See Recycling Chronicles, Part I

I just got off the phone with 3-1-1…but by using the long number, 305-468-5900. I think 311 doesn’t go through for me because I have Vonage as my phone provider. Anyway, I had needed to call to follow up on my Recycling questions, but my biggest motivation for calling was the poor little dead animal on the side of Brickell Ave. It’s been there for 3 days.

My hold time was about 3 minutes before someone picked up (very nice person, by the way). I told her about the animal, the location, my address, name, and phone number. She gave me a ticket number and said that Animal Control will be dispatched within 24 hours.

I then asked her about recycling – more specifically, trying to understand if condos are required to recycle, and if there is a place for me to recycle. She couldn’t really help me and referred me to Solid Waste, with whom I spoke in Part I of this series.

This time I’m really still at the same place that I started. Next time, in Part III, I either need to speak with my property manager again, or I will contact some recycling providers directly. (Other alternatives: try to catch the trash guys someday and chat and/or talk to my neighbors.)

Only having arrived in Miami in July, I didn’t understand the difference, at first, between the City of Miami jurisdiction and Miami-Dade County jurisdiction. Therefore, I first researched the Solid Waste section of the Miami-Dade website and found that condos in Miami-Dade county MUST recycle. However, I am coming to realize that since I am a resident of the City of Miami, I have different rules.

At first I tried to call 311, Miami’s information service for local government services. Calling from my home phone, I received a recording that says that 311 was not available for my phone number and/or zip code. Now visiting the site, I see that I can dial 305-468-5900 as an alternative.

But after the original 3-1-1 number failed, I contacted the City of Miami’s Solid Waste Department at (305) 575-5107. I explained that I live in a condo, larger that 4 units, and my condo does not provide a recycling service – is there a place that I can bring my recyclable products? I was given a phone number for a private waste collection service, which would be more appropriate if I was a property manager, not a resident. I tried to clarify – is there a place I can drop-off my items? The answer: No. I also asked – is there a law that requires condos to recycle? The answer: No.

Hmmm. I’m no closer to a solution than I was when I woke up this morning. In Recycling Chronicles, Part II, I’ll try 311 again, using the alternative number.