WM of Florida is planning an $88 million redevelopment of its Tampa material recovery facility site in East Ybor.<\/p>\n
The project would replace the function of the existing plant with a larger, more automated recycling operation designed to expand processing capacity.<\/p>\n
The project is planned for an 11-acre site at 1400 N 35th St.<\/p>\n
Plans call for construction of a new 109,000-square-foot material recovery facility next to the existing building, according to company officials and documents submitted to the City of Tampa.<\/p>\n
Construction is expected to begin in spring 2026, with the facility targeted to open in late 2027.<\/p>\n
The new facility is designed to handle higher volumes and support municipal recycling programs across the region.<\/p>\n
A replacement facility built around automation<\/p>\n
The new plant is designed to process approximately 220,000 tons of recyclables per year, operating at about 50 tons per hour on a dual-line system.<\/p>\n
That represents a substantial increase over the existing facility, which processes roughly 35 tons per hour.<\/p>\n
READ: TAMPA BAY BUSINESS NEWS<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThis is a whole new building,\u201d said Dawn McCormick, director of communications and government affairs for WM in Florida. \u201cIt will replace the function of the existing facility.\u201d<\/p>\n The current building will remain on site, but its future use has not been finalized.<\/p>\n It could include construction and demolition debris recycling, use as a transfer station or potential demolition.<\/p>\n Technology reshaping recycling operations<\/p>\n The Tampa facility will be built around advanced automation, including 17 optical sorters designed to separate materials more efficiently and with greater precision.<\/p>\n The system enables WM to recover materials that were previously difficult to extract, producing cleaner bales for resale.<\/p>\n That includes polypropylene plastics such as yogurt tubs and plastic cups, as well as plastic film like grocery bags and packaging wrap.<\/p>\n