The Brief
- A Polk County convenience center in Haines City is shutting down after the pilot program failed to stop illegal dumping.
- Officials say the Bannon Island Road site averaged only 20 vehicles a day while illegal dumping in the area spiked.
- Residents have until December 31 to use the dump before they must resume driving to the Winter Haven landfill.
HAINES CITY, Fla. – Polk County is ending a Haines City trash drop-off pilot program, citing a rise in illegal dumping and a lack of daily visitors. The early closure will force northeast Polk County residents to return to the Winter Haven landfill, but officials say it will save hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars.
Haines City facility closes early
What we know:
The customer convenience center on Bannon Island Road in Haines City opened in June as a one-year pilot program. The county decided to shut it down early after illegal dumping sites in the area increased from 16% to 30%.
The center, which required a fee to use, collected about 900 tons of trash and averaged about 20 vehicles a day. By closing the center early, Polk County expects to save between $200,000 and $300,000.
Future trash collection plans
What we don’t know:…