Solid Waste

Residential Curbside Solid Waste Services

Single-Family Residential Service (Garbage, Recycling & Yard Trimmings)

Find your once-a-week service day.

 

Refuse (Household Garbage)

  1. Frequency of collection:  Once a week
  2. Set out volume:  1 cart 95 gallon or 65 gallon provided by Charlotte County.
    (2 or more carts if resident contracts with Waste Management to rent additional carts)
  3. Weight limits:  250 lb for the 95 gallon carts.
  4. Please bag your waste before placing in cart.  Bagging your garbage first prevents wind blown litter during the collection process and helps keep animals out of your garbage.
  5. Additional garbage may be placed in old garbage cans or bags a maximum of 6 times per year. (Christmas, company in town, etc...)
  6. Place all carts at curbside by 5:00 a.m. on your regularly scheduled service day.
  7. Lids should be closed, and the wheels of the cart must face your home. 
  8. Place your garbage carts at least 5 feet away from mailboxes, parked cars or other obstacles. 
  9. As a courtesy to your neighbor, promptly remove cart after service.

Additional garbage carts are available to lease through Waste Management for $2.50 cents per month or you may have a second weekly pick up for $7.50 cents per month. Please contact Waste Management directly at 941.629.1106 or call toll free 1.877.567.2974 to contract with them for additional services.

Maximum Weight Limits—95 gallon carts:  250 lbs.

To avoid having an overweight cart or causing possible damage to the cart or truck, do not place rocks, concrete, bricks or dirt in carts.  All trash inside must fall out when the cart is emptied.  Please do not overfill or tightly pack waste into the cart.

If the cart is overweight, the driver will attempt service and notify the resident by leaving an “Important Notice” tag attached to the cart.  However, if we are unable to empty the cart, the cart will be tagged and marked as “overweight.” It will then be the responsibility of the resident to lighten the contents for the following week’s service.

Resident Responsibility for the Cart

Each resident is responsible for the cleansing and security of the garbage carts and recycling bins.  If the cart is damaged or destroyed, other than by normal usage, please contact Waste Management at 941.629.1106 or toll free 1.877.567.2974.

Carts are assigned to an address by a serial number that is hot-stamped on the front of the cart.  If you move, do not take the cart with you.  The cart is the property of Charlotte County and it is assigned to your specific address.

Do’s & Don’ts

All garbage should be bagged.  Do not place the following materials in your carts:

  • Hazardous Waste (any product labeled toxic, poison, corrosive, flammable, or irritant).
  • Paint
  • Oil
  • Automotive Batteries
  • Tires
  • Hot Ashes
  • Electronic Waste (electronic equipment such as computers, TV’s, computer monitors, Microwave ovens)
  • Infectious Waste (including used needles)
  • Dead Animals

If these materials are found in the cart, they will be tagged with a warning notice and not serviced.

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Recycling

Each household is provided with two 15 gallon bins for recyclable materials:

  • Bin # 1
    Newspapers
    Junk Mail
    Magazines
    Phone Books
    Paperboard
    3’x3’ Cardboard (flattened and placed under the bin)
  • Bin # 2
    Plastic containers (#1 & #2 codes on container bottom)
    Steel Cans – no lids
    Clear, Brown & Green Glass
    Aluminum Cans

Non-Acceptable Materials for Recycling:
Hazardous Waste: Batteries, Paint, Anti-Freeze
Electronic Waste: Computers, TVs, Monitors, Cell Phones

Other Non-Acceptable Materials
Animal Waste                         Clothing
Pizza Boxes                            Food Waste
Window Glass                        Tissue Paper
Diapers                                   Light Bulbs
Mirrors                                   Wood
Ceramics                                 Liquids

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Yard Trimmings

Place loose yard trimming material in a 45 gallon or smaller garbage can with handles and lid alongside your garbage cart and recycling bins on your regularly scheduled service day.  DO NOT PLACE YOUR YARD TRIMMINGS IN PLASTIC BAGS.  Yard trimmings may also be placed in paper lawn & leaf bags or bundled and tied.  Place at least 5 feet away from garbage cart or on opposite side of driveway.

