FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 4, 2021
TOWN OF DAVIE TRANSITIONS RECYCLING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY
DAVIE, Fla. – The Town of Davie is altering its processing of recycling materials as part of the recent solid waste transition. Going forward, all residential trash and recycling materials collected from single-family residences, both garbage and recycling will be sent to the Wheelabrator South Broward Waste-to-Energy plant located on SR7/441.
At the Waste-to-Energy plant, ferrous and non-ferrous metals are separated from the materials we deliver and are recycled back into the marketplace to create new products. The remainder is incinerated into fuel that can produce as much as 66 megawatts of electricity used to power over 38,000 homes in Broward County.
This transition occurred because of two reasons: the global recycling market changed and contamination issues. Low, and in some cases, no demand in the global marketplace for materials such as glass and plastics #3 through #7, combined with the low value of mixed paper and high rates of contamination, have tripled the cost of processing recyclable materials over the past few years. In addition, if the recycling is contaminated with waste, the contaminated recyclables end up in the landfill. As a result of this transition, the recyclables will be converted into energy instead of being landfilled.
While this approach is not ideal, the Town is still asking residents to source separate their materials between green (garbage) and beige (recycling) carts. We are making this request because we are collaborating with Broward County and other municipalities to determine the feasibility of opening a government-run recycling facility in Broward County. Once the Town resumes recycling processing in the future, we will be in a state of readiness to participate as we will still be separating our recyclables.
For more information on this transition, please visit www.davie-fl.gov/wasteandrecycling.
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Media Contact:
Leona Henry, Intergovernmental Affairs Manager
Office: 954-797-1035
Sussette Rodriguez, Public Relations Coordinator
Office: 954-797-1102
Ariana Briceno, Public Relations Assistant
Office: 954-797-1190
