ORLANDO, Fla. – Back in August after the primaries, we told you how cities across Central Florida are recycling campaign signs.
Now that the general election is over – Orlando, Winter Park and Seminole County are partnering up with companies like PureCycle and NuCycle to turn campaign signs to energy.
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“The intent is to avoid sending these single-use signs to the landfill,” Aimee Krivan, Orange County pollution prevention program coordinator, said in a release. “We have found a way for the signs to have a second life.”
NuCycle Energy in Plant City is taking the signs from Orlando and Winter Park.
CEO Mark Barasch previously told News 6 they’ll chop up those signs and combine them with foam, wood and other materials to create fuel.
“This is a broken-down enviro fuel cube (EFC). It’s cardboard, paper and plastic blended. What it does is replace coal,” Barasch said.
Barasch said the cubes are 80% carbon neutral and a cleaner alternative to coal.
He said they have the added benefit of keeping these materials out of landfills.
The cities have been collecting the campaign signs and sending them to NuCycle Energy since the November 2020 election. According to the city of Winter Park, in 2022 they collected almost 6 tons of signs to be recycled, as previously reported.
Officials remind people to separate any metal and wooden stakes from the signs before donating them.
Collection is at the following locations:
ORLANDO
Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Nov. 17
- Orlando Solid Waste - 1028 Woods Ave.
- Broadway Methodist Church - 406 East Amelia St.
- First Unitarian Church of Orlando - 1901 East Robinson St.
- Porter Transfer Station – 1326 Good Homes Road
- Northwest Neighborhood Center – 3955 W D Judge Drive
WINTER PARK
Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. through Nov. 17
- Cady Way Pool - 2529 Cady Way
- Mead Botanical Garden Community Garden - 1310 South Denning Drive
- Fire Station 64 - 1439 Howell Branch Road
SEMINOLE COUNTY
Hours: 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Nov. 25
- Central Transfer Station, 1950 S.R. 419, Longwood (This site is closed on Sundays)
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