CALENDAR AND INFORMATION GUIDE

2018 CALENDAR AND INFORMATION GUIDE

A LETTER FROM OUR DIRECTOR Dear Lee County Resident, When this calendar was published, storm debris contractors were still finishing the job of cleaning up the after effects of Hurricanes Harvey in Texas and Irma in Florida. The impacts of Irma on our state have been dramatic. Irma affected almost every part of the state and damage was seen in every corner of Lee County. Lee County residents have been patient, as clean up is a slow process when the impacts are three times greater than that of Hurricane Charley in 2005, and we thank you for your patience. Unfortunate events, like a hurricane, cause communities to band together as neighbors help neighbors. We have seen an increased awareness among residents - inquiring about where all the hurricane debris goes. This curiosity has also carried over to the weekly service we all too often take for granted. Where does all our recycling and garbage go? During cleanup efforts, several waves of material came through the Lee County Integrated Solid Waste System. The first wave was spoiled food as residents and businesses cleaned out their homes after losing power and refrigeration. Next was the home debris as we all cleaned up our homes and yards. Lastly, the piles of vegetative debris began to line the streets as far as we could see. The food and home debris became energy at the County s state of the art Waste to Energy facility. The vegetative debris is ground up and brought to farms, compost facilities or spread across fields to add organic content to soils. Structural debris from flooded communities is landfilled. The Lee County Solid Waste System is an integrated system. This means that there are several facilities that serve unique purposes but also support each other either directly or indirectly. Each facility helps preserve capacity for the longevity of the system and sometimes increase the efficiency of other parts. Recycling contamination becomes energy at the WTE facility, cardboard from the Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling facility gets commingled at the Material Recycling Facility to get better market pricing for its sale. Mulch from yard waste goes to the composting facility to become a new material to support agriculture and gardening. This calendar helps to showcase some of the parts of Lee County s system and lend insight into the care and thought that have gone into the system s development. We ask that you question your choices when you throw things away because there never is truly away. Could some of the things you throw away be repaired, donated, traded or sold instead? We pride ourselves at the Solid Waste Division to always look at everything as a resource with value. This shapes our decisions and pushes us to determine the most responsible and economical method of handling the community s waste stream. We appreciate the opportunity to serve you. Keith Howard, Director Lee County Solid Waste Division

LEE COUNTY FOLLOWS THE EPA S WASTE MANAGEMENT HIERARCHY (And you can, too!) In 2017, Lee County residents and visitors generated over 1 million tons of waste. Source Reduction & Reuse This begins at home. Reduce the amount of stuff you buy. Repair and reuse what you do buy. Sell or donate items you no longer use. Take a look at what you re throwing away. Recycling & Composting Recycle Smart! Place only the 5 accepted materials in your recycle cart. Make 2018 the year you learn how to compost at home - it s an easy, natural process. www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home Energy Recovery We will recover the energy from the waste you throw away. Treatment & Disposal We will landfill only the remaining ash and those items that can t be processed at the Waste to Energy Plant.

ANUARY MONDAY SUNDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 7 1 NEW YEARS DAY NO GARBAGE COLLECTION TODAY. COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED. 8 2 MONDAY S COLLECTION 9 3 TUESDAY S COLLECTION 10 4 WEDNESDAY S COLLECTION 11 5 THURSDAY S COLLECTION 12 6 FRIDAY S COLLECTION TOPAZ CT. HCW FACILITY OPEN 8AM TO NOON. 13 CLEAN OUT THE GARAGE Finally getting around to cleaning out the garage? Please don t throw old chemicals or fuels in your trash, down the drain, or on the ground. Fertilizers, Pesticides, Herbicides, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel as well as old or outdated Electronics, Propane Tanks (any size), old Batteries, old Paints and Varnishes could be harmful to your health or the environment if disposed of improperly. The Lee County Topaz Court Solid Waste Annex is centrally located at 6441 Topaz Court, Fort Myers and offers residents convenient drive-thru service. 14 21 28 15 MARTING LUTHER KING JR. DAY NO CHANGE TO GARBAGE COLLECTION SCHEDULE. COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED. 22 29 16 23 17 24 30 31 18 25 19 26 20 27 For a complete list of items accepted, please check our website at leegov.com/solidwaste/residential/dispose/chemicals. The Topaz Court Solid Waste Facility is open to residents Monday - Friday 8 am to 5 pm and the first Saturday of each month from 8 am to noon. Saturday schedule may change with holidays. Business collections are held the fourth Wednesday of each month by appointment only. Please call (239) 533-8000 for more information.