Acceptable Materials for Yard Trimmings
Grass                                   Wood Chips
Weeds                                 Dead Plants
Green Plants                        Garden Trimmings
Tree Limbs                           Leaves

Non-Acceptable Materials for Yard Trimmings
Tree Stumps                          Plastic Bags
Soil                                       Animal Waste
Dirt                                       Painted Wood
Rocks                                   Asphalt
Concrete                               Treated Wood

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Bulky Item Pick-Up

Waste Management provides two no-charge curbside collections per year of unbundled yard trimmings, refuse, or bulky items (no construction debris from renovation or home improvement) from Residential units per year, excluding disaster related clean-ups.

Residents should notify Waste Management at 941.629.1106 or toll free 1.877.567.2974 to request this service within 24 hours notice of your regularly scheduled service day.  Each pick-up should not exceed (10) cubic yards.

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Furnishings & Appliances (White Goods)

Furniture (e.g., chairs, sofas, and/or rugs); appliances (e.g. refrigerators, ranges, washers, dryers, water heaters, and dishwashers); and electronic equipment ( e.g. televisions, computers and monitors, and microwaves) will be picked up 4 times per year at no charge, and no call to Waste Management is necessary. (Please remove doors from refrigerators and dishwashers.)

  • Frequency of collection – 4 times per year
  • Place your old appliances at the edge of the right of way, same vicinity as you place your garbage cart, recycling, etc…

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Used Motor Oil/Filter/Batteries Collection

Curbside motor oil/filters and non-leaking lead acid battery collection is available on your service day. As of July 6, 2009 orange colored stickers are no longer necessary for your used motor oil or oil filters to be picked up by Waste Management. Use a transparent gallon container (milk jug type) with a screw type lid for your oil and a clear plastic bag for your filters and place items 5 feet away from your garbage cart. Place non-leaking vehicle lead-acid battery at the curb 5 feet away from your cart as well.

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Household Hazardous Waste and Charlotte County Transfer & Recycling Facilities

Household Hazardous Waste is any product labeled: toxic, poison, corrosive, flammable, combustible or irritant. These include many common hazardous waste items such as paint, batteries, oil, electronics and pesticides. These products, if mishandled, can be dangerous to your health and the environment, and therefore should be disposed of in a careful manner. Also, these materials should never be discarded in a sink, storm drain or in your regular trash. Your Household Hazardous Waste can be taken to the Mid-County Mini-Transfer & Recycling Facility, Kenilworth Blvd., Port Charlotte and the West Charlotte Mini-Transfer & Recycling Facility, Environmental Way, Englewood for proper disposal. For more information on proper handling, please contact Charlotte County Solid Waste at 941.764.4360 or Englewood residents call 941.697.4000 ext. 4360.

Mini-Transfer & Recycling Facilities Hours of Operation: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Tuesday through Saturday
For more information visit the Recycling/Mini-Transfer Facilities page.

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Tire Recycling

Charlotte County residents can recycle six (6) passenger tires per year. Residents in unincorporated areas can place tires with, or without rims at the curb on their regularly scheduled service day. Tires can also be taken to the Mini-Transfer & Recycling Facilities. For more information visit the Recycling/Mini-Transfer Facilities page.

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Holiday Schedule

The holidays without garbage service are Christmas, Thanksgiving, and July 4th. If the holiday falls on a weekday, services will be delayed by one day for that week only. Your regular schedule will resume the following week. There is no interruption in service if the holiday is on Saturday or Sunday. For example: If the holiday falls on Thursday then Thursday services will be provided on Friday, and Friday services on Saturday, etc.

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Additional Information

Contact Waste Management at 941.629.1106 or toll free 1.877.567.2974 or Charlotte County Solid Waste at 941.764.4360 or Englewood residents call 941.697.4000, ext. 4360.