JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The City of Jacksonville began setting up recycling drop-off sites around Duval County on Thursday.
On Monday, Jacksonville will suspend curbside recycling pickup and officially open 14 drop-off locations around the city.
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry said staffing shortages are forcing the city to put recycling services on hold temporarily so collectors can focus on the trash that has been piling up in neighborhoods across the city.
News4Jax went to a drop-off location on the Eastside. We witnessed community members dropping off recycling, three days before the scheduled time.
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The site at Heritage Park on A. Philip Randolph Boulevard had four dumpsters set up. Those dropping off must dispose of the recycling themselves and the bins will not be monitored.
Cathleen Murphy, a friend of Riverside Park, said she is not happy about the plan.
“It’s a concern having drop-off sites at any one of our parks because they are public spaces,” Murphy said. “And we should take better care of our public spaces. And I just feel now we’re gonna have to organize more cleanup in the park. Because I’m not sure that’s actually going to be used for recycling.”
The City of Jacksonville was unable to tell News4Jax how long it’s going to be before curbside recycling will resume. The city doesn’t want residents to use them until Monday because that’s when they will start picking up what is dropped off here.