Don't pitch your glass bottles into the trash just yet. When Jacksonville resumes curbside recycling pickup April 4, glass will be still be accepted.
The Department of Public Works previously floated the idea of dropping glass from the list of acceptable materials because the costs of recycling are not just higher than the revenues generated from the resale of glass, they're higher than if the city just took it to the landfill in the first place.
At a meeting last Thursday, Brian Hughes, chief administrative officer for the city, told City Council's special committee on solid waste that Mayor Lenny Curry had unilateral authority to remove glass from the recycling process and would make a decision this week.
In an announcement Wednesday about the return of curbside recycling, glass — green, brown or clear bottles and jars — was included in the list of acceptable materials.
A spokesperson for the city said officials were no longer considering dropping glass from services at this time.
It's possible that removing glass from recycling services will still be one of the recommendations the special committee on waste delivers to the full council, based on the advice of Public Works. That committee is set to meet at least six more times, with a report to Council President Sam Newby due by June 31.
