In 2015, Florida recycled 13.8 million tons of municipal solid waste, helping to increase the statewide overall recycling rate to 54 percent. In order for Florida to reach 75 percent recycling by 2020, a goal established by the Florida Legislature in 2008, the department is urging all sectors, especially the commercial sector, to actively increase recycling efforts.
How does recycling protect the environment?
The Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection manages more than 4 million acres of submerged lands and coastal uplands. The office oversees 41 aquatic preserves and the Florida Coastal Management Program. Also, in coordination with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, RCP manages three national estuarine research reserves, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the Coral Reef Conservation Program.
A basin management action plan, or BMAP, is a comprehensive set of site-specific strategies to reduce or eliminate pollutant loadings and restore particular waterbodies to health.
Each BMAP is designed to achieve one or more total maximum daily loads (TMDLs), each of which establishes a target for the maximum amount of a specific pollutant that may be present while ensuring the functionality and health of the affected waterbody.
Water quality standards define the protection goals for surface waters by establishing designated uses (the public and aquatic life uses of the waterbodies), criteria by which to measure attainment of those uses and other policies to protect waterbodies from the impact of pollutants.
Florida has six surface water classifications reflecting designated uses:
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Sign UpThe Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the state’s lead agency for environmental management and stewardship – protecting our air, water and land. The vision of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is to create strong community partnerships, safeguard Florida’s natural resources and enhance its ecosystems.
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