Trash & Recycling in St. Lucie County, FL (2026)
5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in St. Lucie County, Florida.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
St. Lucie County requires every residential property in the urban unincorporated area to use a county-regulated hauler for trash pickup. Code § 38-157(a) makes owners responsible for the service and its fees, which the county can collect through a permit surcharge, direct contractor billing, or a non-ad valorem tax assessment.
Mandatory Trash Pickup Rules in St. Lucie County
Significant RestrictionsSt. Lucie County Code § 38-157(a)
During the term of any service agreement authorized by section 38-191(a), all solid waste ... generated from residential property located within the urban unincorporated area shall be collected by a regulated contractor. The owners of all such residential property will be responsible for the use of such service by all occupants of the property and shall be responsible for the payment of service...
Bin Placement Rules
In Port St. Lucie, garbage and recycling carts may not be set curbside before 6:00 p.m. the day before pickup, and empty carts may not be left at the curb after midnight of collection day.
When to Put Carts Out and Bring Them In
Some RestrictionsPort St. Lucie Code Ch. 80 (Prohibited acts)
[No person shall] Place a garbage cart or recycling cart curbside prior to 6:00 p.m. the day before the scheduled collection day for such materials at that parcel. Leave an empty garbage cart or an empty recycling cart curbside after midnight of the scheduled collection day for such materials at that parcel.
Bulk Item Disposal
In Port St. Lucie, bulk items may only be placed curbside on the scheduled collection day or 24 hours before, capped at two cubic yards; appliances must have doors removed and yard waste kept separate.
Bulk Waste & Large Item Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsPort St. Lucie Code Ch. 80 (Bulk waste)
[No person shall] Placing or leaving bulk waste curbside at any time other than the scheduled collection day for the parcel or 24 hours prior thereto. ... No more than 2 cubic yards may be set curbside for collection.
Recycling Requirements
St. Lucie County requires yard trash to be separated from other solid waste, and recyclable materials to go to authorized recycling. Port St. Lucie provides curbside recycling carts collected by the franchise hauler.
Recycling & Yard Waste Separation Rules
Some RestrictionsSt. Lucie County Code Sec. 38-96
All solid waste generated within the county shall be disposed of exclusively at a solid waste disposal facility ... except for those recyclable materials which the board authorizes for recycling ... All yard trash set out for collection by a hauler shall be separated from all other solid waste by the owner or occupant in accordance with state law.
Illegal Dumping
Dumping garbage, trash, junk or debris on private or public property in unincorporated St. Lucie County is prohibited, and Florida's Litter Law adds fines from $150 up to third-degree felony charges for large or commercial dumping.
Illegal Dumping & Litter Penalties
Some RestrictionsSt. Lucie County Code Sec. 38-26(a)
No person shall discard, place, abandon, accumulate, or permit or cause to be discarded, placed, abandoned, or accumulated any abandoned property, garbage, trash, junk, or debris on private property in the unincorporated areas of the county unless such abandoned property ... is stored in an enclosed structure or at an authorized junk or auto wrecking yard.
Trash & Recycling by City in St. Lucie County
1 cities in St. Lucie County have their own trash & recycling rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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