Orlando changes recycling to save time, money

ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando residents no longer have to separate their recyclables.

Wednesday, Mayor Buddy Dyer helped the city's recycling team deliver new containers to Orlando homes.

"You used to have your red and blue recycling cans to put out. Now you're going to have a single cart that we pick up depending on the color -- we have teal and burgundy -- for certain days of the week," said Dyer.

The new recycling bins are a lot larger and can hold more. City Officials said they hope that will lead to even more recycling.

"When you have the two smaller bins, you have to separate the paper from the plastic. The one with the plastic fills up during the week and the kids just say, 'Ah, we're not going to do that' and just throw it in the garbage can," said Dyer.

There is an expense that comes with the new bins, but the city said the savings over time will easily offset the startup costs for the new program.

"We anticipate that will save us about $150,000 a year and double the number of people who recycle and the volume of recycling materials that we handle," Dyer said.

The City of Orlando spent a little more than $1 million for nearly 24,000 of the new recycling carts.

There is no cost to residents for the new carts, and residents who already recycle did not need to order one.

Click here to learn how to start recycling.

WFTV