Clearwater Distributes New Green Recycling Barrels with Updated Disposal Guidelines

Clearwater residents have received new 64 or 48-gallon green recycling barrels, provided at no additional charge by the Town. These barrels, equipped with lids to keep materials dry and control litter, remain the property of the Town and are part of an ongoing effort to maximize recycling efficiency and reduce landfill waste.

The new barrels are designed to streamline the single-stream recycling process. Residents should place accepted items directly into these green bins. The Town emphasizes the importance of ensuring all recyclable items are clean and empty before disposal to prevent contamination.

Accepted items for the green recycling barrels include plastic bottles, wide-mouth plastic and rigid plastic containers, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, milk and juice cartons, aluminum and steel cans, empty aerosol cans, newspaper, and mixed paper. If you can rip it, you can recycle it, according to the Town's guidelines for mixed paper.

However, several items are explicitly not accepted in the green bins. These include styrofoam, plastic bags, plastic wrap, wood, most metals (excluding paper clips and staples), food waste, construction debris, light bulbs, chemicals, and electronics. For hazardous materials like household chemicals and paint, residents can utilize free Pinellas County Household Chemical Collection events for proper disposal.