EBRUARY MONDAY SUNDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 4 5 6 7 1 8 2 9 3 TOPAZ CT. HCW FACILITY OPEN 8AM TO NOON. 10 RECYCLE SMART THERE ARE ONLY 5 MATERIALS THAT BELONG IN YOUR RECYCLE CART. PAPER Newspaper, magazines, junk mail, catalogs, etc. - can all go in with your recycling. No shredded, waxed, metallic or soiled paper, please. METAL Metal or aluminum cans are the metal we are looking for. Disposable aluminum pans and foil that are free of food waste can also be added. No tools, no pots & pans. PLASTIC Plastic containers labeled #1 - #7 are suitable for your recycle cart. No plastic bags or styrofoam even if they are marked with the recycling arrows. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 GLASS Please, only glass bottles and jars belong in your recycle cart. No dishes or window panes. 18 19 20 VALENTINE S DAY 21 22 23 24 CARDBOARD All boxes are recyclable unless they held a liquid or frozen food (wax-coated). 25 PRESIDENTS DAY NO CHANGE TO GARBAGE COLLECTION SCHEDULE. 26 27 28 Any idea what this picture is? It s a sorting screen in the Recycling Plant. It s designed to roll cardboard over the top and allow containers to fall down between the discs. It is impossible for the equipment to work properly when it s wrapped tightly with plastic film, hoses & clothing - please, please, please do not place those items in your recycling cart!

4 11 ARCH MONDAY SUNDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 5 12 6 13 7 14 1 8 15 2 9 16 3 TOPAZ CT. HCW FACILITY OPEN 8AM TO NOON. 10 17 DIVERTING YARD WASTE IN 2017, LEE COUNTY PROCESSED NEARLY 83,000 TONS OF YARD WASTE. (ABOUT 166 MILLION POUNDS) (THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE HURRICANE IRMA DEBRIS WHICH WAS HANDLED BY A SEPARATE CONTRACTOR) WHERE DID IT ALL GO? 2,000 tons were ground into mulch and made available to residents at one of the five mulch drop off locations around Lee County. 46,000 tons were combined with biosolids from local wastewater treatment plants to create award-winninng OrganicLee compost. 30,000 tons were converted to electricity through combustion at the Waste to Energy Plant. 4,800 tons were buried at the Lee/Hendry landfill. DAYLIGHTS SAVING TIME BEGINS 18 25 19 SPRING BREAK 20 SPRING BREAK 21 SPRING BREAK 22 SPRING BREAK 26 27 28 29 23 SPRING BREAK 24 30 31 ST. PATRICK S DAY ORGANICLEE COMPOST OrganicLee compost improves the soil structure and moisture holding capacity of sandy soils creating a better environment for plant root development. It is available for purchase in bulk quantities and in 20 lb. bags. For more information and to check availability, call us at (239) 533-8000. Looking for loose mulch? It is available at no charge at five different locations around the county. www.leegov.com/solidwaste/facilities/mulch

