St. Johns County Solid Waste Division
The Curbside Times
November 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 117,000 residential units, we take pride in serving our community and providing the high-quality and timely services that every resident deserves. | | | | | | |
St. Johns County Achieves Record-High 46% Recycling Rate
St. Johns County achieved its highest-ever recycling rate in 2024, with 46% of total waste recycled, ranking 10th among Florida’s 67 counties. This milestone marks the most successful year on record for the County’s recycling efforts.
Read More
| |
Republic Services Material Recovery Facility (MRF) Tour
The St. Johns County Public Works Leadership Team, Commissioner Murphy, and the Office of the County Attorney toured the Republic Services MRF (Materials Recovery Facility) in Jacksonville. The visit provided an excellent opportunity to see the recycling process firsthand and to better understand how materials are collected, sorted, and prepared for reuse—especially for those experiencing the facility tour for the first time.
These tours are highly informative and play a vital role in helping our community gain a clearer understanding of recycling practices, particularly given the many misconceptions that exist around the process.
(l-r): St. Johns County Attorney Kealey West, St. Johns Public Works Deputy Director Ben Bright, District 3 County Commissioner Clay Murphy, and St. Johns County Public Works Director Greg Caldwell.
For more information or to schedule a tour, call (800) 331-2909.
Watch the virtual recycling tour.
| | | | |
Food Waste Awareness
Celebrating Sustainability
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and be grateful. It is also a time to sit down with friends and family over a good meal. Here are some things you can do to make sure that none of that food goes to waste:
- Carefully plan meals for Thanksgiving. Find recipes with overlapping ingredients.
- Don't trash the scraps: Try composting food waste.
- Encourage guests to bring their own food containers to take leftovers home.
- Transform leftover dishes into new and exciting recipes.
- Freeze leftovers for another meal.
| | |
County Offices Closed
Veterans Day Holiday
In observance of the Veterans Day holiday, the St. Johns County Solid Waste Division offices will be closed on Tuesday November 11, 2025. Standard business hours will resume on Wednesday November 12, 2025.
| | | | |
County Offices Closed & Solid Waste Collections Altered
Thanksgiving Holiday
In observance of the Thanksgiving holiday, the St. Johns County Solid Waste Division offices will be closed Thursday, November 27 and Friday November 28, 2025. Standard business hours will resume on Monday, December 1, 2025.
Garbage, recycling, and yard waste will NOT be collected on Thursday, November 27. Collections will resume on Nov. 28 and will be delayed by one day, with all routes being completed by Saturday, November 29, 2025.
The Tillman Ridge and Stratton Road solid waste scale houses will also be closed on Thursday. Scale houses will resume standard operating hours on Friday, November 28, 2025.
| |
Residents are Asked to Follow the Yard Waste Guidelines
To ensure efficient curbside collection and avoid delays, residents are asked to follow these guidelines:
- Yard waste will be picked up on regular collection days.
- Stack branches (each under six feet in length and 50 pounds) neatly at the curb.
- Bag, bundle, or place leaves, grass clippings, and small debris in a container with a maximum capacity of 32 gallons and a weight limit of 50 pounds.
- With large amounts, stack in neat piles. (If it has to be pulled apart, it will not be collected.)
| |
Spotlights
American Flag Rescue Program
| |
| |
Chris Benjamin Featured in St. Augustine Social Magazine
In 1998, Congress adopted a U.S. Flag Code, listing three ways to retire an American flag: bury it in a wooden box, burn it in an honorable, dignified
ceremony, or recycle it after it has been tattered,
torn, or stained. Two organizations in St. Johns
County have come together to ensure that the process iseasy and follows military honor and tradition. Under Chris Benjamin, the Recycling Coordinator of the County’s Solid Waste Division, has placed drop-off and collection boxes at 35 locations across St. Johns county, including most county buildings and offices, libraries, and multiple
hardware stores.
