last week.
Officials said crews will begin picking up debris around Oct. 2. There is no limit on non-containerized debris.
Residents are asked to pile all debris by the road, making sure not to stack anything against trees, storm drains, hydrants, electrical boxes, poles, etc.
Residents must have all debris by the road by Oct. 7 to ensure it gets picked up.
The county is asking residents to keep their debris more than three feet away from trash cans for a smooth garbage pickup.
County working with hauler to ensure smooth transition
County officials said they are working closely with FCC to ensure service expectations are met.
This comes after thousands of St. Johns County residents experienced service disruptions within the first week FCC took over collections on Aug. 1.
FCC officials went before the Clay County Board of Commissioners in August to address the issues, saying lessons were learned with how services were rolled out in St. Johns County.
"Some of the things we learned, in lessons, were that from the older days of picking up garbage, recycling, yard waste, to the new days is based on technology," said Charles Merkley, the vice president of business development at FCC. "Our technology failed."
Merkley insisted the technology issues were addressed with the company 3rd Eye, which provides camera systems for waste haulers, allowing fleet operators to pinpoint the location of a truck in their trash route.
"What 3rd Eye does: it's your eyes and ears of every truck route on every piece of collection," said Merkley.
Merkley told commissioners there is a learning curve with the equipment, but said utilizing the new technology is the easiest way to verify services were completed.
Merkley told commissioners they plan on services being "100% out the gate" in Clay County.
Frequently asked questions
Can residents still recycle?
Yes, but the services are no longer curbside.
Residents can drop off cardboard only at the Environmental Convenience Centers and Rosemary Hill during normal business hours.
County commissioners voted against including curbside recycling services in its agreement with FCC, citing rising costs of collecting and processing recyclables.
In Sept. 2023, the recycling processor for the county raised its processing fee from a credit of $6/ton to a charge of $85/ton, according to the county.
Officials said adding curbside recycling would have increased the cost to residents now, and possibly significantly more over the 10-year contract.
The county could restart curbside recycling services with a one-year notice to FCC, officials said.
When can residents request a second can?
Residents can sign up for a second trash can starting Nov. 1 by filling out an application and paying a lease fee on the county's website.
If residents cannot fill out an application online, they can pay in person at the Rosemary Gill Solid Waste Facility or any county library.
The leasing fee is $66 for a 95-gallon can and $61 for a 65-gallon can, and FCC can charge residents a quarterly collection service fee of $15.33.
What are the costs of the new trash services?
Before Oct. 1, the Solid Waste Assessments totaled $324/year. On Oct. 1, the rate will go up to $358/year and will increase $34 per year.
The cost is billed annually as a non-ad valorem assessment on the county tax bill, according to officials.
For more information and answers to more frequently asked questions, visit www.claycountygov.com/community/garbage-and-recycling/new-garbage-services.
Residents can contact the county via email with any questions or concerns at askclay@claycountygov.com.