The city of Winter Garden, located west of Orlando, is known for its charm and strong sense of community. Recently, this collaborative spirit became even more evident when the population reacted proactively to the closure of the municipal waste collection program. With the end of the official initiative, a new movement led by local residents was born: the recycling in Winter Gardennow in the hands of the community itself.

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Until the beginning of 2025, Winter Garden had an official program of door-to-door recycling administered by the city. The system worked relatively simply: each household was given a blue collection trolley, in which residents could dispose of recyclable materials such as paper, cardboard, plastics, metals and glassThey were all mixed together, with no need for prior separation. Collection was carried out weekly, together with the regular garbage service, which made the process practical and affordable.

There was no direct charge to residents for this service. The cost was absorbed by the municipal administration and was part of the city's annual budget, costing approximately US$ 1 million per year to the public coffers. Initially, the initiative worked well, with good adherence rates from the population. However, over time, two critical factors began to compromise the program's efficiency:

  1. High contamination rateMany residents began to dispose of non-recyclable items along with recyclables, such as dirty plastic bags, food, fabrics or household objects, which made it impossible to process the materials in sorting centers. It is estimated that a large part of what was collected ended up being disposed of as ordinary waste, due to contamination.

  2. Increased operating costsWith rising prices for logistics, labor and waste processing, maintaining selective collection has become financially unviable for the municipality, especially without an efficient solution to reduce contamination and increase the reuse of materials.

In view of this, the city decided to officially close the residential recycling program in January 2025It was also announced that selective waste collection would no longer be offered as a public service. The measure was met with concern and frustration for residentsThey have lost a practical and routine tool for environmental participation. Without an alternative offered by the city council, the recycling in Winter Garden seemed to have come to an end, until the citizens themselves decided to change this scenario.

With the end of the public selective waste collection program, many residents of Winter Garden found themselves with their hands tied. The town, known for its strong community involvement, couldn't do without an alternative. It was then that two residents, Robert Montgomery e Cory SimsThey decided to turn their concern into action and founded the Plant Street Recycling, an independent project created to continue recycling in Winter Garden, now under the management of the population itself.

The motivation came about in a touching way: Montgomery's daughter, just 10 years old, asked why the family could no longer recycle. This simple question revealed a huge gap left by the closure of the public program, and ignited in the two founders the desire to do something concrete for the city and the environment.

In just a few months, the idea took shape. They started with a van, two dozen garbage cans and a clear plan: to offer a recycling service in Winter Garden that was efficient, affordable and had a real impact. Unlike large collection companies, Plant Street Recycling is local, personal and engaged with the community. The duo carries out everything from the collection to the sorting of the materials, all with a careful eye and a focus on sustainability.

In addition to the weekly operation, Montgomery and Sims also invest in environmental educationThey use social media and community meetings to explain good waste sorting practices. They make a point of teaching what really can and can't be recycled, avoiding the overload of unsuitable materials, which was precisely one of the main problems with the old municipal system.

More than a service Plant Street Recycling represents the rebirth of recycling in Winter Garden, now led by ordinary people who refused to accept the lack of options and decided to act.

The service offered by Plant Street Recycling is designed to be simple, practical and adapted to the reality of Winter Garden residents. You can sign up directly with the company and the monthly cost is US$ 25 per householdThis is considered an affordable amount to maintain an active environmental commitment. In return, each resident receives two garbage cans for recyclable materialsThese should be placed on the sidewalk on the day of collection.

Collections take place weeklyon routes organized by neighborhood. The model is carefully planned to cover specific areas on certain days of the week, optimizing time and fuel use. All transportation is carried out in the founding duo's own vehicles, ensuring complete control over the process.

Unlike the automated and outsourced models used by large cities, the recycling service in Winter Garden operated by Plant Street Recycling is manual and personalized. After collection, the materials are taken to a temporary sorting point where they are separated one by one, with visual inspectionto ensure that only truly recyclable waste goes on to the next stages.

The list of accepted materials includes:

  • Dry paper and cardboard

  • Clean, rigid plastics (no leftover food or oil)

  • Glass (jars and bottles)

  • Metals such as aluminum or steel cans

Unacceptable items are clearly communicated to customers, such as greasy packaging, soft non-recyclable plastics and mixed objects. This avoids the most common mistakes that lead to contamination, one of the major challenges faced in the former public program.

Another important differentiator is the direct communication with residents. Those responsible for the service keep in frequent contact with customers via social networks and direct messages, informing them of updates, recycling tips and good practices. The aim is to make recycling in Winter Garden not just a service, but an educational and community habit.

This proximity model, combined with a lean operation, has allowed Plant Street Recycling to keep the service functional, with a low contamination rate and a high utilization rate, something rare even in large cities with structured public collection.

Since its launch, Plant Street Recycling has been transforming the way recycling is viewed in Winter Garden, no longer as an automatic city service, but as a conscious community choice. The impact of the initiative is already visible on several levels: environmental, social and even economic.

