Curbside recycling returns to Pensacola this week, but residents should brace for higher bills and a reduced level of service.
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Beginning July 1, the city will cut residential garbage collection from two days to one and introduce a voluntary curbside recycling program at an added monthly cost. The new program comes after years without recycling and follows approval by the City Council last month of a sweeping overhaul to the sanitation rate structure.
While the base monthly trash fee will drop slightly to $24.99 for once-weekly pickup, opting into the new recycling service will raise the total bill to $32.99, a rate higher than what most residents were paying previously.
Commercial customers will see steeper changes. Monthly trash rates are jumping from $29.70 to $49.98, even as pickup is reduced to once a week. An optional recycling service will cost commercial users an additional $16 per month.
More than 54,000 residential households and 908 commercial accounts will be affected by the new structure, according to a city estimate. The plan also includes automatic annual rate increases through fiscal year 2027. Residential recycling rates, for instance, will rise to $35.55 by 2027, while commercial rates will top $55.
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City officials estimate that if 40% of households opt into recycling, the revised structure will generate more than $655,000 in additional revenue over the prior fiscal year. That increase, they say, will help stabilize sanitation operations in a tight budget cycle.
The program is being supported by a $263,250 grant from the American Beverage Association through The Recycling Partnership, a national nonprofit that helps cities modernize and improve their recycling systems. The funding will cover the cost of AI-enabled cameras installed on collection trucks to monitor and reduce contamination, which was a major factor in the city's decision to suspend recycling in previous years. The grant also funds a public education campaign.
Mayor D.C. Reeves said the new structure reflects a balance between fiscal responsibility and environmental stewardship.
“We have always recognized the importance of recycling to our community and the environment,” Reeves said in a statement. “This collaboration with The Recycling Partnership will bring back a robust and effective recycling program that will empower our residents to make a positive impact.”
Pensacola is the second city in Florida to receive the grant, following Jacksonville.
Elizabeth DeWitt, president and CEO of the Florida Beverage Association, said the investment is part of a national effort by beverage companies to recover more aluminum and plastic containers.
“By leveraging new technology, we can help improve the quality of recyclables in Pensacola and get more of our valuable bottles and cans back — so they can be remade as intended,” she said.
Residents who wish to enroll in the program should expect to receive a mailer this week with opt-in instructions. Recycling carts are scheduled for delivery beginning July 7. Additional information, including recycling guidelines and collection schedules, can be found at cityofpensacolarecycles.com.
Weekly yard waste pickup will remain unchanged and continues to be provided at no cost.
