Recycling in Walton County

I am a big proponent of our big blue bags and the recycling effort of Walton County in general, but wouldn't you think a highway (30A)that has been named a U.S National Scenic Highway would be proceeding with plans for mandatory curbside recycling???:angry: Maybe it is just me.

Do you want them to dress like milk men and clean the bin on alternate weeks? The sky's the limit, but it's all going to come out of your pocket in the form of higher property taxes.

I have never actually seen one of these big blue bags. Where does one get them (besides WaterColor ) and how might they be distributed to renters, assuming one is not in WaterColor ?

I believe the library and county annex on 331. I know a lot of local rental companies discussed using them and opted out as it was determined that some (not all) tourists would simply use them for regular trash thus reducing the overall effectiveness of the program. We did however keep them in the office for people that asked.

I haven't confirmed this lately, but blue bags used to be available at the Publix on 395 and at Sundog books.

Also, remember the county has a recycling trailer behind Publix, in the parking lot for Watercolor employees. There are also trailers at the school in Pt. Washington and in a lot just south of 98 on the west side of 393 (that's before you get to French Laundry if you're going south on 393 from 98).

All the Publix stores have their own green bins for styrofoam, paper bags, and plastic bags, none of which are accepted by the county.

Thanks for the info ... I'm wondering if they would let me grab 12 or 15 bags next time I'm up there to stick in our pantry for the renters. Some would not use them, but some would probably really like to.

Still, curbside is better !!! :angry:

As we talk about curbside recycling, we might ought to check and see what kind of money the 1 cent sales tax is bringing in. When the 1 cent sales tax was implemented in Walton County it was to be used for garbage pick up at home. At one time I thought some of the funds were used to build the new jail, which I was not sure was it should have been used for.

Still, curbside is better !!! :angry:

It seems that way on the surface, but...

The blue bags go in the garbage truck, along with the regular garbage. Then, at the dump, there are convicts who are supposed to pick them out and route them to the recycling. If the bag breaks open in the garbage truck (not an unlikely event), then the recycled materials are considered "contaminated" and go into the landfill.

For me, if I've gone to the trouble of separating out the recyclables and saving them, I want some assurance they will actually get recycled. Trusting the convicts and the garbage truck doesn't give me the warm fuzzies.

On the other hand, I've got to go to Publix at least twice each week, so it's not much extra effort to drop the stuff at the trailer and have some assurance that it will actually get recycled.

I agree that the situation is different for vacation renters, who will probably take the path of least resistance.

When I say curbside, I mean separate bins and a separate pickup.

The Publix in PCB does not even have a bin for recycling cans or bottles, as I learned the other day when I tried to get rid of a Coke Zero can responsibly.

I only venture to the WaterColor Publix when necessary and would never advise my renters to go that route. For us eastsiders it makes no sense.

The blue bag program IS NOT working due to the fact that most bags are being broken in the trucks at pick up. The reason the bags are hard to find, is that this program is being eliminated. I filled out a survey in the fall at the anex about this issue. Cindy Meadows' office had them too. Didn't anyone else get one??

Never saw a survey, but Publix Sandestin & WaterColor do not carry the blue bags at all any more and haven't for months. I just take our recycling to the bins at this point.

I picked up 2 blue bags at the Walton County library today.
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Recycling is actually taking a hit with the economy.

http://www.wjhg.com/home/headlines/36928634.html

I get mine at the fire station on MAck Bayou Rd, they allways have cases of them. They told me they get theirs from the county yard on JD Miller rd.

I think the people in north walton would be happy with yard trash pick up. My mother lives south of Freeport and her trash is picked up 2 times a week. When i clean her yards i haft to haul the yard trash to the county landfill north of DFS. I know they offer it in South Walton, The City of Freeport by DayCO and DFS. I think if South Walton gets the rest of the county should receive it also. The county has a 1 cent sales tax for trash pick up and landfill management and i belive there is a surplus in the money right now.


Also the Landfill guys told be the trash is dumped in a big building and every bag is opened and sorted for Glass, cans, paper, ect. and sorted so it did not matter if it was in blue bags or not. The only thing they could not use was papers if they got wet.

As we talk about curbside recycling, we might ought to check and see what kind of money the 1 cent sales tax is bringing in. When the 1 cent sales tax was implemented in Walton County it was to be used for garbage pick up at home. At one time I thought some of the funds were used to build the new jail, which I was not sure was it should have been used for.

Surplus funds are redirected as supplements to the county and the three cities on a pro-rata basis. Good luck getting any of those extra dollars redirected. There is a group that wants those monies allocated for infrastructure in the county, road expansion, underground utilities, things of that nature, but I have not heard of much support from the BCC on that either.

where do I dispose of a full recycle bag


The bin behind Watercolor Publix only accepts individual items?

The bin behind Watercolor Publix only accepts individual items?

If the bag is separated by the items the bin accepts you should be fine. i.e. one bag of plastics, one bag of metal, one bag of paper, etc.

WaterColor could always do their own curbside recycling as they have there own trash service. ;-)

recycle blue bags


I'm in a condo where the garbage is compacted. I need someplace to drop off a blue bag without separating it into separate items.

I'm in a condo where the garbage is compacted. I need someplace to drop off a blue bag without separating it into separate items.

