Recycling, shredding and donations: Coral Gables cleans up on Nov. 15

By Coral Gables Gazette staff

Residents will have another opportunity to safely dispose of unwanted items and keep reusable materials out of landfills when Keep Coral Gables Beautiful hosts its next Recycling Drive-Thru on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 9 a.m. to noon in the parking lot behind City Hall.

Now in its ninth year, the biannual event has diverted more than 650,000 pounds of waste — from electronics to clothing — through the city’s coordinated recycling and reuse efforts.

Clear path to responsible recycling

Participants must enter through the Coral Way entrance to the City Hall parking lot. No vehicles may line up before 9 a.m., and proof of residency will be required. The event closes promptly at noon, giving residents a three-hour window to drop off items safely and efficiently.

Walk-ins and bicyclists are welcome.

Residents can bring a variety of materials, including electronics with a plug or batteries, large cardboard boxes, and household hazardous waste such as paint, pool chemicals, oils, and pesticides. Paper shredding is available for up to five standard boxes or one 13-gallon bag per vehicle.

Lightly used clothing — especially men’s shirts, pants, and shorts, which are in highest demand — will be collected for Camillus House, supporting individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

What you can bring

For safety and environmental compliance, certain materials will not be accepted. Prohibited items include tires, Styrofoam, appliances, biological or infectious waste, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, fireworks, and ammunition.

Residents may dispose of expired or unwanted prescription drugs year-round at the Coral Gables Police Department, 2151 Salzedo Street.

The city asks that participants respect the event’s start and end times — no early drop-offs or late arrivals — to help ensure smooth operations and safety for volunteers and staff.

Turning waste into community impact

Beyond environmental benefits, the drive-thru doubles as a humanitarian effort. Clothing donations help stock Camillus House’s outreach programs, while recycled electronics and paper shredding services reduce waste and protect residents’ privacy.

Organized by Keep Coral Gables Beautiful in partnership with the Sustainability Advisory Board and the City’s Police and Public Works Departments, the event continues to build momentum as a model of civic engagement.

Building a greener City Beautiful

The Recycling Drive-Thru underscores how small, practical steps — cleaning out a garage, recycling an old phone, donating a coat — collectively shape a greener, more compassionate community.

Residents can find more information about acceptable items and year-round recycling options on the city’s website or by calling 305-460-5547.

Author: Coral Gables Gazette News Staff

Originally established in 1996 and relaunched as a digital publication in February 2025, the Coral Gables Gazette is an independent local news organization dedicated to factual, objective and accountable community journalism. Our newsroom reports on the people, policies, institutions and events shaping Coral Gables, Florida, providing residents with timely, informative coverage of the issues affecting their community. Our reporting includes City Hall, local government, municipal elections, public spending, real estate development, business, education, arts and culture, and neighborhood affairs throughout the City Beautiful. We follow City Commission decisions, examine public records and report on the businesses, organizations and individuals contributing to Coral Gables. We believe informed residents are essential to a healthy, engaged community. Stories published under the Coral Gables Gazette News Staff byline are prepared or compiled by the publication's editorial team. We strive for accuracy, fairness, transparency and clear distinctions between news reporting, opinion and advertising. Readers are encouraged to submit news tips, corrections, editorial inquiries and story suggestions through our Contact page and learn more about our standards through our Editorial Policy.