Florida Agencies Team Up to Recycle
Three Florida agencies have recently begun working together to improve recycling in state buildings. The partnership is also expected to provide employment to people with developmental disabilities.
The agenices working together are the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) and the Florida Department of Management Services (DMS).
The pilot program is starting at the DEP’s Bob Martinez Center in Tallahassee, where new bins will be added to collect not only white paper and cardboard, but mixed paper, plastic and aluminum as well. Employees from the DMS will gather all the recyclables in an outdoor container, after which the materials will be collected and sorted by residents of Sunland Marianna, a residential facility for people with developmental disabilities.
Sunland residents already operate an on-site recyclables collection and recovery program that helps raise funds for activities at the home. The new state agency partnership is expected to provide employment opportunities for about 90 Sunland residents.
