Improperly recycled plastic bags create problem for Lee County as push grows to reduce contamination

BUCKINGHAM, Fla. —

Cheap plastic bags carry a hidden cost when they are improperly recycled.

When tossed into curbside recycling bins, the bags can wreak havoc on equipment inside Lee County's Resource Recovery Center in Buckingham.

"We spend about four hours a day, two hours each shift, just clearing screens," Tim LaMontagne with Lee County Solid Waste said.

Similar to how an untied shoelace can get tangled inside a vacuum cleaner, plastic bags wrap around the county's processing equipment. Removing them requires crews to physically cut and chisel them out of the machinery.

"They have to work in pairs," LaMontagne said. "It's very hot, and that plant is very dangerous."

Beyond creating difficult working conditions, plastic bags are part of a larger contamination problem inside Lee County's recycling system. Each year, millions of pounds of nonrecyclable trash items are mixed in with curbside recycling — a self-inflicted problem for taxpayers.

"The cost is not only having to pay our operator without getting any resale value," LaMontagne said. "It's also the disposal costs on top of it. We're essentially double-handling that material."

To help reduce contamination in the recycling program, Lee County is encouraging residents to download the free Recycle Coach app.

One of the app's best features is the "What Goes Where" tool at the top of the screen. It allows users to take a photo with their phone and get an instant answer on whether an item is recyclable or not.

For items not appropriate for curbside recycling, the app tells you specifically how and where to dispose of things the correct way.

To download the app, go to your phone's app store and search "Recycle Coach."

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