Cutting Waste at Work is a program, offered by Pinellas County’s division of Solid Waste. The program helps businesses reduce unnecessary waste and establish best practices in recycling. Specifically, the program looks at current practices in:
- the collection and disposal of trash
- recyclables
- yard waste
- electronics and
- chemicals and recommends improvements.
Interested? Here’s how it works:
- Businesses contact Pinellas County staff for an initial phone evaluation. During the call staff will ask questions about their business' waste and recycling practices.
- A site visit is scheduled. During the site visit, staff will tour the facility and observe the business’ waste stream.
- Next, a custom Assessment Report and Proposed Recycling Program Plan will be prepared by staff. The report recommends how the business can create and launch a recycling program or improve their current recycling efforts.
- Lastly, county staff follow up to ensure a successful and sustainable program.
Businesses make most of Pinellas County’s garbage and much of it could be reduced, reused or recycled. Cutting Waste at Work helps the environment —and can help your bottom line. All businesses located in Pinellas County are eligible to participate in this program completely free.
- Download a Cutting Waste at Work brochure
- Get started by:
- calling (727) 464-7500,
- emailing or
- filling out the on-line form
Frequently asked questions:
- How reputable is this program?
- Can you guarantee I’ll save money by completing the program?
- What businesses are good candidates for saving money through this program?
- What businesses are less likely to save money through this program?
- What exactly happens during the program?
- What happens in the initial phone evaluation?
- What happens during the site visit?
- Who should be there for the site visit?
- How much time is needed for the site visit?
- What is included in the assessment report?
- What follow up does county staff do?
- How will you implement the plan?
- Can you help me get a colleague to recycle?
- My business has sensitive trade secrets, is my participation confidential?
- Can I start the program by scheduling a site visit online?
Cutting Waste at Work Program
Frequently Asked Questions
- How reputable is this program?
The Cutting Waste at Work program is managed and operated by Pinellas County Division of Solid Waste. The purpose of the program is to promote business recycling.
If you participate you’ll be in good company. From Hooters to Hospice, Lockheed Martin to Walmart, GE to YMCA, all kinds of businesses have used the Cutting Waste at Work program, including some of the most illustrious and esteemed in Pinellas County. We’ve worked with business of all sizes, in many different industries. - Can you guarantee I’ll save money by completing the program?
Businesses frequently save money by implementing our recommendations, but not all businesses will. However, all businesses will get the latest business consulting advice in current recommended disposal methods for trash, recycling, yard waste, and hazardous materials and county staff will consider all possible financial savings to businesses in that process. - What businesses are good candidates for saving money through this program?
The best candidates for saving money are businesses that don’t realize they could be saving money by starting a recycling program. Cost savings are usually gained by reducing garbage services. - What businesses are less likely to save money through this program?
Businesses that are less likely to save money through this program include: those that don’t directly manage and control their disposal costs (such as paying a fixed cost bill at a strip mall or to the owner of a rented building.) and businesses that already do a lot of recycling. - What exactly happens during the program?
Initial Phone Evaluation– County staff ask business staff questions about their business and their waste stream, ask for any invoices or trash weight reports and schedule a site visit.
Site Visit - County staff visit the business, and business staff show them their site and recycling and waste stream.
Expense documentation – on or before the site visit, business provide county staff with a sample of invoices or billing documents to evaluate trash collection expenses and establish a recycling rate.
Confirmation and Questions - Roughly two weeks after county staff receive any waste invoice documentation AND conduct the site visit, they will ask businesses to confirm information they’ve gathered or fill in any gaps in information. This is usually done by email.
Assessment Report and Proposed Recycling Program Plan – This single document is delivered about two weeks post confirmation of questions. It contains the county’s findings from their assessment and recommendations for plan implementation or improvement.
Implementation – This is the only step conducted by the business alone. The Cutting Waste at Work program guides and supports businesses as much as possible in setting up programs, but both the decision to take offered suggestions and the act of conducting any kind of implementation is the responsibility of the business.
Follow Up the County will follow up with businesses to offer support and learn how the program is progressing. There are no set times for follow up – some businesses implement recommendations faster than others. -
What happens in the initial phone evaluation?
County staff will want you to answer a few basic questions about your business such as the size of your business or facility, it you already have a recycling program or are looking to create one and what your goals are for a recycling program. County staff will also schedule a site visit to your business. - What happens during the site visit?
County staff will briefly meet with business participants. Then business participants will take county staff on a facility tour to show them their operation and businesses waste stream. County staff will want to see what kind of waste you generate and will look in your dumpsters and peek in your garbage cans. - Who should be there for the site visit?
Generally speaking one county staff member will visit, but businesses participants might include several people such as: a project manager or point of contact, the person responsible for decisions related to disposal/collection of trash and recyclables, and a facility or plant manager. Businesses decide who should be present for this type of visit. - How much time is needed for the site visit?
Site visit duration depends on the size of the business size. Typically, an hour is adequate. A small strip mall store could take half an hour while a large business with multiple buildings could take three hours to tour. The complexity of the business waste stream is also a determining factor. - What is included in the assessment report?
The report includes a summary of current waste collection practices, a description of the waste stream, and recommendations on how to improve or implement a recycling program. The report also establishes a baseline of disposal costs and the current recycling rate. Recommendations include opportunities for cost savings and suggestions to increase the recycling rate. Our assessments can also be used to meet a requirement for Green Business Partnership. - What follow up does county staff do?
A: County staff will follow up with participants both to collect information for our statistics as well as to offer additional help or guidance. County staff has the latest information on the industry overall – factors that may help business' programs succeed. - How will you implement the plan?
County staff doesn’t implement recycling plans for any business, nor do we provide waste or recycling collection service. Business participants choose to use or not use our recommendations and the tools given in the custom assessment report and proposed recycling program plan. However, we can help businesses implement their programs by giving a kick-off presentation to employees, provide stickers for bins, or provide suggestions for employee outreach. - Can you help me get a colleague to recycle?
I’m afraid not. Our job is to help give businesses the information and tools they need to start a recycling program if they want to do so. Though a growing majority of businesses and citizens understand the value of recycling, we cannot make anyone recycle. - My business has sensitive trade secrets, is my participation confidential?
All county work is subject to public disclosure laws, including work conducted under the Cutting Waste at Work program. However, Solid Waste staff only document activities directly relevant to the establishment of a recycling program, such as the disposal of trash, recycling, yard waste, hazardous materials, or other related topics such as composting or energy efficient appliance use. PCSW staff are not present to conduct inspections, and do not record other information related to the financials or operational activities of any business. The only exception is if county staff observed a clear, direct, and obvious violation of law, such as the presence of illegal substances or activities, only then would they be bound to report their findings. - Can I start the program by scheduling a site visit online?
No. The first step is for us to learn about your business. Because we ask a lot of questions, and many of those questions are based on your description of your business or answers to previous questions, it is important to have an initial evaluation by phone before scheduling a site visit. To schedule a phone evaluation email county staff at recycle@pinellascounty.org, and suggest days and times that would be good for a call.
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