Facing ongoing contamination challenges and rising operational expenses, Ocala officials have decided to permanently end curbside recycling collection this July and transition to a citywide drop-off model.
Beginning Monday, July 6, the City of Ocala will officially transition from curbside recycling collection to a citywide drop-off recycling program. The policy shift is designed to maintain recycling access for residents while helping contain rising residential sanitation costs, according to a statement issued by city officials.
The transition follows approval from the Ocala City Council on Feb. 3 as part of a broader effort to manage increasing operational expenses. By eliminating the curbside recycling program, the city believes it will be able to offset costs that would have otherwise added approximately $4.96 per month to local residential sanitation rates.
In addition to rising expenses, officials noted that the single-stream curbside recycling model has faced ongoing contamination challenges caused by residents placing non-recyclable materials into the recycling carts…