Alternative Disposal Options

Often, recycling carts become carts full of “wish-cycling," which is the practice of placing items in the recycle cart in hopes that they can/will be recycled. Such well-intentioned recycling creates more problems than solutions. It is critically important to limit your recycling to acceptable items. The list of acceptable recyclables is pretty short. If you’re concerned about throwing everything else away, consider these options for selected item:

Plastic Bags

Batteries

Clothes

Gently used clothing, and shoes as well, that are in decent condition, can be donated to our local Salvation Army, Goodwill, or other thrift store (Faith Farm, Poverello). These organizations rely on donations they can sell to help fulfill their mission of helping those in need.

Electronics

Fluorescent Lights

Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFL) or fluorescent tubes (2-4 feet long). Large national hardware stores (Home Depot, Lowes) have a collection bin for fluorescent lights. These items can also be disposed of at a Household Hazardous Waste Event.

Furniture

Furniture that isn’t damaged can be donated to local our Salvation Army, Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity or other thrift store, such as Faith Farm or Poverello, whose mission is to help those in need. Depending on the item, the recipient may be willing to pick it up.

Hangers

Return metal hangers to your laundry/dry cleaner or donate plastic hangers to thrift stores. Otherwise, hangers go in the trash.

Holiday Lights

A metal recycler is happy to take them. For assistance with this, contact the Town’s Waste and Recycling Coordinator at recycle@lbts-fl.gov.

Metal/Appliances

Miscellaneous metal items and/or appliances can be disposed at the monthly bulk pickup for residential properties. The Town’s bulk does not get sorted so an alternative to these items ending up in a landfill is to find a metal recycler to take them. For assistance with this, contact the Town’s Waste and Recycling Coordinator at recycle@lbts-fl.gov.

Motor Oil

Auto Zone or most businesses that change oil and auto batteries. Motor oil can also be disposed of at a Household Hazardous Waste event.

Packaging Materials

Foam, air pillow, bubble wrap. Most packaging stores are happy to accept clean, non-paper packaging material. It’s less they have to buy new. Otherwise, non-paper packaging goes in the trash. Paper packaging can, of course, go in the recycling.

Plastics That Do Not Belong In Your Blue Recycling Cart

Plastics come in many shapes and sizes. Sadly, most of them Do Not belong in your cart.
This includes:
- No plastic trays, plates or flatware.
- No plastic toys.
- No plastic packaging.
- No plastic landscape pots.
- No plastic bags.

To learn more, read Plastic Recycling 101.

Styrofoam Containers

All Styrofoam food and beverage containers go in the trash.

Foam egg cartons and trays also go in the trash...

... unless you take them to the designated collection container at Publix Supermarket.