Trash & Recycling in Alachua County, FL (2026)
9 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Alachua County, Florida.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Residential owners in Alachua County's universal collection area must use only the contractor-provided receptacle, sized to hold normally generated waste, and must secure it so nothing scatters, without overfilling, and with the lid closed. Excess waste requires a separate fee under a manual the department publishes.
Trash Receptacle Rules in Alachua County
Some RestrictionsAlachua County Code § 75.301(a)(2)–(3)
(2) No residential property owner in the universal area who uses the residential collection service provided by a contractor shall use a receptacle for solid waste disposal other than a receptacle provided by such contractor. The residential property owner shall select a receptacle that is adequate in size to contain all solid waste that is normally generated on such property. ... The residenti...
Bin Placement Rules
Unincorporated Alachua County residents may not set solid waste or recycling containers at the curb before 5 p.m. the day before collection, and must pull them back at least 15 feet from the curb, or off the right-of-way, by 9 p.m. on collection day. Bulk items follow a separate 24-hour window.
Trash Cart Curbside Timing in Alachua County
Some RestrictionsAlachua County Code § 75.301(d)
(d) Placement of receptacles. No earlier than 5:00 p.m. on the day preceding the scheduled collection day, an owner or occupant of residential property in the universal area or in the non-universal area shall place such solid waste receptacles and recycling containers at the curbside/roadside, but shall not place the receptacles or containers where they obstruct a road, alley, thoroughfare, bik...
Bulk Item Disposal
Unincorporated Alachua County residents in the universal collection area may set bulk items like furniture and appliances at the curb no earlier than 24 hours before pickup, separated from garbage, and must not block roads or sidewalks, or the county removes and bills for it.
Bulk & Yard Trash Curbside Rules (Alachua County)
Some RestrictionsAlachua County Code § 75.301
Sec. 75.301(e). Bulk items. No earlier than 24 hours preceding the scheduled collection day, an owner or occupant of residential property in the universal area shall place bulk items at the curbside/roadside in a manner that separates the bulk items from garbage and recyclable materials. Bulk items shall not be placed where they obstruct a road, alley, thoroughfare, bike lane, or sidewalk, unle...
Recycling Requirements
Alachua County requires owners and tenants of commercial property to source-separate designated recyclables from solid waste and keep contamination under 25 percent, while commercially-collected residential properties must supply at least 90 gallons of recycling capacity for every 20 dwelling units.
Commercial Recycling Requirements in Alachua County
Some RestrictionsAlachua County Code § 75.302(1)
(1) An owner of commercial property shall provide for the disposal of solid waste and proper recycling of recyclable material generated on such property at a solid waste management facility either by entering into an agreement with a contractor or permit holder or by other lawful means. The owner and the tenant of commercial property shall provide for the "source-separation" of the designated r...
Illegal Dumping
Alachua County Code § 75.201(d) bans throwing, placing, or depositing any solid waste onto rights-of-way, streets, alleys, waters, sinkholes, vacant lots, or another person's property anywhere in the county. Violations are enforced through Chapter 24 code enforcement and carry the Code's general penalty under § 10.08: up to a $500.00 fine, up to 60 days in jail, or both, plus possible misdemeanor prosecution under F.S. § 125.69.
Illegal Dumping Penalties, Alachua County
Heavy RestrictionsAlachua County Code § 75.201(d)
(d)No person shall throw, place, or deposit, or cause to be thrown, placed, or deposited, any solid waste of any kind into or on any of the public rights-of-way, streets, roads, highways, bridges, alleys, lanes, thoroughfares, waters, canals, sink-holes, other geological formations, or vacant lots or lands, or upon the premises of any other person within the county.
Yard Waste Collection
Unincorporated Alachua County bars mixing yard trash, grass clippings, tree and shrub trimmings, palm fronds, and stumps, into containers or locations meant for regular solid waste. Owners whose yard trash exceeds their contractor's collection limits must arrange separate disposal at a solid waste facility on their own.
Yard Trash Disposal Rules in Alachua County
Some RestrictionsAlachua County Code § 75.204; § 75.301(a)(4)
No person shall place or cause to be placed yard trash in a container, bag or other receptacle intended for the collection and disposal of other solid waste or in a location intended for the collection and disposal of other solid waste. [§ 75.301(a)(4)] An owner of residential property in the universal area shall provide for the disposal of yard trash consisting of vegetative matter exceeding c...
Dumpster Rules
Multi-family developments over ten units, and all commercial, mixed-use, and industrial developments in unincorporated Alachua County must provide garbage and recycling dumpsters that are fully enclosed or screened on all sides with masonry or wood fencing at least six feet tall, behind a lockable opaque gate.
Commercial Dumpster Screening in Alachua County
Some RestrictionsAlachua County Code § 407.10
Multiple-family developments containing more than ten dwelling units in total and all commercial, mixed-use, and industrial developments shall provide garbage and recycling collection bins or dumpsters consistent with Section 75.302 of the Alachua County Code. (a) Location. All garbage and recycling bins or dumpsters shall be located within designated areas in a principal building or within a r...
Collection Schedule
Alachua County's licensed haulers may only collect residential and commercial solid waste between 7:00 a.m. and sunset, with no collection on Sundays or holidays absent an emergency. Universal-area residential owners must obtain the county's contracted service or another lawful disposal method.
Trash Collection Hours in Alachua County
Some RestrictionsAlachua County Code § 75.303(c)(6); § 75.301(a)(1)
(6) The contractor and permit holder will agree that collection shall begin no earlier than 7:00 a.m. and shall cease at sunset with the exception of those areas where the county has agreed in writing to permit the contractor or permit holder to collect at an earlier or later time and which will not disturb any residential area. ... No collection shall occur on Sundays or holidays except in tim...
Recycling Rules
Alachua County Code § 75.302 requires every commercial property owner and tenant in the unincorporated county to source-separate recyclable material from solid waste and recycle it through a licensed contractor, permit holder, or certified recycler. Owners of commercially collected residential property (apartments, condos) must run their own recycling program, sized at 90 gallons of container capacity for every 20 dwelling units, with contamination capped at 25 percent.
Commercial Recycling Rules in Alachua County
Some RestrictionsAlachua County Code § 75.302
An owner of commercial property shall provide for the disposal of solid waste and proper recycling of recyclable material generated on such property at a solid waste management facility either by entering into an agreement with a contractor or permit holder or by other lawful means. The owner and the tenant of commercial property shall provide for the "source-separation" of the designated recyc...
Trash & Recycling by City in Alachua County
1 cities in Alachua County have their own trash & recycling rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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