1 8 PRIL MONDAY SUNDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY EASTER 2 9 3 10 4 11 5 12 6 13 7 TOPAZ CT. HCW FACILITY OPEN 8AM TO NOON. 14 DIVERTING CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION DEBRIS IN 2017, LEE COUNTY PROCESSED NEARLY 64,000 TONS OF C&D DEBRIS (ABOUT 128 MILLION POUNDS.) OVER 55,000 TONS OF THE MATERIAL WERE DIVERTED FROM LANDFILL DISPOSAL. WHAT DO WE RECYCLE? CONCRETE - it can be used again as aggregate in new batches of concrete. CARDBOARD - it can be recycled with other paper products. STEEL - metal is endlessly recyclable. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 WOOD - clean wood (not pressure treated) can be ground and colourized for decorative mulch. RIGID PLASTICS - can be recycled like other plastics. 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 RESIDUAL SCREEN MATERIAL (RSM) - this dirt-like material comes off the items being sorted. It can be reused as cover at the landfill. EARTH DAY 29 30 SUBMIT YOUR PAPERWORK ONLINE! Lee County s online Request for Action center provides links to all the forms you ll need to comply with Lee County s mandatory construction and demolition recycling ordinance. Once completed, the forms can be uploaded from the convenience of your own home or office. www.leegov.com/rfa

AY MONDAY SUNDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 2 3 4 5 IS YOUR YARD READY FOR HURRICANE SEASON? DON T WAIT UNTIL THERE S A NAMED STORM TO BEGIN YOUR PREPARATIONS! PRE- HURRICANE MAINTENANCE Cut back any trees or branches that contact your house, pool cage, shed or other buildings. 6 7 8 9 10 11 TOPAZ CT. HCW FACILITY OPEN 8AM TO NOON. 12 Thin foliage so wind can blow freely through branches, decreasing chances the plant will become uprooted during a storm. Place trimmings at the curb on your regular collection day. Yard waste must be placed in a container or securely tied into bundles no heavier than 50 pounds and no longer than 6 feet in length. 13 MOTHER S DAY 20 27 14 21 28 MEMORIAL DAY NO GARBAGE COLLECTION TODAY. COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED. 15 22 29 MONDAY S COLLECTION EARLY DISMISSAL 16 23 17 24 30 31 L A S T D AY OF SCHOOL TUESDAY S COLLECTION WILL BE PCKED UP TODAY. EARLY DISMISSAL WEDNESDAY S COLLECTION 18 25 EARLY DISMISSAL 19 26 Up to 50 pounds of unbundled palm fronds may be neatly placed at the curb. Clean your property of any items that could become a projectile during a storm and place them at the curb on your regular waste collection day. ONCE A STORM HAS BEEN NAMED OR A HURRICANE WATCH/WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED: Do not cut down trees and do not do any major yard work. Mass cutting produces a burden on the normal collection process. Do not begin construction projects that produce debris unless absolutely necessary to protect life and property. Secure all debris and do not place materials of any kind at the curb during a Watch or Warning period. Services may be suspended and facilities closed early to prepare for the storm. For information on the status of collection services and disposal facilities, residents should check www.leegov.com/ solidwaste or monitor local media.

UNE MONDAY SUNDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 THURSDAY S COLLECTION 8 9 TOPAZ CT. HCW FACILITY OPEN 8AM TO NOON. FRIDAY S COLLECTION SO, WHAT IF WE HAVE A HURRICANE? TO DO LIST! 1. First, know that your household garbage will be collected separately from storm debris. 2. Please set everything at the curb in separate piles. This is a FEMA requirement. You can find a diagram of proper setout at leegov.com/solidwaste/residential/hurricane 3. Do not set debris over buried electric or phone lines, near water meters, hydrants, overhead wires or mail boxes. Make it easy for crews to pick up the debris using a mechanized claw truck. 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 4. Be patient. Following a storm, the number one priority is collecting household garbage. Uncollected garbage attracts pests and can spread disease. Yard waste can wait. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 FATHER S DAY 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

