Duval County’s rate of recycling is below the state average, according to the latest figures released by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
The state has set a goal of recycling 75 percent of all solid waste by 2020. Overall, it exceeded a benchmark of 50 percent by 2015, with 54 percent of materials being recycled.
Duval County lags behind slightly, at 47-percent.
DEP Recycling Administrator Karen Moore said residents probably need better education about how and what to recycle.
“You can also look at recycling more organics, food waste, yard waste. Those are some of the larger waste streams that we are seeing here in the state and construction and demolition debris,” Moore said.
Over the past couple of years, Duval County transitioned to larger recycle bins and automated trucks meant to encourage more recycling and more streamlined pickup