Largo's Trash & Recycling: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles trash & recycling a little differently. In Largo, Florida, there are 8 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Pickup Rules & Schedules

The City provides twice-weekly automated garbage collection; enter your address on the official collection map to see your trash, recycling, and yard-waste days. Carts must be out by 7 a.m. Six holidays shift residential routes forward.

Key details: Collection frequency: Garbage twice weekly. Find your day: City collection map. Holiday shift: Routes move one day. Bulk pickup: Four free per year. Set-out time: By 7 a.m. collection day.

No monetary penalty specified; place automated carts at the curb by 7 a.m. on your collection day.

Yard Waste Collection

Largo collects horticultural and yard waste weekly up to five cubic yards per subscriber at no extra charge under City Code Sec. 20-30(b)(5); loose material must be bagged and branches bundled to four feet and 50 pounds under Sec. 20-67(c) and Sec. 20-72(b).

Key details: Governing sections: City Code §§ 20-30(b)(5), 20-67(c), 20-72(b). Weekly free allowance: 5 cubic yards. Bundle size limit: 4 feet, 50 pounds. Curb clearance: 5 feet from obstacles. Over-5-yard loads: Billed as bulky waste.

Yard waste loads that exceed the five-cubic-yard weekly allowance are billed as bulky waste and can draw a $100.00 fee plus the actual tipping fee once the four-collection annual bulky waste cap is used up (Sec. 20-30(b)(7)); landscaping contractors who set out their own debris for city collection violate the prohibited-materials rule in Sec. 20-70(e).

Bulk Item Disposal

Largo residential subscribers get four free bulky waste collections a year, up to ten cubic yards each, under City Code Sec. 20-30(b)(6). Exceeding that costs $100 per collection plus the actual tipping fee, and loads over ten cubic yards get billed for a roll-off container.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 20-30(b)(6)-(7). Free annual pickups: 4 collections per year. Per-pickup cap: 10 cubic yards. Overage fee: $100.00 per collection. Additional charge: Actual tipping fee.

Placing bulky waste beyond the four-collection, ten-cubic-yard annual allowance triggers a $100.00 per-collection charge plus the actual tipping fee under Sec. 20-30(b)(7); loads over ten cubic yards convert to a billed 20-cubic-yard roll-off container under the commercial rate schedule.

Bin Placement Rules

Largo residents may set automated carts at the curb no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the evening before collection and must remove them by 7:00 p.m. on collection day, per City Code Sec. 20-71(b). Containers cannot block alleys, sidewalks or drainage swales.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 20-71. Earliest curbside set-out: 6:00 p.m. day before. Latest removal time: 7:00 p.m. collection day. Container weight limit: 100 pounds. Prohibited placement: Alleys, sidewalks, drainage swales.

It is unlawful under Sec. 20-69(a) to deposit waste in a container inconsistent with a subscriber's service, and containers placed in alleys, streets, sidewalks or drainage swales in violation of Sec. 20-71(a) can be treated as noncompliant placement subject to the article's general enforcement and abatement provisions.

Collection Schedule

Largo requires every residential, commercial and industrial property to subscribe to city solid waste collection; no owner may haul their own trash except as the code allows. Single-family homes get automated cart service collected twice weekly under City Code Sec. 20-2 and Sec. 20-30.

Key details: Governing sections: City Code § 20-2 and § 20-30. Subscription: Mandatory for all properties. Monthly residential fee: $30.76. Cart collection: Twice weekly for trash. Recycling collection: Once weekly.

Solid waste charges unpaid within 30 days are delinquent, become a lien on the property accruing 1% monthly interest, and can be foreclosed like a mortgage lien after 60 days' notice under Sec. 20-2(c)(3). Collecting or removing your own solid waste outside the code's exceptions is separately unlawful under Sec. 20-2(a).

Compared to other cities, Largo takes a harder line on collection schedule. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Dumpster Rules

Largo commercial and industrial properties must subscribe to scheduled front-load dumpster service of at least two cubic yards collected weekly, with monthly fees running $87 to over $2,500 by size and frequency. City Code Sec. 20-32 sets container fees, overflow charges and a six-month minimum subscription.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 20-32. Minimum service: 2 cubic yards, weekly pickup. 2-yard weekly fee: $87.00 per month. Overflow fee: $75.00 per occurrence. Minimum subscription: 6 months.

Reducing a dumpster's size or shared capacity within the six-month minimum subscription is not permitted except in the narrow first-six-weeks exception, and exceeding the annual bulky-waste allowance triggers a $100.00 per-collection fee plus the actual tipping fee under Sec. 20-32(a)(7)(d).

Illegal Dumping

Largo bans dumping waste where it can blow or wash onto streets, sewers or others' property, and declares any unauthorized waste accumulation a public nuisance, under City Code Sec. 20-104. Violations fall under the general penalty of up to $500 and 60 days in jail.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 20-104. Penalty basis: General penalty, § 1-15. Maximum fine: $500.00. Maximum jail term: 60 days. Unauthorized accumulation: Declared a public nuisance.

Because Sec. 20-104 sets no specific penalty, violations default to Sec. 1-15's general penalty: a fine not exceeding $500.00, imprisonment not exceeding 60 days, or both, with each day of a continuing violation treated as a separate offense, plus the city's option to pursue code enforcement or injunctive relief.

Compared to other cities, Largo takes a harder line on illegal dumping. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Recycling Requirements

Largo provides curbside recycling for accepted paper, cardboard, metals, and plastics, and residents must keep contaminants out of carts to support Florida's recycling goals.

Key details: Accepted Materials: Paper, cardboard, metal, glass, and #1 and #2 plastics accepted. Prohibited Items: Bagged recyclables and food waste prohibited. Cart Status: Contaminated carts may be tagged and not collected. Rate Target: Florida statute targets 75 percent recycling rate.

Repeated contamination of recycling carts can lead to warning tags, removal of recycling service, code enforcement fines, and reassignment to garbage-only collection.

The Bottom Line

Largo is tougher than many cities when it comes to trash & recycling. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Largo, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Largo's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.