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St. Johns County Solid Waste Division

The Curbside Times

July 2025 Newsletter

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 100,000 residential units, we take pride in serving our community and providing the high-quality and timely services that every resident deserves.

News & Resources

The American Flag Rescue Program Retires Old Flags Following Flag Day

After celebrating Flag Day last month, St. Johns County is reminding the community of the proper way to retire flags with honor and respect through its successful American Flag Rescue Program, which has rescued nearly 20,000 flags since 2019. The Office of Public Affairs produced a video to showcase the program.

A New Record for the American Flag Rescue Program

On Friday, May 30, over 500 American Flags were collected from the Drop Box located at the Home Depot on U.S. Hwy 1 South, setting a new record!

A number of military veterans volunteer their time to help collect flags from the 35 drop off boxes located throughout St. Johns County.

Learn More

Educational Resources

Recycling Activities & Videos

Are you looking for some fun and educational activities to do with your kids this summer? You're in

luck! We have a ton of great resources on our website!

Activities

Videos

Plastic Free July

Join Millions of People in Reducing Their Plastic Waste.

Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities.

Will you be part of Plastic Free July by choosing to refuse single-use plastics?

How to Safely Dispose of Fireworks

Fireworks are Explosives and Can Cause Serious Harm to Workers and the Environment.

-Do not place unused fireworks

straight into your garbage or

recycling.

-Do not bring unused fireworks

to our transfer stations.

Place used or unused fireworks into a bucket of water.
Leave them to soak overnight.
Remove water-logged fireworks from the bucket.
Seal them in a plastic bag.
Place the bag in your household garbage.
Dump the excess water away from storm drains.

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.

St. Johns County

on social media to stay in-the-know!

Holiday Schedule

Holiday Office Hours

Independence Day

Non-emergency St. Johns County offices will be closed in observance of Independence Day on Friday, July 4. They will resume regular business hours on Monday, July 7.

The Tillman Ridge and Stratton Road Transfer Station will remain open during regular operating hours, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Saturday from 7 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Curbside collection for household garbage, recycling, and yard waste will not be affected.

Event Recap

Solid Waste Staff Attends Annual Conference

Recycle Florida Today

Last month, members of the Solid Waste staff attended the Recycle Florida Today Annual Conference. Recycle Florida Today is Florida’s premier association representing recycling and environmental professionals throughout the state from the public, private, non-profit, and institutional sectors. This was a great opportunity for our team members to network and learn from peers and industry leaders. Contacts, ideas, and resources gleaned from opportunities like this equip our team to better serve our community. Below is a short write-up of what our new outreach coordinator took away from the experience:

"Sustainability:” It's a term we hear frequently, but do many of us truly comprehend its significance? Recycling is a crucial aspect of sustainable living. It encourages us to consider the long-term effects of our lifestyle choices and to strive for a balance between our needs and wants, all for the sake of our planet's health.

Practicing underconsumption by understanding the value of our limited resources is essential. We need to recognize that these resources are not infinite and that we should maximize what we already have. This involves seeing things in a new light, recognizing their potential to transform into something else after their initial use. Finding new purposes for old items can be an enjoyable and creative challenge. It prompts us to think outside the box and see potential where others see waste.

Small actions, like recycling a single bottle, can lead to significant changes when done consistently. It's a reminder that every little bit helps and that we all have a role in caring for our planet - after all, we only have one. Recycling teaches us about personal responsibility and the impact of our actions on the world around us.

Remember, recycling should be a communal effort that unites people for a common cause. It can foster a sense of community and shared responsibility. Achieving a sustainable community and leading the planet towards a cleaner, healthier, and better tomorrow requires a collective effort."

-Lynn St. Vil, Outreach Coordinator

Adopt-A-Road Program

Residents are Getting Hooked on Keeping SJC Litter-Free!

Join Our Adopt-A-Road Program

The St. Johns County Adopt-A-Road program is designed to remove unsightly litter and debris from county roads and improve the quality of the environment. This program is part of the Get Hooked Anti-Litter Initiative and enables citizens to make a positive impact by demonstrating their pride in keeping St. Johns County beautiful.

Our Adopt-A-Road program owes its popularity and success to its many dedicated volunteers. By working together we build a sense of pride in our community and a better tomorrow.

Who Can Adopt a Road?

Citizen volunteers
Businesses
Nonprofit organizations
Neighborhood groups
Civic Organizations

Recycle Coach

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

June 2025

Furniture

Furniture can donated or placed at the curb on your regular garbage collection day.

Leaves & Yard Waste

Yard waste can be taken to the curb on your collection day. Make sure to follow the guidelines.

Mattresses

Mattresses should be reused whenever possible or placed out on your garbage collection day.

Tracking our Waste

Total Recycled

(May 2025)

2,125 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 Trash Tracker shows how well we're doing in St. Johns County.

Recycling

Total Flags

(Collected to date):

19,050 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 25 locations throughout St. Johns County.

AFRP

Total Litter

(Collected Year-to-Date):

722 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.

Adopt-A-Road