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Educational Resources: Garbage and Recycling

Solid Waste follows the 4Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover of managing waste. Use these resources to learn what happens when you throw things away, how to reduce waste, and how to help the environment.

Tours and Presentations

Learn about our vision of zero waste to landfill by 2050 and why it’s important that we create less waste.

Solid Waste Outreach Team
Outreach Team

Tours

  • The 90-minute tour includes a classroom presentation and driving tour of the Solid Waste Disposal Complex. Participants will see the Waste-to-Energy Facility, landfill and more.
  • Tours are available to everyone at least eight years old and in third grade or above. For students in kindergarten through second grade, visit our activities and resources.

Monthly Tours

Register for a Monthly Tour of up to 13 attendees by selecting a date and time that works best for you.

School Tours

Important Notice: All tours for the 2023-2024 school year are currently booked. To be added to a waitlist, please email recycle@pinellas.gov.

Questions about tours?

Email recycle@pinellas.gov or call (727) 464-7500.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Are there age requirements for the tour?

Tours are available for students in third grade (8-year-olds) and above.

How long is the tour?

Tours lasts for about one hour and 30 minutes to two hours. We ask you to arrive 15 minutes prior to tour start time.

What can I expect on a tour?

Tours include a classroom presentation and driving tour. Each portion takes approximately 45 minutes. The classroom presentation provides an overview of Pinellas County’s vision of zero waste to landfill and how garbage is managed in the County. On the driving tour, you will see the Waste-to-Energy Facility, landfill, and more. Attendees remain in the tour vehicle during the tour and the tour route may change due to weather or site conditions.

How many students can take a tour?

Our onsite tour vehicle can accommodate up to 40 adults at once or up to 55 elementary school students. There are 55 seats available in our Tour Classroom. Larger groups will be split in half; the first half would join the classroom presentation while the second half is on the driving tour. After each portion is complete, the groups switch to receive a complete tour. Please allow up to two hours for a tour group of this size.

Is there a minimum number of students that can take a tour?

If you have a group smaller than 30 attendees, please consider asking another class to join so we can maximize attendance in our on-site tour vehicle.

Can we bring lunch on the tour?

Food and drink, other than water, are not permitted in the Tour Classroom. Water fountains are available. There are a limited number of outdoor picnic tables (no shade). We recommend tours be scheduled for before or after lunch.

Are restrooms available?

Restrooms are available in the Tour Classroom building.

What Our Customers Are Saying

“We found all aspects highly informative, both for our out-of-town visitors as well as for those who last toured 4 or 5 years ago. A lot has changed — and keeps changing.” – Richard B.

“Thanks so much for a great tour!” – Laura T.

“We had an amazing time! You’re doing an incredible job and I’d love to stay in touch!” – Caulin D.

Virtual Tour

2024 Game Changing Tools Award recipient from the Solid Waste Association of North America’s Communication, Education and Marketing Technical Division.

Take a stunning virtual tour of the Solid Waste Disposal Complex (SWDC) and learn about our mission of managing garbage as a resource to reach our vision of zero waste to landfill by 2050.

Screenshot of virtual tour tool showing a photo of the Pinellas County Solid Waste Disposal Complex
Click the image to enter the SWDC Virtual Tour.

Who Should Take a Virtual Tour?

  • Children who are younger than eight years old who are not old enough for the in-person tour, but are interested in learning about what happens to their garbage after they throw it away.
  • Those who want to explore at their own pace while learning about how we convert garbage to fuel and why reducing, reusing and recycling is so important to Pinellas County.
  • Those who took the in-person tour, but want a deeper dive into the SWDC (the virtual tour takes you behind the scenes to areas that you don’t get to see during the in-person tour).

You may need to contact your network administrator if you are having issues accessing the Virtual Tour.

Presentations

Computer screen with text that reads, "The Dos and Don'ts of Recycling in Pinellas County" with a photo of cans, bottles and newspapers

Presentations on garbage and recycling are available to schools, clubs, community and civic organizations, homeowners associations and more. 

The length and content level of the presentation can be suited to your group’s needs.

Email recycle@pinellas.gov or call (727) 464-7500 to request a presentation. Presentations are for those at least eight years old and in third grade or above.

Watch our Virtual Presentation: Recycling in Pinellas County recording on YouTube.

Publications

The County’s Recycle Guide and the STEAM Guide are created in partnership with the Tampa Bay Times Newspaper in Education program.

2024 Recycle Guide cover with bottles, cans, cartons, paper and cardboard icons and logos for Pinellas County and Tampa Bay Times Newspapers in Education.

Recycle Guide

A playbook for Pinellas County residents on what to recycle and where to recycle. It includes activities that incorporate the Florida Standards for elementary, middle and high school students.

Pinellas Steam

Pinellas County Citizen Scientist STEAM Edition

A creative, interactive publication encourages students to use science, technology, engineering, arts and math to address the global waste problem (view text only version here).

Pinellas County Solid Waste Master Plan

Solid Waste Master Plan

Solid Waste developed a 30-year Solid Waste Master Plan with 28 strategies that fits the vision of Zero Waste to Landfill by 2050.

Reports

Reports about garbage and recycling composition and awareness prepared on behalf of Solid Waste, as well as other related reports, can be found by visiting the following links. All reports and surveys are PDF files. If you cannot view a file, click here for a free download of the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. All reports are listed from newest to oldest.

Garbage and Recycling Composition Studies

Recycling Awareness Survey

Christmas Bird Count

Videos

View our video library webpage or view them on YouTube.

Pinellas Partners in Recycling

Pinellas Partners in Recycling (PPR) is an advisory and networking group that is focused on improving recycling, maximizing waste reduction and diversion, and promoting sustainable materials management in Pinellas County and the surrounding Tampa Bay area.

Pinellas Partners in Recycling logo

Resources for Students and Teachers

Reduce Your Use Tampa Bay

  • Join the Reduce Your Use Tampa Bay campaign and its partners in supporting the worldwide movement to reduce waste from single-use plastics. You can be part of the Reduce Your Use Tampa Bay campaign by sharing how you are reducing pollution from disposable plastic products.

Tampa Bay Recycles

  • Local governments across Tampa Bay have teamed up to improve recycling efforts in the region. Visit Tampa Bay Recycles (English and Spanish) to make sure you are recycling correctly and helping our region avoid the common challenge of contamination – attempting to recycle soiled items or materials our programs don’t accept.

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA)

  • An organization of more than 10,000 public and private sector professionals committed to advancing from solid waste management to resource management through their shared emphasis on education, advocacy and research.  SWANA offers free membership for full-time students, a MentorMatch program, and scholarships.

Green School Designation

  • The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Green School Designation Program’s environmental guidelines help Florida primary and secondary schools evaluate operations, set goals, and take specific actions to create a healthier environment, such as reducing water and energy use and reducing waste to lower operating costs.

Keep Pinellas Beautiful

  • An organization dedicated to conserving and beautifying our natural environment through community engagement, like cleanups, and education. Students can participate in a variety of programs that offer leadership and volunteer opportunities in environmental stewardship.

Pinellas County Solid Waste Volunteer Internships

  • Join us in educating residents about how to recycle and reduce waste. Students can gain job experience and build their resumes while creating important connections to professionals in the field of garbage and recycling. Learn more about volunteer internships.

Additional Resources

Questions?

Send an e-mail to recycle@pinellas.gov, click the Live Chat button below, or call (727) 464-7500.

Image of claw grabbing tire and plastic bags

Updated on Aug. 8, 2024.