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vendors/purchasing
- Q: How can I get information on bids and which vendors were awarded certain bids?
A: For lots of information on quotes, posted awards, bids/proposals, or buyers, take a look at the website for the Purchasing Department. The Purchasing Department does not handle construction bids. For this type of information you need to contact the specific department such as Engineering, Water Utilities, Airports, or Facilities Development & Operations.
- Q: How can I get a roadside vendor permit?
A: Palm Beach County has a Roadside Vendors Ordinance which permits limited use of County owned or maintained rights-of-way for the sale of produce, plants, flowers and prepared foods in unincorporated areas. The Palm Beach County Roadside Vendor Ordinance package can be mailed to you upon request by contacting the Traffic Division at 684-4030 or 684-4111. After receiving and thoroughly reading the ordinance package, you may begin selecting a location and obtaining approval of that location. After those approvals are made, a permit for roadside vending can be issued.
- Q: How can I register to become a vendor?
A: The Palm Beach County Purchasing Department has a Vendor Registration form on line. You can also go to the office at: 50 South Military Trail, Suite 110, West Palm Beach, FL 33415-3199, or give them a call at 561-616-6800.
volunteer/community service
- Q: I'm required to do court-appointed community service. Who should I talk with?
A: For court-appointed community service, please call the Parks & Recreation Department at 561-966-6655.
- Q: I would like to volunteer to work with children or senior citizens. Where can I do this?
A: You can contact any department that you are interested in volunteering for. If you are interested in working with senior citizens, you can call the Senior Services Division at 561-355-4746. Or if you want to work with children, you can call either Parks & Recreation at 561-966-6618 or Community Services at 355-4700.
- Q: How do I become a volunteer for Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue?
A: Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue has a volunteer fire division. To become a volunteer you must 18 years of age, have a high school diploma or GED, have a recent physical examination, be a resident of Palm Beach County and pass a PAT or TABE. For more information on joining, call 561-616-7000.
- Q: I am interested in horticulture. Where can I be a volunteer?
A: Volunteer opportunities with the Friends of Mounts Botanical Garden: The Friends are dedicated to providing a place of beauty for all people to enjoy while learning about the value of plants and the preservation of our environment. Contact the Volunteer Coordinator at 531 North Military Trail, WPB, FL 33415-1358. 561-233-1757. Benefits of being a volunteer: receive practical hands-on experience, become a part of a growing horticultural resource, share your talents, skills and experiences with others who have similar interests and hobbies, help disseminate scientific research-based information to others, develop job skills and gain work experience, meet new people and make new friends, experience the opportunity to learn new things.
- Q: How can I volunteer my help out during a hurricane?
A: The Community Services Department needs volunteers to staff the Special Care Unit (SCU) at the Fairgrounds Pavilion. This shelter will house citizens with special medical needs and volunteers are needed to aid them. Please call Craig Carr at 561-355-4761 to volunteer.
- Q: I'd like to volunteer for the Parks and Recreation Department. Who should I call?
A: You can call the Employee and Volunteer Development Section at 561-966-6618.
- Q: I am a senior citizen and I'm looking for an interesting volunteer opportunity. Who can I call?
A: You can call directly to the county department that you wish to work with. For example, if you are interested in horticulture, you can call the Cooperative Extension at 561-233-1700. Or, you can call the Elder Hotline at 211. If you call this number, they can help you find many types of opportunities as well as a variety of services from absentee voting to wound care.
- Q: I'm interested in volunteering at special events and festivals. Who should I contact?
A: You can call the Public Affairs Department at 561-355-2754. They sometimes need extra help at events.
waste/recycling
- Q: What kinds of things are considered hazardous waste?
A: Hazardous household waste is any product that can cause injury or is harmful if handled improperly. It can include chemicals that pose a threat to not only people, but to our environment as well. When chemicals are disposed of improperly, they can find their way into our waste systems and plants that our wildlife need, polluting the food source as well. Examples of hazardous waste are: antifreeze, used auto oil, auto filters, car and rechargeable batteries, propane tanks, fluorescent light bulbs, paint, pesticides, some household cleaner solvents and paint thinners, and pool chemicals. Click on Solid Waste Authority for more information, or call the Household Hazardous Waste Hotline at 561-640-4000, ext. 6050.
- Q: How do I dispose of hazardous waste?
A: Latex paint (water based) can be dried out and thrown away in your garbage. Remove the lid, add sand, kitty litter or saw dust, and leave uncovered. Aerosol spray cans can be sprayed until empty then place in your garbage. The following items must be taken to transfer stations: antifreeze, used motor oil and filters, auto rechargeable batteries, fluorescent bulbs and propane tanks. Click here for Transfer Station Locations and hours. There are many other place you can bring used motor oil to. You can call the Used Oil Hotline at 1-800-741-4337 to get a listing of the locations nearest you. All other household hazardous wastes are accepted during scheduled hours at various drop-off locations.
