Miami-Dade Department of Solid Waste Management secures grant to enhance recycling education and reduce contamination

The Miami-Dade Department of Solid Waste Management (DSWM) has been awarded a grant of up to $825,000 from The Recycling Partnership to enhance recycling education, reduce contamination, and improve participation in the County’s curbside recycling program. The funding includes $700,000 in direct financial support and $125,000 in in-kind assistance to advance data-driven outreach strategies and community engagement efforts across the County.

This investment will support a series of targeted initiatives designed to help residents better understand what can and cannot be recycled, ultimately improving recycling outcomes and operational efficiency.

“Miami-Dade County is committed to building a more sustainable, resilient future, and partnerships like this help us get there faster,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “This grant allows us to expand education, empower residents with the tools they need to recycle right, and move closer to our long-term Zero Waste goals while protecting our environment for future generations.”

Through this grant, DSWM will implement enhanced outreach and education efforts that directly engage approximately 42,000 households countywide. These efforts will include targeted mailers, digital campaigns, and updated educational materials to reflect newly accepted recyclable items and best practices for proper recycling.

A key component of the initiative is the use of advanced technology to improve recycling behavior. Artificial intelligence (AI)-equipped recycling trucks will capture contamination data, allowing the County to deliver highly personalized feedback to residents. Households identified with contamination in their recycling carts may receive customized mailers that include images and guidance on how to recycle correctly.

“This grant represents a meaningful step forward in how we support our community and protect our environment,” said DSWM Director Aneisha Daniel, PhD. “By combining education, innovation, and data-driven insights, we are empowering residents with the knowledge and tools they need to recycle right. This investment allows us to strengthen our connection with the community, reduce contamination, and build a more sustainable and resilient Miami-Dade for generations to come.”

Additional components of the grant include pre- and post-program audits at the County’s recycling processing facility to measure the effectiveness of outreach efforts, as well as expanded data management tools to support more strategic and impactful communication.

"Building a stronger recycling system takes more than just intention. It takes commitment to sustained, consistent communication to drive better recycling participation and ensure capture of more materials,” said The Recycling Partnership Vice President Charlotte Pitt. “Working alongside Miami-Dade County and with support from The Partnership and our partners, we’re advancing solutions that strengthen recycling for residents and deliver real, measurable results. This is what it looks like when local leadership and national partners align."

Miami-Dade County currently collects approximately 60,000 tons of recyclable materials annually, with a contamination rate of nearly 39 percent. By addressing contamination through targeted education and outreach, the County aims to improve the recovery of recyclable materials, reduce processing costs, and increase participation in the curbside recycling program. This initiative also supports the County’s broader sustainability goals, including advancing progress toward the State of Florida’s 75 percent recycling target and implementing strategies identified in the County’s Zero Waste Master Plan.

The Recycling Partnership is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving recycling systems by reducing contamination, increasing recycling access, and supporting best practices in community recycling programs. The grant will be implemented countywide during Fiscal Year 2025–2026, with no required local match and no negative fiscal impact to the County.

Residents are encouraged to learn more about proper recycling practices and how to “Recycle Right” by visiting https://www.miamidade.gov/recycling .

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About the Miami-Dade Department of Solid Waste Management (DSWM): The DSWM provides curbside waste and recycling collection services to more than 350,000 households in unincorporated Miami-Dade County and ten municipalities, including Aventura, Cutler Bay, Doral, Miami Gardens, Miami Lakes, Opa-locka, Palmetto Bay, Pinecrest, Sunny Isles

Beach and Sweetwater. For additional details about DSWM, please visit www.miamidade.gov/solidwaste .

About The Recycling Partnership: The Recycling Partnership is a purpose-driven organization building a better recycling system—one that works for everyone. In just over a decade, they’ve helped two million households gain access to recycling, kept more than two billion pounds of material in the system, and helped pass EPR laws that now cover one in five Americans. They do it shoulder to shoulder with communities, companies, and policymakers, so the change doesn’t just happen. It lasts. Learn more at recyclingpartnership.org.