RESIDENTIAL REFUSE Collection

Collection Preparation

Place refuse and cart at the curb the night before your designated pickup day, or before 7AM on your pickup day. Cart must be removed from the curb by end of service day. Remember to bag all your garbage, which prevents spillage and makes collection cleaner and easier.

PLEASE DO NOT PLACE YARD WASTE OR RECYCLABLE MATERIAL IN YOUR GREEN GARBAGE CART.

SW Guidelines

  • AUTOMATED GARBAGE GUIDELINES:

  • All garbage should be in plastic bags placed in the City issued cart to keep the cart clean and prevent it from blowing away when emptied. (DO NOT put your recycling in plastic bags). These are not recyclable.
  • Don't overload the cart or place items on top of the cart. The lid should be completely closed and not overflowing. If your cart is overflowing, our crew may not collect it. Please make sure the lid on your cart can fully close.
  • Automated trucks cannot pickup extra garbage bags that is placed on the ground next to the garbage carts. Extra bags will be collected on your bulky collection day.
  • Place your carts curbside with the handle and wheels facing the house.
  • Cart handle should face your house (not the street). The lid opening toward the street.
  • Position carts at least five (5) feet away from any other object, including recycling cart, mailbox, trees, pole, fence, vehicle and basketball goal. (The automated claw of the truck needs to extend several feet outward from the truck).
  • Please make sure there is 18 feet of clearance.
  • Do not block carts or curbside trash access with parked car(s).
  • Do not place your carts under wires or near low tree branches.
  • Should you need an additional cart (green can $13.86 and black can $5.39).

Collection Schedules

Solid Waste Services provides four primary curbside collection services for:

  • Garbage - Household trash includes food waste, packaging, and non-recyclable products found in your home. (Twice per week - Green Container)
  • Yard Waste - Brush, leaves, grass clippings, small shrubs (Once per week - Black Container)
  • Recycling - (Once per week - Blue Container)
  • Heavy Brush and Bulky Items - Tree and shrub limbs (under 6') and trimmings (Once per week)

Delays in Collection

If your regular pickup day falls on a holiday, service will resume on your next scheduled collection day. Collection of garbage and bulk wastes may be delayed from time to time due to equipment problems or seasonal high waste volumes. In these instances, collection will usually take place within the next 1 to 2 working days.

Eligibility for Service

Garbage and bulk waste collection service are provided to all residential single family homes & duplexes. A Solid Waste Fee will be charged on the premises utilities bill through Fort Pierce Utilities Authority (FPUA).

Acceptable Waste

Bulk Items - Acceptable bulk waste items include:

  • Building material waste from do-it-yourself projects that do not require a building permit, but excluding commercial waste and contractor generated waste.
  • Furniture, mattresses and toys

Preparing Bulk Waste

  • Place bulk waste away from vehicles, poles, mailboxes and other obstruction adjoining your property. If we are unable to reach your bulk due to blockage. It will not be collected.

Household Appliances (White Goods)

Inoperative and discarded household appliances such as: Dishwashers, Dryers, Refrigerators and Washing machines

HORTICULTURE / YARD WASTE

  • Please do not permit commercial lawn maintenance companies, professional tree trimmers, arborists, landscapers, etc., to leave yard waste curbside. These professionals MUST haul their generated debris in an lawful manner, as per City Ordinance 16-27:5.
  • Place yard waste curbside and at least five feet away from the automated garbage container.  
  • Yard waste that exceeds 6 feet in length and larger than 6 inches in diameter is considered a special pick up and may incur an extra charge. Any special pickup will incur a minimum $41.40 charge. Yard waste that fills a claw truck will incur a $165.60 charge; half a claw truck will be an $82.80 charge, etc.
  • Stained, painted or treated wood.  Do not mix stained, painted or treated wood with yard waste. If these wood products are mixed in, the yard waste will not be collected.
  • Yard trash shall not be mixed with garbage for collection.

Note: Waste placed at curbside must adjoin the property that generated material.

Unacceptable Waste

  • Automobile parts, bodies, doors, driver trains, motorcycles or parts, lawn mowers or parts, and other similar materials.
  • Bricks, cinder blocks, rocks, concrete, glass, dirt, sand, sod, drywall, tile, grout, construction debris.
  • Commercial waste and contractor generated waste.
  • Debris from work performed by anyone other than the resident.
  • Private landscapers must dispose of all debris generated by their work. It is the homeowner's responsibility to ensure that the landscaper removes their debris. Homeowners will be charged for any debris left by a landscaper.
  • Debris of any type on vacant lots
  • Limbs and other woody waste longer than 6 feet in length and larger than 6 inches in diameter.
  • Paint or hazardous waste
  • Tree stumps or roots
  • Unbagged leaves, grass, pine straw, and similar material.

Holiday Trash Collection Schedule

There is no garbage, recycling or yard waste collection on the following holidays, unless otherwise noted:

  • Thanksgiving Day (Fourth Thursday in November)
  • Christmas Day (December 25)

Things to Consider

  • The holiday collection schedule is suspended only for that specific holiday date or day as noted above, not the day before or the day after.
  • There are no holiday make-up days for the collection of residential garbage, recycling or yard waste.
  • If your collection date falls on a holiday, services will resume on the next regularly scheduled collection day.