Recycling carts come to Florida town

Forget those old, worn-out recycling bins - some towns are making implementing recycling carts, which is sure to help encourage more people to make the earth a greener place and ensure that the process is as smooth and efficient as possible.

That's the case of Sunrise, Florida, which will be rolling out the carts very soon.

"We expect recycling rates are going to go up," Richard Salamon, the assistant director of the local Utilities Department, told The Sun-Sentinel.

The 65-gallon carts will all come equipped with wheels, making it easier to transport the containers to the sidewalk on pick-up day. Single stream recycling, which allows residents to put all recyclable materials in one spot, will also continue.

Sunrise is additionally trying to encourage better waste management techniques by implementing a rewards program to residents who regularly recycle. Every pound of properly disposed material is worth 2.5 points. The points can then be used to purchase anything from groceries to gift cards.

"An incentive gets everyone to recycle, so there are people that put a cart out that don't believe in global warming, don't believe in recycling, but what they do believe in [is] I can take that redemption and go to my Publix, I can take that redemption and go to a restaurant and get a free meal," Fred Hannon, the southeast general manager for waste hauler RecycleBank, told the news source.

Sunrise, which is located in Bryant County, is one of several towns that will be receiving the 7,500, bright blue carts, according to The Savannah Morning News. It will cost residents another $35 each year, which has brought forth some complaints from those who say that the extra cost will place a burden on them.

Art Smith, the municipal marketing manager for RecycleBank, reassured residents that the rewards program will save them more money in the long run.