Okaloosa County News/Press Release – Recycling Demonstration

Okaloosa County
News Release
Media Note/Photos:

Demo process photo; plastic extracted in demo; erosion control logs

Okaloosa County Recycling Division Hosts Recycling Demo: Okaloosa County Recycling hosted several Florida counties for debris separator equipment demonstrations on Wednesday, June 24. Three companies provided demonstrations on how to extract plastic and fines (fines is a material used for top soil like in flower beds or lawns), from processed yard waste, creating compost material for reuse and oversized materials for reuse in an erosion control technology. GeoHay of Crestview provided samples of Erosion Control Logs they produce. Erosion control logs can be reused for storm water, transportation and more.

Okaloosa County Recycling, a division of the Public Works Department, received an Innovative Recycling Grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in order to organize the demonstration. Funding will also allow for leasing the plastic separation equipment during the grant period. It is the goal of Okaloosa County to recycle 75 percent of material they collect by year 2020.

Companies demonstrating their equipment included Airlift Separator and Construction Equipment Company, as well as a German-engineered Doppstadt and Dutch-made REDOX. Evaluations of all the equipment will be available on the Okaloosa County web site, no later than Friday, July 3.

For more information, contact Jim Reece at the Okaloosa County Recycling Office (850) 689-5772 in Crestview or 651-7394 in Fort Walton Beach. Waste Management will operate as usual on the 4th of July. Wright Composting Facility will be open from 7:00 until 12:00 (usually open until 3:30PM). Baker and Fort Walton Beach Transfer Stations will be open normal hours 6:00 until 12:00.