- Q: How do I dispose of AA or C batteries?
A: Alkaline batteries can be placed in your garbage. However, Ni-cad (rechargeable) batteries do need to be dropped off at any SWA transfer station or any Radio Shack retail store. For additional locations call 1-800-8-BATTERY.
- Q: How do I dispose of gasoline/water from my boat?
A: Large quantities of fuel must be brought to our main hazardous waste collection facility in West Palm Beach (6161 N. Job Road). The fuel should be in containers that can be easily handled by staff. They do not allow siphoning on property, nor will they empty a drum for you.
- Q: I am a diabetic. How should I dispose of the used needles?
A: The Palm Beach County Health Unit has a Used Sharps Depository program for proper disposal of needles. These items should never be placed in your garbage. For information and locations throughout the county call 561-355-3015.
- Q: I have a business that generates small amounts of hazardous waste. How do I dispose of it?
A: The Solid Waste Authority has a Business Disposal Program. Paperwork needs to be completed and an inventory of your material must be received before you can schedule a delivery.
- Q: How do I report illegal dumping? (i.e. tires, refrigerators, oil, batteries, vehicles, trash)
A: Call the Health Department Division of Environmental Health Public Health Unit Solid Waste Section at (561) 355-4532 or call your municipal or county Code Enforcement Department at (561) 233-5500 or call your local Police Department or the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Department at (561) 688-3000 or call the Solid Waste Authority Customer Information Services Department at (561) 697-2700 for residents in the Glades, Boca Raton or Delray Beach area. If you want a guest speaker to discuss illegal dumping or landfills in your area, call the Solid Waste Authority at 561-697-2700, ext. 4404 to schedule group presentations on a variety of topics.
- Q: How do I get information on old landfills that may be in my area?
A: Call the Solid Waste Authority Special Programs at 561-640-4000 ext. 4621. You may contact Lucille Gustafson at 561-640-4000 ext. 4210 to reserve your copy of the 1995 Palm Beach County Solid Waste Sites Florida Landfill Index System compiled by the Special Programs Department. The cost of $15.00 COD (you pick up) or add $3.00 for postage.
- Q: Where do I get information on regulations and permits required to start a recycling business?
A: Call the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in West Palm Beach at 561-681-6600 for state regulation requirements. You can also call your municipal or the county Building and Zoning Department at 561-233-5339, or you can call the Palm Beach County Solid Waste Authority Special Programs at 561-640-4000 ext. 4621 for permitting information.
- Q: How do I get a recycling bin? How can I start recycling at my condominium?
A: If you are a resident of Palm Beach County, the Solid Waste Authority can help. Call the SWA Bin Hotline at 1-866-NEW-BINS (866-639-2467) to order recycling bins. The bins will be delivered to your home free of charge. If you live in a condominium or apartment complex and don’t have recycling available, contact the SWA at the same number above and a Recycling Representative will be sent to the complex to try to setup recycling service.
- Q: What kinds of items are recyclable?
A: Put the following items in the yellow bin (for paper): paper, brown paper bags, magazines, catalogues, telephone books, newspaper, corrugated cardboard (maximum size 3' x 3'). Books are not recyclable. Large loads of flattened cardboard boxes can be taken directly to the SWA's Commercial Materials Recycling Facility (CMRF). Call 561-697-2700 for directions. Put these items in the blue bin: plastic, glass, aluminum cans, drink boxes, milk and juice cartons, foil, pie plates (no styrofoam).
- Q: Where can I recycle office paper?
A: Office paper is accepted at all drop-off recycling centers or the Commercial Materials Recycling Facility. Call the SWA Customer Information Services Department at 561-697-2700.
- Q: My son put my car keys in our recycling container. Can I go to the Recycling Facility and look for them?
A: No. Unfortunately the facility handles more than 385 tons of recyclables each day. It would be impossible to find any lost articles.
- Q: What is the resource recovery facility, and can I take a tour of it?
A: The North County Resource Recovery Facility is a waste-to-energy plant located at 6255 North Jog Road, West Palm Beach. It separates recyclables and incinerates garbage. It is then turned into a fuel called Refuse Derived Fuel or RDF. Heavy metals and aluminum is extracted from the garbage and the remainder of the garbage is incinerated in a boiler, creating steam. This steam drives a turbine generator creating electricity. This process takes place 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and produces enough energy to power all of the SWA North Jog Road facilities and could power 30,000 homes in Palm Beach County. To schedule a tour of this facility, call 561-697-2700 Ext. 4312.
- Q: Do contractors need to have a license to repair underground storage tanks?
A: Yes, all contractors must have a special license issued by the State in order to install, remove or perform repairs to an underground tank system. A Closure Assessment must also be performed whenever a tank is removed from a site with no previous contamination history. For more information on storage tank cleanup, compliance, construction, inspection or removal call the Department of Environmental Resources Management (Resources Protection) at 561-233-2400.
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Government