In first week of operationThe company collected approximately 200 pounds of recyclables (about 90 kg) of just 40 homes. In a short time, that number has more than doubled: today, more than 50 houses actively participate in the collection, and there are hundreds of names on a waiting listwaiting for the service to be expanded to their neighborhoods.

This rapid growth shows how much recycling in Winter Garden is valued by residents. The high demand reflects not only their desire to continue recycling, but also their confidence in the seriousness of the initiative and the transparency of the process.

In addition to the direct environmental impact, with tons of waste diverted from landfills, the project has also generated positive social impactssuch as:

  • Strengthening the sense of community;

  • Engaging children and schools;

  • Conversations about sustainability in homes;

  • Interest from local companies and NGOs in collaborating.

Next steps

To meet the growing demand, the founders of Plant Street Recycling have already set some goals for the short and medium term. These include:

  • Expansion of the service areawith more weekly routes covering new neighborhoods;

  • Acquisition of a physical sorting and storage pointThis will allow for an increase in operational capacity;

  • Creation of an educational programThe event will include information materials, lectures and workshops aimed at raising environmental awareness;

  • Generating local jobsinitially for sorting and logistics, with a focus on hiring residents of the community itself;

  • Narrowing of partnerships with schools, churches and local businessesThis has transformed recycling in the Winter Garden into a collective and continuous effort.

Plant Street Recycling is also negotiating with recyclers in the region to ensure that all waste is disposed of correctly, following Florida state regulations.

The plan is for Winter Garden, previously left without a recycling plan, to become a benchmark for how local mobilization can fill the gaps left by public authorities - with agility, purpose and real impact.

The strength of recycling in Winter Garden goes far beyond the weekly collection. One of the biggest differentials of the initiative led by Plant Street Recycling is the connection with environmental projects already consolidated in the region, such as the Oakland Nature Preservea true ecological treasure located just a few minutes from the historic center of Winter Garden.

O Oakland Nature Preserve is a 128-acre nature reservea non-profit organization dedicated to environmental preservation and ecological education. With accessible trails, volunteer programs and activities for all ages, the site has become a hub for raising awareness and engaging the population with nature.

Since the beginning of the project, Plant Street Recycling has partnered with the reserve, connecting recycling in Winter Garden with practical actions to transform waste. One of the projects in the spotlight is the joint participation in the program NexTrexwhich collects flexible plastics, such as supermarket bags and food packaging, and turns them into recycled benches.

These benches are then installed in public spaces such as parks, schools and communal areas, creating a complete cycle: the plastic collected from residents' homes returns to the city in the form of sustainable furniture.

In addition to the physical transformation of materials, this partnership also fulfills a fundamental role of environmental education. The Oakland Nature Preserve team helps produce educational content, participates in events and offers workshops on recycling and sustainability. Children, young people and adults learn in practice how their waste can be reused, and how recycling in Winter Garden can be a powerful tool for preservation.

With this collaboration, Plant Street Recycling not only collects materials, but also strengthens the community's ties with local natureThis adds value to the service and promotes a more solid ecological culture in the city.

If the idea of living in a place where the residents themselves take the initiative to care for the environment inspires you, then Winter Garden may be exactly what you're looking for.

Located just minutes from Orlando, Winter Garden combines small-town charm with the practicality of modern life. With a charming historic center, local farmers' markets, wooded parks, bike paths, top-rated schools and an engaged population, the town offers quality of life, safety and a sense of community, values that are reflected in initiatives such as recycling in Winter Garden.

In addition, Winter Garden has been increasingly sought after by families, investors and professionals who want to live in a healthy environment, with a strong connection to nature and the natural environment. complete infrastructure. The city also has easy access to the main highways, proximity to Disney World, modern shopping centers such as Winter Garden Village and great outdoor leisure options.

Living in Winter Garden is more than changing address. It's being part of a community that cares.

If you can imagine building your life in a place like this, talk to one of our team. The Florida Lounge specialists. Our team can help you find the ideal home, understand the process of moving to Florida and enjoy the best this region has to offer.

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The history of recycling in Winter Garden shows us that engaged communities are capable of generating real change, even in the absence of public policies. When the city stopped its selective collection program, it wasn't the end of an environmental practice: it was the beginning of a new phase, in which the residents themselves have taken responsibility for building a more sustainable future.

Plant Street Recycling is a reflection of a collective spirit that goes far beyond recyclable waste. It's about belonging, awareness, local action with a global impact. It's about teaching children, mobilizing neighbors and strengthening ties, all with a common purpose: taking care of the place where we live.

For those looking for more than a beautiful house and a good location, Winter Garden represents a true model of community life. A city where good ideas become concrete actions, and where every resident can make a difference.

If you also believe in this lifestyle and want to know how to live or invest in the region, talk to a consultant from The Florida Lounge. We're here to help you be part of that story.

Read also: The advantages of investing in real estate in Florida

Sources used and recommended:

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