Alachua County's waste management system is getting a makeover.
Beginning Oct. 1, trash will be picked up Monday through Thursday instead of Monday through Friday, under a seven-year contract approved by the Board of County Commissioners Tuesday.
The $3.1 million contract between Alachua County and Emerald Waste Services will also introduce a Web site where residents can submit complaints and service requests.
The changes will not result in a cost increase for residents, according to waste collection program coordinator Mary Ulseth.
"Our motto is 'embrace zero waste,'" Ulseth said. "We would like to do something with it other than throw it away and bury it in the ground."
Pasteboard, which includes cereal boxes and drink cartons, will be added to the list of orange bin recyclables, along with junk mail, paper, margarine and yogurt containers.
Because so many items will be recyclable, residents can apply for smaller trash bins, saving up to $200 a year on their GRU bills.
Waste collection manager Milton Towns said the county recycles about 33 percent of waste. Florida's goal is to recycle 75 percent of its waste by 2020, according to a release.
Towns also emphasized that having one company serve all residences in Alachua County will make problems easier to fix. Under the current contract, different companies manage the cities' waste.
The new contract also no longer requires a request for bulk pickup. Regular waste vehicles will pick it up or send in a proper vehicle within 24 hours of regular trash pickup.
Yard trash will only be collected in brown paper lawn bags or reusable containers, both available at local stores.
Residents will be notified of changes in October. All policies will be enforced by Nov. 1.
