Public Sector Recycling Reporting

Section 403.7032(3), Florida Statutes

"Each state agency, public institution of higher learning, community college and state university, including all buildings that are occupied by municipal, county, or state employees and entities occupying buildings managed by the Florida Department of Management Services, must at a minimum, annually report all recycled materials to the county using the department’s (DEP's) designated reporting format."

This statute requires reporting, whether or not you are recycling. Even if a public sector entity is not recycling, that entity must report a zero percent recycling rate.

The information to include in the report is limited to municipal solid waste, which, per section 403.706(5) F.S., includes only construction and demolition debris, yard waste, metals, white goods, tires, food wastes, textiles, glass, aluminum cans, steel cans, plastic bottles, other plastics, newspapers, corrugated paper, office paper and other paper. Municipal Solid Waste does NOT include agricultural waste, industrial waste, mining waste or sludge.

Reporting

DEP has designated a web-based reporting system called Re-TRAC as the reporting venue. A Public Sector Recycling Reporting User Guide has been developed to assist with the reporting process. The user guide includes instructions on how to use Re-TRAC as well as methods to use when estimating calendar year disposal and recycling data. Reports are due March 1 of each year.

• 2013 Public Sector Recycling Reporting Results.
• 2014 Public Sector Recycling Reporting Results.

FAQ

Who needs to report?

Any and all:

• State agencies.
• Public institution of higher learning.
• Community colleges.
• State universities.
• Any and all buildings that are occupied by municipal, county or state employees.
• Public entities that occupy a building managed by the Florida Department of Management Services.

What is required?

It is required that the above listed entities report, to the county in which they are located, all recycled materials. This reporting must be done using the designated reporting format, which can be found on Re-TRAC: Public Sector Recycling Reports.

To help collect recycling data from individual buildings that report to you, we have provided a sample "Building Inventory Spreadsheet" in the Resources section at the bottom of this page. The information can then be entered in Re-TRAC under one entry such as "Anywhere County Public Sector Buildings."

Where do we send the report?

Reports are submitted online via Re-TRAC, the department’s designated reporting format. The department will ensure the information is accessible by the counties.

When do we need to start reporting?

The program was officially launched January 2014. Data for calendar year 2013 is the first reporting year. Reports are due March 1 of each year.

How do I obtain the data?

Contact your service provider to see if it has the information available.

Resources

• Building Inventory Spreadsheet.
• Recycling Rate Calculator.
• Public Sector Recycling Reporting User Guide.
• DEP Webinar PowerPoint Slide Deck Re: Public Sector Recycling Reporting.
• Email Templates - Provided as an optional resource for use when notifying required entities of reporting requirements. Available in Word format for customization purposes.
  • Single Account - One account manager entering aggregated data for a specific public sector.
  • Individual Accounts - Accounts are managed by each public sector buildings/agency.