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Solid waste director briefs commissioners on bear‑resistant containers and public outreach
Summary
Collier County solid waste director Carrie Hudson updated commissioners on options for county-approved bear‑resistant containers, how residents can obtain or modify containers, past grant funding and outreach with Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.
Collier County’s director of solid and hazardous waste, Carrie Hudson, gave a staff briefing on the county’s bear‑resistant container program and public education resources and answered commissioners’ questions on May 27.
The county’s Ordinance 2019-36 permits customers to purchase county‑approved bear‑resistant containers, Hudson said, and the county maintains a heat map showing where customers have purchased those containers. Customers can obtain approved bear containers through county haulers Waste Pro and Waste Management at current cost (Hudson cited about $377 but said retail price fluctuates), or residents can modify an existing green-top container using instructions from Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC). Hudson described purchasing supplies for about $33 at a hardware store and said the modification took her about 15 minutes (she noted she had not formally tested her modification).
Hudson also said the county previously acquired grant funding that helped about 500 households obtain bear‑resistant containers in 2018 and that the county currently has no remaining grant funds for further distribution. She said the county and FWC collaborate on outreach: the county posts FWC instructions and a BearWise section on its website and conducts community presentations at homeowner associations at FWC’s request.
Commissioner questions included whether the county or FWC conducts bear population tracking (Hudson deferred tracking questions to FWC), whether county trucks are compatible with approved containers (Hudson said county‑approved brands are tested for automated truck arms), theft of containers (Hudson said serial numbers and owner registration help track stolen bear containers and she had seen no large spike in theft), and commercial dumpster options for apartment and multi‑unit sites (commercial customers can purchase bear‑resistant lids with an extra monthly charge and reinforcement for commercial dumpsters).
Commissioners asked staff to coordinate periodic press releases and to work with the county manager’s office and public information staff to expand outreach. Hudson said staff will continue collaborating with FWC on educational events and will work with the county manager’s office on additional public outreach.
