TAMPA, Fla. — In the coming months, any Tampa yard waste placed in plastic bags will be left on the curb.
The city will stop accepting plastic bags of any kind in yard waste collection starting Feb. 1, 2024. The goal is for all yard waste materials to be composted.
"Eliminating plastic bags from collection assures all yard waste can be turned into nutrient-rich amendment, diverting this material from the waste stream," the city wrote.
Tampa also provided the following tips to ensure residents know how to properly dispose of yard waste.
Acceptable yard waste includes:
- Leaves, branches, grass clipping, branches, limbs and logs in 4-foot lengths
- Trees up to 6 feet in length are accepted only during designated holiday tree collection
- No soil, dirt, rocks or heavy debris will be accepted at curbside waste collections.
Acceptable yard waste containers include:
- Reusable bins (32-gallon maximum size)
- Biodegradable paper yard waste bags
- Waste bundled with jute twine
- Items should not weigh more than 50 pounds and cannot be placed in regular trash or recycling bins.
For those worried about remembering the Feb. 1 plastic bag ban, the city will be distributing informational door hangers with reminders of the upcoming requirements and dates.
Sarasota County stopped accepting yard waste in plastic bags back in May. It was part of an ordinance the county adopted in November in an effort to increase sustainability and reduce staffing costs at the Central County Landfill.
County and city leaders also remind residents that yard waste should never be burned or ranked into nearby ponds or waterways.