Double or triple bag it and throw it in the compactor. Leave the paper out in case of ripping. The paper has to remain dry, but as was previously mentioned convicts go through the trash so they should catch it even if the bag rips.

I asked the waste specialists about this issue

I was advised that those recycling bins get dumped right with the trash. Then the prisoners separate it. And if "if" they see a blue bag while separating the garbage then they grab that. Now I?m for all for prisoners sifting garbage however the system is broken. I would have no problem paying a $5 tax to have my recyclables handled in a responsible manner. In other words if I set something apart to be recycled, then I want to know that it will be recycled. Those of you driving where ever it is you drive to, in order to get to the bins, you might be better off blue bagging it. I?m not sure the prisoners care all that much about going through other people?s garbage and sifting it in a correct manner. I am sure that changes need to be made in the handling of our recyclables. Though most my point of views are to the right, when it comes to the environment, Well I'm not sure sweeping it under the rug is the correct thing to do, so I'm more to the left on that issue. In other words I think for myself. It is everyone?s responsibility to take care of this Earth (we only have 1!!!) As for me if it requires an extra $5 a month then sign me up, because as it is the Walton County Recycling program is little more then a joke!!!!

I'll pay more than $5!

We used to pay for garbage servce- it wasn't cheap, and it did not include recycling. Had we lived inside the city limits, curbside garbage and recycling was free (well, part of city taxes, and well worth it).

I'll pay more than $5!

We used to pay for garbage servce- it wasn't cheap, and it did not include recycling. Had we lived inside the city limits, curbside garbage and recycling was free (well, part of city taxes, and well worth it).

IIRC your property taxes here pay for garbage collection.

The blue bag program IS NOT working due to the fact that most bags are being broken in the trucks at pick up. The reason the bags are hard to find, is that this program is being eliminated. I filled out a survey in the fall at the anex about this issue. Cindy Meadows' office had them too. Didn't anyone else get one??

Yes, I did one of those surveys too. And the new blue bags that are stronger (and less likely to break in the garbage trucks) are available free at various places around, including the Courthouse Annex. They are paler blue than the first batch.

I know that a couple of citizens have been working closely with all involved over many months (maybe years?) to refine and improve the system so that it does work better.

Okay, so I finished reading the entire thread. Looks like there's a lot of expertise in this group. Has anyone looked into what the county is doing with compostables (lawn, garden, landscape and food "wastes")? Given that:

1. Interest in local food self sufficiency is growing exponentially;

2. Most of us have sand rather than soil which can discourage even the most dedicated green thumbs and wannabees;

3. Adding compost is a great way to improve soil; and

4. Gardening (of the organic sort, anyway) cleans the air, builds the soil, makes oxygen and provides delicious healthy food; then

It stands to reason that there should be something in place to divert all this nutrient-rich bulk away from the landfill and into one or several composting centers. Large scale composting has been done by municipalities and private contractors for many years. Another area where all we (county?) need to do is google, ask other places how they do it, etc. Then citizens could get cheap or free compost to put in their gardens; the county could even package some of it and sell it to tourists as Walton County's own gourmet blend.

So far, from what I've been able to pick up, we do have a big chipper shredder at or near the prison/garbage sorting area, and they divert at least some of the plant material from the landfill to put through the shredder. I think that shredded material is more like mulch than compost. The trouble is, hardly anyone knows about it, and the way it's set up, you have to take a truck up there and load it yourself with a shovel, unless you're lucky enough to find someone around who can and will operate the little scooper tractor thingie (word escapes me, sorry). And I'm pretty sure they're closed on weekends, so you'd have to go up during weekday biz hours.

The food and seafood wastes from our households and restaurants is an enormous and mostly wasted source of nitrogen that I really wish we could put back into our gardens! I've talked to restaurant owners, and they say they would like to separate and recycle/compost, but the pickup service would have to be very reliable and foolproof because of pests and the stinko factor. Looks like a fine opportunity for someone to start a new gourmet compost business. Arix Zalace and Jen Kuntz (of Raw & Juicy fame) are already doing this, converting their food wastes into worm compost and worm tea, otherwise known as "brown gold."....

BTW there are ways to compost even animal products. I think it's Sweden where they have very strict regulations about household waste and composting, and every household has to compost all their own kitchen and yard wastes, including bones, fat, etc. They have systems in place where this is done even in dense urban areas at the household level....Japan also has something like this in some areas...

I do a very low tech version of compost - just chuck my uncooked fruit & veggie waste into the yard, but Dwell featured a cute little composter bucket for $50. It had charcoal filters so it didn't smell.

This is one they had on their blog for city folk - not the one I was thinking of but similar:
Compact Composter - Kitchen Blog - dwell.com

I do a very low tech version of compost - just chuck my uncooked fruit & veggie waste into the yard, but Dwell featured a cute little composter bucket for $50. It had charcoal filters so it didn't smell.

This is one they had on their blog for city folk - not the one I was thinking of but similar:
Compact Composter - Kitchen Blog - dwell.com

Compost really doesn't smell that bad if you're doing it correctly. Use a 5 gallon bucket and poke holes in the bottom and lid.

Keep any meats out of your compost. Vegetable / plant matter only. That keeps it from stinkin' up the joint...