Residential Recycling

Program Status

Residential recycling collection in the City of Pembroke Pines is currently suspended citywide. The suspension began in 2022 due to high contamination rates, escalating operational costs, and limited viable recycling processing options at that time. The City continues to actively evaluate options to reintroduce recycling in a way that is environmentally responsible, operationally feasible, and financially sustainable for residents.

Why Recycling Was Suspended

Like many municipalities nationwide, Pembroke Pines experienced significant challenges with traditional source-separated recycling programs, including:

High contamination rates, which reduce the ability to successfully recycle materials and significantly increase processing costs;
Market volatility for recyclable commodities, leading to unpredictable and rising costs;
Limited processing capacity and fewer environmentally responsible options available at the time.

These factors would ultimately increase costs paid by residents through their monthly utility bills, prompting the City to pause the program while better long-term solutions are explored.

Blue Recycling Carts

When the recycling program was suspended, residents were given two options regarding their blue recycling carts:

Option 1: Co-Mingled Solid Waste Use

Residents may use their blue cart for co-mingled solid waste collection for an additional $2 per month. Under this option:

The blue cart is collected once per week on the resident’s original recycling collection day;
Participation requires a decal, affixed to the blue cart, issued by the City’s waste collection contractor;
Decals can be requested directly from Waste Pro USA at (954) 967-4200.

Option 2: Retain Your Blue Cart

Residents who do not wish to use their blue cart for co-mingled solid waste are encouraged to keep the cart stored. The City’s courtesy cart removal period (January 2022–November 2023) has ended. Retaining your cart allows it to be reused once recycling service is re-implemented, helping reduce future costs to residents and ensuring carts are readily available when the program returns.

Exploring Future Recycling and Waste-Diversion Solutions

The City is actively evaluating new and innovative waste-diversion technologies. Through a previously issued Request for Letters of Interest (RLI), the City received proposals for environmentally friendly solutions capable of diverting more than 75% of solid waste away from landfills and incinerators, a significant improvement over traditional recycling programs.

These options are being carefully reviewed to assess:

Environmental benefits;
Operational feasibility;
Long-term cost impacts to residents.

Cost Considerations

Solid waste and recycling services are funded through residents’ monthly utility bills. While current solid waste disposal rates are substantially lower than prior recycling-era costs, traditional recycling proposals received by the City would result in significantly higher per-ton processing costs and additional expenses related to separate collection operations and contamination penalties.

The City is committed to ensuring that any future recycling or waste-diversion program balances environmental benefits with affordability for residents.

The City’s Position on Incineration

The City of Pembroke Pines strongly supports reducing landfill waste and opposes incineration as a waste-disposal strategy due to potential environmental and public health impacts. The City has actively worked with neighboring municipalities to oppose new incineration facilities and has formally advocated for alternative, environmentally responsible waste-disposal and recycling-processing methods.

Governance and Regional Coordination

Under Florida law, municipalities are responsible for solid waste collection, while counties are responsible for solid waste disposal planning and facilities. While the City does not control disposal facilities, Pembroke Pines actively advocates on behalf of residents in regional discussions to promote sustainable and community-focused solutions.

Stay Informed

Updates on recycling, sustainability initiatives, and waste-reduction efforts will be shared through the City’s digital communications, including:

City Connect Digital Newspaper (English & Spanish)
City Connect Newsflash email updates

Residents are encouraged to subscribe and stay engaged as the City continues working toward reintroducing recycling in Pembroke Pines.

More information can be found at: https://www.ppines.com/1795/Green-Newsletter---Sustainability-Spotli

Waste Reduction Tips

While recycling service is suspended, residents can still help reduce waste by practicing the Five R’s: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Rot (Compost). Small changes at home can make a meaningful impact while long-term solutions are developed.

More information can be found at: https://www.ppines.com/1792/The-Five-Rs-Waste-Reduction