In the interest of maintaining aesthetics, reducing costs and working towards a more sustainable city, the city commission passed an ordinance to prohibit cardboard boxes on the swales immediately abutting a property (aka trash pits). The ordinance was unanimously passed February 26 th , 2019 and allowed for a six-month period of educational campaigning and warnings for those placing cardboard on the curbs.
Enforcement begins on August 26, 2019 and fines up to $500 may be imposed for code violations. All cardboard boxes must be flattened and placed inside or next to your recycling containers. For more information on what is recyclable or not, please click on the links provided below.
FYI: Did you know that Pizza Boxes are NOT recyclable. Grease from the pizza is soaked up by the cardboard boxes and it has no value in the recycling process. You can throw away pizza boxes in your trash bag. However, those Amazon boxes…. you must recycle all of those!
LINKS:
The ordinance need to be revised, we are elderly people with physical limitations unable to flatten boxes at all, how can you solve this problem?
We need larger/taller bins to account for the flattened cardboard boxes and other recycling items.
I too have had my cardboard by the recycle bin ignored and left to be soaked in the rain. I called public works and someone came and got them. But why aren’t they being picked up? As someone commented larger box breakdown is an issue for some and places a hardship on some residents. This was not well thought through
The cardboard box ordinance and the new process need to be revisited and modified. We have senior and handicapped residents in Coral Gables that due to their age, physical limitations, arthritis or other conditions, are unable to flatten boxes as will be required starting on August 26. Many boxes have a very strong adhesive and/or large staples that make flattening it very difficult, if not impossible, even for young and healthy residents. These difficulties have not been taken into account and must be thought through by the city commission whenever requirements and ordinances such as this one are being considered.
I have placed the Pubix paper bags on the red recycling bin but are Not picked up. Why?
I have also left my boxes in and next too the red recycling bin. Ignored. And left to rot in the rain, the worst was a gables zoning?? Enforcer??? Actually pulled in front of my house as I was folding boxes to inform me of the new rule!!!!! I told him I knew and yet my boxes were being ignored. Speechless. Considering what is allowed or rather just look the other way as to construction on weekends I am interested to see how this will be enforced.
Trash pits should not be shared and should be within a resident’s property line to avoid any confusions of fines. Gables Insider suggests you contact public works with any additional information. Try: Al Zamora [email protected]
Multiple neighbors put their boxes and other non-yard-waste junk on the trash pile adjoining my yard. How can I keep their bad actions from triggering a fine for me?
On a number of occasions since the passage of the cardboard ordinance, I have left my boxes – flattened- next to the recycling bins and the cardboard boxes are NOT picked up. Why? Is there a size limit (e.g. – no bigger than a shoe box? And if so, what do we do with the bigger boxes ( e.g. – the ones my fifty pound dog food bag is delivered in)?
Scott Newman
935 Escobar Ave.