Orange County Government, Florida

Access Your Collection Schedule

Automated Collection Guidelines

Frequently Asked Questions

Bear Cart Program

Missed Collection/
Service Issues/
Roll Cart Requests

Please send an email to Solid.Waste@ocfl.net (include your name, street address, contact information, and details of the issue or request) or call the Solid Waste Hotline at
407-836-6601.

The Orange County Recycler

The Solid Waste Division’s quarterly newsletter for residential customers.

Holiday Collection

Collection will be provided as scheduled on all holidays except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. When Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day fall on a regular scheduled collection day, collection will be one day after the normally scheduled collection day for the rest of the week.

Christmas Tree Recycling

Live Christmas trees can be set out at the curb on your yard waste collection day for recycling. Trees over six feet should be cut in half. Remove all ornaments, decorations, and stands before placing at the curb. Artificial trees are not collected with yard waste.


Residential Curbside Collection Program

Orange County's Automated Curbside Collection Program provides residents with roll carts to dispose of garbage and recyclables. Under this program, garbage, recycling, yard waste, and large items are each picked up once per week. You can access your collection schedule electronically here.

Large Item Pickup

Large items such as furniture, mattresses, appliances, TVs, and up to four automobile tires are collected the same day as yard waste. Large items should be placed at the curb no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before and no later than 6:00 a.m. on your scheduled collection day.

  • Limit large items to three cubic yards (about one small pickup truckload) per household per week. Set large items out neatly.
  • Please keep large items separate from yard waste.
  • Freon-containing devices such as freezers and refrigerators are not included in the curbside collection program.
  • If you have questions about the eligibility of your large item for curbside collection, please call the Solid Waste Hotline at
    407-836-6601.

Using Your Roll Carts
  • Place your roll carts at the curb no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before and no later than 6:00 a.m. on collection day. Put away emptied carts on the same day.
  • There should be about three feet of clearance around each cart placed curbside in order for the trucks to use the mechanical arm.
  • The carts should be placed away from your mailbox, parked cars, and low-hanging tree limbs.
  • The handles should be facing your house, and the arrows on the lid should be pointed toward the street.

Garbage Roll Cart

Household garbage items, except for those items listed below, may be placed in the roll cart with the green lid. It is recommended that garbage items be bagged and tied first, then placed in the cart. This practice will keep your container cleaner, minimize odors, and reduce the chance of wind-blown litter.

Other ways to help control odor include double bagging when the odor is more offensive, making sure the cart lid is closed tight, and leaving a dryer sheet inside the cart.

Unaccepted waste includes hot ashes or coals, recyclable items, household hazardous chemicals, medical waste, fluorescent bulbs, tires, paint, and yard waste such as bagged or loose grass, leaves, or small branches.

Recycling Roll Cart

Recycling is required by Orange County Code. To reduce the amount of garbage in the recycling stream, the Orange County Utilities Solid Waste Division encourages residents to "Think 5" by focusing on the top five recyclable items—plastic, metal, and glass containers, as well as cardboard and paper. The overall goal is to help raise awareness about good recycling habits.

Place only these recyclable items in the roll cart with the blue lid:

  • PLASTIC
    Bottles and containers labeled #1 - #5

  • METAL
    Tin, aluminum, steel, and empty aerosol cans

  • GLASS
    Bottles and jars

  • CARDBOARD
    Flattened corrugated boxes

  • PAPER
    Newspapers and advertisements
    Paper bags
    Junk mail
    Magazines and catalogs
    Office/note paper
    Phone books
    Cereal/shoe/drink boxes
    Milk/juice cartons

The recycling program can only recycle the material listed above and no other material should go into the recycling cart. Below is a list of materials that are particularly troublesome and should not be placed in the recycling cart:

  • No plastic bags
    Visit the American Chemistry Council’s Plastic Film Recycling page to find a bag drop-off location near you.
  • No food waste or liquids
  • No pizza boxes or juice pouches
  • No clothes, textiles, or carpet
  • No hazardous materials or electronics
  • No batteries
  • No tires
    Tires can be collected with large item pickup.
  • No polystyrene/styrofoam
  • No plants or yard waste such as bagged or loose grass, leaves, or small branches
  • No hoses
  • No shredded paper
  • No dishes, paper plates, pots, or pans
  • No toys or laundry baskets
  • No gift wrap, ribbons, or bows
  • No hangers (plastic or wire)

Yard Waste

Yard waste includes vegetative landscaping material as well as grass, tree, and shrub trimmings, and should not be placed in the garbage or recycling roll cart. Yard waste should be placed at the curb no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before and no later than 6:00 a.m. on your scheduled collection day.

  • Limit yard waste to three cubic yards (about one small pickup truckload) per household per week.
  • Use your own garbage cans or plastic bags for collection. Cans and bags must be 50 gallons or less and weigh less than 60 pounds each when full. Cans must be waterproof with a tight-fitting lid and have handles on the sides.
  • Don't mix yard waste with garbage.
  • Bundle limbs, palm fronds, and similar items with string. Keep bundles three feet long or less. Limit weight to less than 60 pounds.
  • Live Christmas trees can be set out at the curb on your yard waste collection day for recycling. Trees over six feet should be cut in half. Remove all ornaments, decorations, and stands before placing at the curb. Artificial trees are not collected with yard waste.
  • Please refer to the Landfill/Transfer Stations page for compost information.

RECYCLING DROP-OFF

Please refer to the Save Landfill Space page for information on recycling drop-off.

ELECTRONICS RECYCLING

Electronic equipment from your home, such as computers and televisions (except for rear-projection sets), can be recycled. Many retailers will accept old electronics for recycling. Check with your local retailer for electronic waste recycling options.

Orange County residents may also bring their electronic waste to one of the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facilities or community collection events. Click here for electronics recycling facility locations and collection event information.

How to Pay

Curbside services are billed with your property taxes. Newly constructed homes will receive the first bill from Orange County Utilities. For more information, call 407-836-6601.

Items We Don't Take

Automobile parts, household hazardous waste, and freon-containing devices.


Contact Us

Solid Waste Division
5901 Young Pine Road
Orlando, FL 32829

Email: Solid.Waste@ocfl.net
Solid Waste Hotline: (407) 836-6601

All e-mail sent to this address becomes part of Orange County public record. Comments received by our e-mail subsystem can be read by anyone who requests that privilege. In compliance with "Government in the Sunshine" laws, Orange County Government must make available, at request, any and all information not deemed a threat to the security of law enforcement agencies and personnel.