County remains in the top five for recycling
Lee County was recently named one of top five recycling counties by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Participation by residents and businesses has enabled the county to earn the fourth spot out of 67 counties.
The county received credit for recycling 1.5 million tons of the total 2.7 million tons of waste generated locally in 2022, according to the FDEP. It brings the county’s recycling rate to 72%. The amount of material residents recycled would be enough to fill 158 football fields with material 70 feet high — as tall as the White House.
Prior to Hurricane Ian, the county was on track to again earn a top recycling spot. The storm caused enough destruction that 6.3 million cubic yards of debris were collected in unincorporated Lee and about 12 million cubic yards countywide. Despite the challenge, residents continued to recycle when they could, earning them a spot in the top five.
“Lee County residents remained passionate about the environment even in the face of adversity,” Solid Waste Director Doug Whitehead said. “Our residents recognize that responsible recycling is part of the bigger picture, and they made the effort to properly recycle despite the hardships they have faced during the past 10 months. Remaining in the top five is a true testament to the spirit of Lee County and it shows how seriously we take the preservation of our beautiful community.”
The FDEP credits are acquired for items such as curbside recycling by residents, as well as business recycling of materials such as cardboard, yard waste, scrap metal, and construction and demolition debris. The county also receives recycling credit for energy produced from garbage processed at the Waste-to-Energy plant in Buckingham.
For information on what to recycle, handling household waste, recycling electronics and more, visit www.leegov.com/solidwaste/recycling. For additional information, visit www.leegov.com/solidwaste.