Update: 6-8-23

Plans are still in effect for ECUA to resume full operations of the Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) on Monday, June 12, after a successful soft start this week. We truly appreciate our customers’ continued use of good recycling habits, which helped to promote a successful soft-start. The plant’s full operational status was interrupted in mid-April due to a severe staffing shortage although it was able to continue to accept and process source-separated recyclables, such as cardboard.

While restaffing activities were ongoing, our Maintenance and Construction Department took advantage of plant downtime for maintenance and certain process modifications, which improve plant functionality. These include:

• The replacement of the baler's motor

• Modifications to some chutes' design to enhance the robots' performance

• Rebuilding of the metering bin, which is the first part of the plant process and serves to load recyclables onto the conveyor belt in an even and uniform way.

Persons interested in employment with ECUA are encouraged to visit the Authority’s website at ecua.fl.gov/human-resources/careers.

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Update: 5-12-23
ECUA is continuing with the hiring and training of personnel for the Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in order to have the facility fully staffed and resume regular operations as soon as possible. During this time, the plant has continued to accept and process source-separated recyclables, such as cardboard. While restaffing activities have been ongoing, our Maintenance and Construction Department has been taking advantage of plant downtime for maintenance and certain process modifications, which will improve future plant functionality. These include:

• the replacement of the baler's motor
• modifications to some chutes' design to enhance the robots' performance
• rebuilding of the metering bin, which is the first part of the plant process and serves to load recyclables onto the conveyor belt in an even and uniform way.

We are currently expecting to resume full operations on Monday, June 12, with a soft start during the week of May 22. Our customers are encouraged to continue to separate and keep good recycling habits, which will help to promote a successful soft start.

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In the face of staff turnover, the ECUA’s Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) will not be receiving mixed recyclables for processing starting Friday, April 14, 2023, for an estimated four weeks. During this time, ECUA will be conducting hiring and training for employment in the facility. However, the MRF will continue to receive and process source-separated recyclables, primarily cardboard. Mixed recyclables such as those collected at the curb, though, cannot be processed safely and effectively until the facility is again operational and fully staffed.

During this interruption in plant operation, the ECUA requests that its customers continue to separate materials for recycling, as usual, to remain in that practice. In a similar vein, ECUA will continue to collect recycling cans with a recycling collection vehicle, as it normally does. However, we have no choice but to landfill these materials as they cannot be processed for recycling until the MRF facility is fully operational. We currently estimate resuming operations in four weeks or less, and are doing our best to expedite this process.

Persons interested in employment with ECUA are encouraged to visit the Authority’s website at ecua.fl.gov/human-resources/careers.

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