Recyclable Materials
The goal of the Recyclable Materials Collection Program is to effectively collect materials that have the greatest potential to successfully be reused or recycled into new products or packaging.
Automated Recyclable Materials Collection
A special vehicle, equipped with a lifting mechanism, reaches out to the roll cart, lifts and empties the container returning the cart to its original position. Residents receive a 65-gallon recyclable materials roll cart for the accepted recyclable materials. RMCP is available to all unincorporated Polk County customers, who wish to participate. If you need a recyclable materials roll cart, call the Waste and Recycling Division at (863) 284-4319.
Guidelines for Recyclable Material collection:
- Curbside Collection Guidelines
- Recyclable Materials Collection Guidelines
- Recyclable materials roll cart must be curbside from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Roll cart must be within 3 feet of the curb or edge of the street or road
- Roll cart must be at least 3 feet from other fixed objects and vehicles
- No other container may be used for recyclable materials roll cart
Accepted recyclable materials:
- Aluminum cans
- Steel (tin) cans or containers
- Cardboard, cereal boxes, egg cartons (cardboard)
- Newspaper, uncoated paper, paper products
- Most gallon and half gallon, translucent plastics (no colored or clear plastics), milk, juice or water jugs
- Only translucent plastics (no colored or clear plastics) are accepted
Keeping recyclable materials dry and free of grease, soil and residue is the best way to ensure success.
Avoid including items that can contaminate your cart. By keeping your roll cart lid closed, you will minimize contact with rain and keep your materials dry. Only items listed above should be placed in the recyclable materials cart; items not listed above, should be placed in the garbage roll cart.
Why not glass and plastic?
Glass breaks easily during the collection process and compromises other viable materials in the RMCP roll cart. As a result, broken glass embeds in healthy materials making them unlikely to be reused or recycled successfully into new products.
Not all plastics are created equal. Many do not blend effectively during the process of creating a new product. This poses regulatory and processing challenges to manufacturers, who incorporate post-consumer plastics into a new product. For this reason, Polk County limits its collection to products that have the longest environmental and economic value, such as milk and juice jugs.