After more than 15 months, Clay County is going to resume curbside recycling.

Pickup will resume Dec. 5 for the unincorporated areas of Clay County and the city of Keystone Heights, the county announced Thursday.

Curbside recycling was suspended in August 2021 because the county’s waste contractor, Waste Management, did not have enough commercial drivers.

At the time, Waste Management was 10 drivers short. One year later, the company was 11 drivers short, but Waste Management now has the drivers it needs to service all Clay County routes, the county said.

Waste Management enticed potential employees with $5,000 signing bonuses and boosted pay to $24 an hour, up from $16 an hour when recycling was suspended.

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Here’s what residents need to know as recycling resumes:

• If needed, residents can start requesting bins now. Bins can be requested online through the Clay Connected platform at the county’s homepage and on the Garbage and Recycling webpage. Residents also can request a bin on the free Clay Connected app, which is available for Android and Apple devices in the app stores. Or: Bins can be requested by calling Environmental Services at (904) 284-6374. Residents in Keystone Heights should call Waste Management at (904) 695-0500 to request bins.

• Waste Management will begin delivering the bins to residents Nov. 14.

• Residents will need two separate recycling bins at their homes before Dec. 5. The paper products bin is for clean, dry paper products such as newspapers, books, junk mail, shredded paper and flattened corrugated cardboard cut into 2-foot by 3-foot pieces. The containers bin is for rinsed containers including plastic and glass bottles and jars, aluminum and steel cans, and cartons and juice boxes.
• Curbside recycling will be picked up on the same day that yard waste is picked up. Place recycling bins curbside by 6 a.m. To find out your recycling pickup date, go here or select “Curbside Collection” from the Environmental Services homepage at “Garbage and Recycling” under the “Community” tab.
• Waste Management will continue to service the seven temporary recycling drop-off sites through Dec. 18. The containers will be removed Dec. 19.

Clay County’s recycling suspension far outlasted Duval County’s. Duval suspended curbside recycling in October but restored it six months later.

Clay County commissioners voted June 28 to return the amount paid for recycling to residents. The credit will be applied to 2022 property tax bills.

County officials stress that people need to follow recycling guidelines. Flatten all boxes, and do not place plastic bags in the bins.

Still have questions? Look for the answers on this page.