St. Johns County Solid Waste Division
The Curbside Times
August 2026 Newsletter
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The Solid Waste Division is dedicated to delivering sustainable services to meet the community's ever-changing solid waste management needs. With weekly curbside collections for over 120,000 residential units, we take pride in serving our community and providing the high-quality and timely services that every resident deserves. | | | | Back to School, Back to Sustainability | | Tocoi Creek High School Football Team Adopts a Road | | |
In an effort to connect with their community and give back to their neighbors, the Tocoi Creek Football team is volunteering their time to help keep St. Johns County beautiful.
Through the St. Johns County Solid Waste Adopt-a-Road Program, the team has adopted a portion of International Golf Parkway, where players will help collect litter and debris along the roadway while making a positive impact on their community and the environment.
Thank you to the Tocoi Creek Football team for doing their part to keep St. Johns County beautiful!
| | Bring Solid Waste Education to Your Classroom! 📚♻️ | | | | |
A new school year brings new opportunities to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards! St. Johns County Solid Waste offers engaging K–12 presentations that bring topics like recycling, sustainability, and litter prevention to life for students.
Presentations are available for individual classrooms or larger assemblies and can help students discover how everyday choices can make a difference in their community and environment.
Interested in scheduling a presentation for your school? Email us to learn more!
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♻️Upcycling: Turn Trash Into School Supplies!
Before you stock up on brand-new school supplies, take a look at what you already have at home! With a little creativity, everyday items that might otherwise be tossed or recycled can be transformed into useful supplies for the new school year. Upcycling is a fun way to give materials a second life, reduce waste, and get kids involved in sustainability. Check out these simple projects to turn everyday items into back-to-school essentials!
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Cereal box → homework organizer
Cut cereal boxes diagonally, decorate them, and use them as magazine-style holders for folders, notebooks and school papers.
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Cardboard tubes → desk organizer
Group toilet paper or paper towel tubes inside a small cardboard box to organize pencils, markers, scissors and other supplies.
| | Do Plastic Bags Belong in Recycling Carts? | |
Hurricane Preparedness
Resources for SJC Residents
June 1 marked the beginning of hurricane season. It is important to make sure you are prepared in advance. Below are some resources for SJC residents. Also, make sure to Follow the Official St. Johns County and SJC Emergency Management Facebook pages for real-time updates before, during, and after a storm.
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August is National Water Quality Month 💧
Clean water starts with the choices we make every day. Properly disposing of trash, keeping litter off our streets, and preventing household chemicals and other pollutants from entering storm drains all help protect our local ponds, creeks, rivers, and waterways. This August, celebrate National Water Quality Month by remembering that what we do on land can make a difference in the water we all share.
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World Lake Day | August 27 🌊
Celebrate World Lake Day by recognizing the important role lakes play in our communities and ecosystems! Established by the United Nations and first observed in 2025, World Lake Day highlights the value of lakes and the importance of protecting them for future generations. Simple actions like preventing litter, properly disposing of waste, and keeping pollutants out of storm drains can help protect lakes and other waterways near and far.
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National Beach Day | August 30 🏖️
Celebrate National Beach Day by helping keep our beautiful beaches clean! Whether you're swimming, surfing, searching for shells, or simply enjoying the view, remember to leave the beach better than you found it. Pack out what you bring in, properly dispose of trash and recyclables, and pick up any litter you spot along the way. Small actions can make a big difference in protecting our beaches, wildlife, and coastal waters.
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International Youth Day | August 12 🌱
International Youth Day celebrates the ideas, energy, and contributions of young people around the world. It’s also a great reminder that environmental stewardship can start at any age! From recycling and reducing waste to picking up litter and finding creative ways to reuse everyday items, young people can help build sustainable habits that make a difference at home, at school, and throughout their communities.
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From the Curbside Archives: Recycling for Victory ♻️
During World War II, communities across the country held salvage drives to collect scrap metal, paper, rubber and other materials. Schools and youth groups joined the effort, with children collecting materials from their homes and neighborhoods.
While recycling has changed dramatically since the 1940s, the idea behind it is familiar: materials we no longer need can still have value.
| Schoolboys go voluntarily from house to house collecting scrap paper in connection with the campaign in the District schools. Washington, D.C. | | |
Download the St. Johns County Recycle Coach App
Become a Better Recycler
Download the app or go to www.RecycleStJohns.com to get your curbside collection schedule, sign up for alerts, and quickly learn how to properly dispose of different waste materials.
Download the Recycle Coach App and become a better recycler today!
Apple App Store | Google Play
| | Top Material Searches on Recycle Coach Last Month | | |
Donation or reuse is the preferred option for items in good condition. Alternatively, contact your waste hauler or bring items to a depot - please see drop-off locations on the Recycle Coach App.
You can place large, bulky items out at the curb next to your regular garbage. This includes couches, sectionals, mattresses, household furniture, etc.
| | Corrugated Cardboard Boxes | |
Only flattened and clean corrugated cardboard is accepted. Please ensure there is no grease, oil, food residue, wax coating, or plastic/metal strapping. Staples and clear tape are acceptable.
All recyclable items must fit into the recycling cart to be collected. The service provider’s collection crews do not pick up any material that is not in a recycling cart, aside from flattened cardboard boxes that are cut into 3×3 feet sections and placed beside the cart on your service day.
Cardboard boxes may also be flattened and taken to the Cardboard Recycling Drop-Off Center at either the Tillman Ridge or Stratton Road Transfer Station, free of charge.
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Donation or reuse is the preferred option for items in good condition. Alternatively, contact your waste hauler or bring items to a depot - please see drop-off locations on the Recycle Coach App.
You can place large, bulky items out at the curb next to your regular garbage. This includes couches, sectionals, mattresses, household furniture, etc.
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Total Recycled
Collected Year-to-Date
2,050 tons
| Our goal at the Solid Waste Division is to divert as much waste as we can from the landfill. One of the best ways to do this is through our residential curbside recycling program. This Recycle Tracker shows how well we're doing in St. Johns County. | | |
Total Flags
Collected to date
29,471 flags
| The American Flag Rescue Program provides residents with the opportunity to properly retire flags with honor and respect. American Flag Drop Boxes are available to the public in over 35 locations throughout St. Johns County. | | |
Total Litter
Collected Year-to-Date
11,948 pounds
| The St. Johns County Adopt-A-Road program provides an opportunity for residents, businesses, nonprofits, and community groups to adopt sections of county road and help remove litter and debris in an effort to keep St. Johns County beautiful | |
| | Get more St. Johns County news by receiving our e-newsletters. | Stay informed with accurate, timely information through a blend of community outreach initiatives by the Office of Public Affairs. | | | | | | |