ULY MONDAY SUNDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 8 15 2 9 16 3 10 17 4 INDEPENDENCE DAY NO GARBAGE COLLECTION TODAY. COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED. 11 12 18 5 WEDNESDAY S COLLECTION 19 6 THURSDAY S COLLECTION 13 20 7 TOPAZ CT. HCW FACILITY OPEN 8AM TO NOON. FRIDAY S COLLECTION WILL BE PICKED UP TODAY. 14 21 DO YOU RECYCLE SMART OR ARE YOU A WISHCYCLER? RECYCLE SMART - 5 FOR THE CART! You Recycle Smart when you learn the 5 things that belong in your recycle cart and only put those 5 things in it. Plastic containers labeled #1-#7 All paper items except shredded, soiled, waxed or metallic Glass bottles and jars Aluminum or steel cans All boxes except those used to hold a liquid or frozen item 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 WISHCYCLERS WANT TO RECYCLE EVERYTHING. EVEN ITEMS WE CAN T PROCESS OR MARKET. COST PER MONTH: $25,000 - $30,000 29 30 31 NO YARD WASTE NO PLASTIC BAGS NO HOUSEHOLD TRASH Never put your recyclables in a plastic bag. Donate or sell items you no longer want so they can be reused. NO STYROFOAM Learn the 5 materials that belong in your recycle cart. NO FOOD WASTE When in doubt, throw it out!

UGUST MONDAY SUNDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 2 3 4 USING WASTE AS A RESOURCE DIVERTING HOUSEHOLD WASTE Rather than just burying household waste and capturing methane gas from the decomposing trash, Lee County utilizes the power of combustion to recover the heating value of household waste, converting that energy to steam, which later becomes clean, renewable electricity. 5 6 7 8 9 10 TOPAZ CT. HCW FACILITY OPEN 8AM TO NOON. 11 Waste from Lee County generates enough electricity to power 36,000 homes annually. Incoming trash is delivered to the Waste to Energy Plant 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Trucks line up to dump their loads on the tipping floor of the Waste to Energy Plant 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Crane operators feed the trash into one of three combustion units. 26 27 28 29 30 31 Trash is combusted for 90 minutes at about 1800 degrees Farenheit. The plant can generate 59 MW of power every hour. Both ferrous and nonferrous metals are removed from the resulting ash before it s safely buried in the lined ash monofill. In 2017, 23,000 tons of metal were recovered.

2 9 16 EPTEMBER MONDAY SUNDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 23 30 3 LABOR DAY NO GARBAGE COLLECTION TODAY. COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED. 10 11 17 24 4 MONDAY S COLLECTION 18 25 5 TUESDAY S COLLECTION 12 19 26 6 WEDNESDAY S COLLECTION 13 20 27 7 THURSDAY S COLLECTION 14 21 28 1 8 TOPAZ CT. HCW FACILITY OPEN 8AM TO NOON. FRIDAY S COLLECTION 15 22 29 REDUCE YOUR OWN WASTE GENERATION HERE ARE 10 IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED Reduce Your Food Waste Make weekly menus & buy only the food you need. Eat your leftovers. Repair Rather than just throw something away, find out if it can be repaired. Buy Less Stuff Be mindful about what you throw away. Curb your retail therapy. Donate Clothes Even clothes that are old, soiled or in poor condition can have a useful second life as rags or stuffing. Please don t throw them away unless they are mildewed. Compost Yard waste, vegetative food scraps & coffee grounds can be used to make a great compost. Or, those same veggie scraps can be fed to composting worms to make high-quality vermicompost Share If your household has an abundance of something, share it with a friend. Reduce Packaging Buying loose fruit & veggies (not the prepackaged kind) is better for you & the environment. Reduce Junk Mail Register with the Direct Mail Association to reduce junk mail by up to 75%. dmachoice.org Reuse Reusable shopping bags and water bottles can replace hundreds of plastic bags & bottles. Using a French press for coffee instead of individually portioned disposables leaves no waste. Eliminate Disposables Use durable plastic or china plates instead of paper or foam. Use a glass or mug instead of single-use cups. NO WISHCYCLING PLEASE! As you consider alternative uses for those items you no longer want, please remember that your recycling cart should only be used for the 5 materials accepted curbside.

