Shock and fury filled the city of Deltona when residents were informed about the suspension of recycling in the area. Many received a notice in advance the beginning of January the changes Deltona was making from various sources. With not much time left to rally up to the city hall in demand to keep their green bins, residents voice their opinions in hopes the city will have a change of heart. Though Deltona is to act their suspension the first day of February, many question as to what will happen in the future.

“I didn’t believe it at first,” Deltona resident Larry Upson said. “It’s understandable but I don’t think it’s a good thing. Until I see them not picking them up [the recycling bin] I’m still putting stuff in them.”

People do not know why they recycle in the first place, but found it convenient to separate their items.

“As a youth, my family recycled,” Deltona resident Shanda Solana said. “I never questioned it, just kept the status quo. On a side note, wine bottles really weigh down the trash bag, so it is nice being able to separate my glass.”

Though for a few people it may not be such a significant deal since they never recycled in the first place, many feel that it will impact our city in a negative way and leave us with a  massive problem in the future.

“They’ll start collecting our trash two times a week now,” senior Alexis Byant said. “All this trash that they collect in two days is just going to sit in the dump, it’s not going to go anywhere at least with recycling it takes plastic and reuses it.”

The talk that surrounds the city of Deltona includes the concern of other cities in Volusia county. Other cities will follow what Deltona is doing if they see that recycling is not benefitting the community.

“Most likely DeBary will follow what Deltona is doing, but I think they should be helping the environment instead of being cheap,” junior Charles Merk said. “If they get rid of it [recycling], they’re potentially bringing more harm into the environment.”

Many say recycled products were bound to end up in the oceans and landfills anyway, since people do not always use proper recycling practices.

“They need to come up with better ways to recycle,” Upson said. “Maybe we need to step it up in the United States and take care of it a little better.”

Since money will no longer be going into recycling for the city of Deltona, residents’ question what it will go into and if it will really affect our city for better or for worse.

“I think the money will be effective for someone, I’m not sure whom quite yet,” Solana said. “It depends on what they intend to do with the savings.”

Unanswered questions still come to mind, such as who voted to put an end to recycling in the city and when did people start to vote.

“I’m surprised to know a city can decide without its people on recycling,” Solana said. “Who knew? I mean, it’s our tax money. Maybe I missed it on some ballot.”