Read More
| | | | This month's American Flag Rescue Program Spotlight goes to Meliss, Ace Hardware Store Manager, World Golf Village. | | Home Depot in World Golf Village has received a new American Flag Rescue box! | | World Golf Village Ace Hardware donates soldier statue for VFW burn site. | | |
Saturday, November 15, 2025
America Recycles Day is dedicated to promoting and celebrating recycling in the United States! America Recycles Day educates and encourages individuals on how to be more mindful of what they consume, where and how to properly recycle, and to pledge to recycle more and recycle right in their everyday lives.
| |  | Captain Reducio Visits Ketterlinus Elementary | |
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
Captain Reducio will be at Ketterlinus Elementary to celebrate the concept of Citizenship. Twenty-five students were nominated to represent one of the school’s six Pillars of Character: Fairness, Responsibility, Citizenship, Respect, Caring, and Trustworthiness.
The Dolphin Den will give the honorees and their families a fun VIP experience during the awards ceremony. The event will also inspire students to embrace Captain Reducio’s message of stewardship, responsibility, and protecting our community
| | | |
FCC Celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month
| | |
The Hastings Main St. Fall Festival
The gates to Al Wilke Park opened at 3 p.m. on Saturday, October 25, 2025, as the community of Hasting came together to celebrate Halloween.
Over 500 residents attended this Trunk-or-Treat event to enjoy old-fashioned style carnival games, delicious food, and a movie after dark. The St. Johns County Solid Waste Department participated by providing educational materials to residents and answering all recycling-related questions.
| | |
HSE Day with Hydro
A Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) Celebration Day took place with Hydro Extrusions this month. This event focused on promoting workplace Safety, encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, and emphasizing education on minimizing environmental impact.
The St. Johns County Solid Waste Department collaborated with Hydro to answer questions on recycling, shared resources and educational materials aimed to helping their employees adopt better recycling habits at home and at work.
| | |
The Main Library Branch of the St. Johns County Celebrates Fall
The St. Johns County Solid Waste Department joined the Main Library Brench of St. Johns County for a fun, family-friendly Fall Celebration.
This community event offered a great opportunity to connect with both children and adults while promoting proper recycling practices. By combining fun activities with an educational focus, residents were able to learn more about recycling.
| |
Solid Waste - Winner of the 2025 Best Overall Pumpkin Public Works Halloween Award
Ahoy there! I’m First Mate Reusea McGraw, loyal second-in-command to Captain Reducio aboard the mighty Steward Ship!
I once sailed the high tides of Trash Lagoon, salvaging treasures from the wreckage of Waste Island. ‘Twas there I learned the art of turnin’ old junk into new gems — patchin’ sails with tattered shirts, buildin’ decks from driftwood, and fashionin’ fine jewelry from bottle caps and sea glass!
When Captain Reducio found me barterin’ for barnacle polish made from reused shells, he knew I’d make the perfect mate to help turn waste into worth.
Together, we chart the course toward Zero-Waste Waters, keepin’ the oceans free from the tyranny of trash.
So, if ye ever think of tossin’ somethin’ away — think again, matey! With a pinch of creativity and a splash of imagination, ye might just give it a second life!
| | |
👏 Curbside Compliments 👏
Mike from Sawmill Lakes called to express his gratitude for the crew’s dedication. Not only did they continue trash collection during the rainy weather, but they also took the extra time to neatly place the cans back with the lids on.
He thanked the team for their incredible effort and for consistently going above and beyond. Mike shared that, having visited other countries without the same level of solid waste service, he truly appreciates the work being done here in St. Johns County.
Your hard work makes a real difference, and your service is truly appreciated!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Another compliment for FCC:
“I want to express my gratitude to FCC for picking up large items like couches. I put out our family couches last Thursday hoping someone would pick them up for continued use and 20 minutes after putting them to the curb the rain opened up and they got soaked. That didn’t deter FCC from making sure these items were picked up the following morning along with our regular garbage pick-up. Thank you for providing this service! That was amazing and meant that I didn’t have to rent a truck to move the couches to the landfill. I am very appreciative of this service and the work FCC performs.”
| |
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 | | Consider donating old clothes, shoes, and linens to a local charity or nonprofit organization. | | Electronics should be brought to our drop-off locations to be recycled. | | Styrofoam should be reused if possible or thrown away in the household garbage. | | |
Total Recycled
(September 2025)
2,091 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. | | |
Total Flags
(Collected to date):
22,176 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. | | |
Total Litter
(Collected Year-to-Date):
1,398 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. | | | | | | |
