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Helping The Environment

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By HAROLD VALENTINE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 9, 2008

LUTZ Melissa Horn just wanted to recycle her trash, but that turned out to be more difficult than she expected.

Horn is a resident of Brigadoon Townhomes, which has 167 homes bordering Lake Heather. Because the trash pickup is contracted independently, recycling is not guaranteed as it is to those with county services and curbside pickup.

As a result, residents of many apartment complexes or town house and condominium communities have to try harder to recycle if it is not included in their trash collection contract.

"I am confused," Horn said. "Do these people care less about the environment than those in houses?"

James Ransom, spokesman for the county's Solid Waste Management Department, said his department has no program for communities with independent contracts for trash disposal, such as Brigadoon Townhomes. He said in the past free pilot programs have been offered to residents who are not county customers in an effort to promote recycling.

Liz Brown, a county waste reduction specialist, said recycling can save communities money as well as contribute to the greater benefits of recycling.

"The total charge we found in our pilot program can offset the conditional cost of recycling," Brown said, "and in some cases, depending on how much is recycled, the complex can even come out ahead in terms of reducing their total solid waste costs."

Brown said the cost of recycling depends on the contract negotiated with a community and its contractor.

She said later this year her department will do a mass mailing about recycling to apartment complexes, condominium and town house communities and businesses. But no more free pilot programs are planned.

Brown said getting recycling implemented should not take long once residents decide to do it because most companies already have recycling containers available. But for Horn, who moved into her town house three years ago, getting her community involved is time consuming.

"I am working with my homeowners association," Horn said, "but there will have to be remodeling done because our garbage bins are in a fenced area, so this is going to take some time."

While she moves forth, she would like better options for individual recycling.

Horn said she has been referred to several places for her recycling, though most have proved inconvenient. She said a county collection center, the Northwest County Facility, 8001 W. Linebaugh Ave., may be her best bet because it is available from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, as well as Monday through Friday. Paper, plastic and glass may be dropped off there.

Another facility, the Hillsborough Heights Community Collection Center, 6209 County Road 579 in Seffner, also takes recyclables.

Reporter Harold Valentine can be reached at (813) 865-1526 or hvalentine@tampatrib.com.

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