7 CTOBER MONDAY SUNDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 8 2 9 3 10 4 11 5 12 6 TOPAZ CT. HCW FACILITY OPEN 8AM TO NOON. 13 FINAL DISPOSAL AREA THE LEE/HENDRY LANDFILL THE MANY WASTE DIVERSIONS PERFORMED BY LEE COUNTY Minimize the amount of material that needs to be landfilled Honors our commitment to pursue all other responsible end-of-life options for the waste stream before choosing landfill disposal. Extends the lifespan of our disposal facilities. Helps keep system costs stable. COLUMBUS DAY 14 NO CHANGE TO GARBAGE COLLECTION SCHEDULE. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 COMPOST PRODUCTION FACILITY 28 29 30 31 CLASS III CELLS - C&D MATERIAL HALLOWEEN ASH MONOFILL CELLS

OVEMBER MONDAY SUNDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 2 3 THE WILD SIDE OF THE LANDFILL The Lee/Hendry landfill is home to a wonderful assortment of wildlife. 4 5 6 7 8 9 TOPAZ CT. HCW FACILITY OPEN 8AM TO NOON. 10 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS 11 12 VETERANS DAY (OBSERVED) 13 14 15 16 17 VETERANS DAY COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED PATRIOT DAY 18 NO CHANGE TO GARBAGE COLLECTION SCHEDULE. 19 20 21 22 23 24 THANKSGIVING 25 26 27 28 NO GARBAGE THURSDAY S COLLECTION COLLECTION TODAY. COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED. COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED. 29 30 FRIDAY S COLLECTION PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT - MICHAEL LE BLANC

2 ECEMBER MONDAY SUNDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY Special Holiday Hours All Solid Waste facilities will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year s Day, Dec. 25 and Jan. 1. There will be no collections either day; collections the remainder of each week will be delayed by one day. The Buckingham facility will be open for disposal on Dec. 24 and Dec. 31 from 6:30 a.m. 6 pm, but all other Solid Waste facilities will be closed. 3 4 5 6 7 1 TOPAZ CT. HCW FACILITY OPEN 8AM TO NOON. 8 BUCKINGHAM ROAD RESOURCE RECOVERY FACILITY The activities at the Resource Recovery Facility on Buckingham Road are all designed to maximize the value recovered from the waste stream. If your group would like to take a tour to learn more, or have a speaker come present, please call our customer service at 239-533-8000 9 10 11 12 13 PEARL HARBOR DAY 14 15 16 23 17 24 30 31 COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED 18 25 CHRISTMAS NO GARBAGE COLLECTION TODAY. COUNTY OFFICES CLOSED. 19 26 TUESDAY S COLLECTION 20 27 WEDNESDAY S COLLECTION 21 FIRST DAY OF WINTER 28 THURSDAY S COLLECTION 22 29 FRIDAY S COLLECTION YARD WASTE PROCESSING MATERIAL RECYCLING FACILITY WASTE TO ENERGY FACILITY C&D RECYCLING

10500 Buckingham Road Fort Myers, FL 33905 Phone (239) 533-8000 FAX (239) 533-8025 www.leegov.com/solidwaste SAVE MONEY AND REDUCE TRASH IN YOUR RECYCLE CART BY FOLLOWING THESE GUIDLINES Film or Foam Plastics - that means any kind of plastic bag, pool cover, bubble wrap, Styrofoam dishes of any kind, packing material or packing peanuts. Stringy Things - garden hoses, pool hoses, extension cords, Christmas lights, rope. Clothing - no clothing, including shoes. Scrap metal - that includes tools, car parts and appliances. Take it to a scrap yard or put it in your trash and we ll recover it from the combustion ash. Food scraps or animal waste - neither of these things belong in your recycle cart! Diapers - please put these in the trash.