Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
January 23, 2016 8:07 p.m.
Late Friday afternoon the Fernandina Observer received word via a press release that the City Recycle Station that is located on South 6th St will be closed indefinitely effective February 1, 2016. The station has been in service for approximately seven years; however, misuse in the form of illegal dumping has increased substantially over the last year.
The recycle station on Bailey Road at the Nassau County yard is still in operation. The site on Bailey Road accepts the following items:
- Glass
- Aluminum cans
- Newspaper
- Plastic bottles
- Newspaper
Curbside recycling is also provided weekly for City residents by the City’s sanitation contractor, Advanced Disposal. For more information about the City’s recycle program, please visit the City’s web site, specifically: http://www.fbfl.us/recycle
:
The City’s annual recycling event is tentatively scheduled for April 16. Specific information about the event, including the City’s inaugural food drive partnership with Barnabas, will be provided shortly.
Contact: Jeremiah Glisson, City of Fernandina Beach Maintenance Department, (904) 310-3314.
It is such a shame that the careless actions of a few in disposing of items not allowed at this site has resulted in its closure. With the County’s land swap with the developers of Crane Island that will probably result in the closure of the County’s recycle station on Bailey Road. Even more reason for City residents to participate in the City’s curbside recycling program.
This is a shame, seems to be a common issue, in all Communities. In our Town in Upstate N.Y. The Highway Dept. ran the recycle station, only open on Sat. Morning, controlled by a man who got payed overtime. all the proceeds, from the recycled items, went into a fund for equipment for the highway dept. they been doing well for the last 25 years. It’s profitable if managed right.
Actually recycling is not a profitable business as of late. As recycling participation has increased in recent years, the market has become flooded with recyclables. It is basic supply & demand and right now the supply far exceeds the demand. Thankfully recycling is driven by more than dollars and cents. It is also driven by a sense of environmental responsibility.
It is sad that many people do not make use of the curbside recycling program as it is simple to do and you don’t even have to drive to the recycle station! This possible shut down is just because of the few that can’t obey the rules or read the signs that are posted! Steve, what you said about your town up north sounds great but it’s the items that people are leaving when they’re not supposed to that is the problem. From what I understand, they drop their things even when the bins are completely full! Due to the few that can’t do what is right, we all suffer….sad.
The site that is being shut down simply isn’t big enough and there is no room to add dumpsters. We hope to find a larger site in the near future. Are larger station would definitely cut down on some of the misuse/illegal dumping.
Jeremiah,
You and your team do such a wonderful job managing this issue with Stateline and all the others involved. What about the vacant lot at 8th and Lime?? LOL, Just kidding!!!!!
I think Jeremiah hit the nail on the head: the present site is too small, so the containers get filled to overflowing before his crew gets to empty them.
Others are correct in pointing out the widely available curbside program, and this raises the question of exactly who are the people dumping trash here? Presumably they do not have access to the curbside program. Yet, it seems to me, they do have some sense of civics in that they are taking their trash here rather than dumping it along the roadside.
So rather than criticize the ‘users’, let’s congratulate the City for recognizing the real issue, and planning a larger site in future. I look forward to it.