BRADENTON, Fla. — With Christmas Day just a couple of days ago, some people may be wondering what to do with special trash they may have, including Christmas trees.
Bradenton resident Lou Manganello has been recycling since he was a boy living in the Bronx in the 1940s.
In those days, he would collect empty beer, milk, or soda bottles he would find around the neighborhood to sell for as much as five cents each.
“I would take them back to my apartment, rinse them out, put them in a bag, and save them because the movies on Saturday were 25 cents from 11:45 am to 5 pm,” he explained.
Manganello continues to recycle in Bradenton, an area that no longer collects recycling curbside. On Wednesday, he was one of many residents who dropped off their recycling at one of the city’s many drop-off locations.
“I’ve been doing that all my life,” he said.
If you live in the city of Bradenton, trash like empty boxes and wrapping paper can be recycled. Residents must make the extra effort in order to do so by dropping it off themselves.
However, Christmas trees can be placed on the curb for the city to pick up.
“We prefer not to see them all around the city, but we will go around the city as this holiday concludes,” said Craig Keys, a section manager in the Bradenton Public Works Department. “We will have the trucks come around and do the cleanup.”
Trees placed on the curb will be picked up by the same claw trucks used to pick up large garbage pickups. Similarly, residents who live in unincorporated Manatee County can put their Christmas trees out with yard waste.
Manatee County asks that items such as fake trees, ribbons, bows, or wrapping paper go in the garbage because they do not accept recycling. But plain wrapping paper is considered recyclable in most places.
“I have been recycling for 50 years now, so I can’t stop. I just feel guilty if i through something in the garbage,” Jeanette Rothberg said.
Recycling drop-off sites in Bradenton:
- East end of San Ortebello Drive, adjacent to our elevated water tower
- 100 22nd St. N.E., in parking area adjacent to city lift station
- 1000 24th St. E., adjacent to the Dream Center
- Cordova Lakes dead end at 38th Ave. W. and 61st St. W.
- 17th Ave. W. Park at Wares Creek, adjacent to lift station
- Lewis Park parking lot, 3120 1st Ave. W.
- Palma Sola Causeway, 9800 SR 64 W, adjacent to solid waste dumpster
- 28th St. W. Park @ 2718 13th Ave. W., at opening in split rail fence
- Red Cross Building Loop Road 2905 59th St. W.
