When non-recycling items are dumped into recycling bins, all of the contents of the bin must be deposited into the landfill as waste. And lately Nassau County’s bins are misused, causing a lot of recyclable items to end up in the trash.

The loss of recyclables due to misuse of the bins has county officials asking the public to be mindful of their recycling efforts. Trash placed in the recycling bins causes the entire bin contents to be taken to the dump rather than recycled. Trash is accepted free of charge at the Nassau County Convenience Center.

The county offers drop off recycling free of charge to residents at four locations. Citizens are urged to place the products in the correct labeled bins and to only recycle allowable products at each site.

Items that are not recyclables, such as plastics numbered three or higher, medical waste and steel cans, belong in the trash. These items have been thrown in with aluminum cans, causing the entire bin to be hauled to the landfill. A rule of thumb to keep in mind is that if a magnet sticks to it, then it is not aluminum and cannot be recycled.

The Nassau County Convenience Recycle Center on Landfill Road off U.S. 1 between Callahan and Hilliard accepts plastics numbered one and two, newspaper, aluminum cans, cardboard, appliances, electronics, scrap metal, glass, auto batteries and magazines.

The convenience center also accepts residential household trash hauled directly by Nassau County residents and four tires per household per year, off the rim with a max size of P265/75R16.

The center is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is open Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to noon and closed Wednesday and Sunday, as well as all holidays.

The other collection sites offer bins residents may drive up to and deposit items at any time.

The Bryceville recycling containers on Motes Road accept glass, aluminum, newspaper and magazines.

The recycling containers on Goodbread Road in Yulee and Bailey Road in Fernandina Beach accept glass, aluminum, newspaper, magazines and plastic.

Items not listed above cannot be accepted. Placing any items not listed above in the recycle bins contaminates the loads and results in an inability to recycle the items.

For additional information, contact the Nassau County Solid Waste Department at 904-530-6700 or 877-362-5035 or visit nassaucountyfl.com and click on Departments, then select Solid Waste from the menu.

Read more: Nassau County Record – Trash contaminates ability to recycle