The ECUA Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) is closed following the failure of an essential piece of equipment yesterday. This equipment, the second of two aging conveyor belts, was slated for replacement in this fiscal year. The ECUA Board approved the $82,000 purchase of two new replacement belts at its February 2022 meeting. Unfortunately, the existing equipment did not outlast the supply chain delays that are affecting so many businesses across the country, and which have now created an issue for the MRF as well. These conveyor belts are critical parts of the infeed system to the MRF and the facility cannot operate without them.
ECUA maintenance crews will take advantage of this downtime to make repairs and perform maintenance work on equipment that generally requires a facility shutdown, as well as prepare for the installation of the new belts, to ensure the restoration of MRF operations as quickly as possible. The most current delivery date information we have for the belts is early August so at this time, we anticipate resuming operations in mid-August. Meanwhile, we are continuing normal recycling collection, which is a free opt-in service with residential sanitation accounts, and urge our customers to keep in a positive recycling habit.
We will provide updates on the anticipated equipment delivery and the resumption of operations at the MRF as progress is made and information becomes available.
From the city:
City of Pensacola Recycling Temporarily on Hold Due to ECUA Facility Repairs
Due to repairs at the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority’s Materials Recycling Facility, recycling for City of Pensacola Sanitation customers is temporarily on hold.
City of Pensacola Sanitation Services Department uses ECUA’s recycling facility to process recyclable materials from City Sanitation customers, and ECUA is not accepting recyclables as repairs are completed to the facility.
Tan recycling cans will still be collected, but materials will not be recycled. In the meantime, customers are urged to maintain positive recycling habits. ECUA is working as quickly as possible to bring the facility back into operation.
ECUA’s estimated repair completion date is mid-August 2022. Another notice will be sent once ECUA is able to accept recyclable materials and recycling can resume for City of Pensacola Sanitation customers.