Monroe County, FL Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Monroe County Code § 21-74(1)(b) requires the county's franchised residential collector to supply one 96-gallon garbage cart or tote per residential property for each solid waste assessment paid; a second cart can be bought directly from the franchisee, and any cart that is lost, stolen or damaged must also be replaced through the franchisee rather than the county. Outside the Ocean Reef service area, the 96-gallon tote is the exclusive method of garbage collection: no other can, bag or receptacle qualifies for regular garbage pickup.

Subsection (c) sets the placement and containment standard that collectors and code compliance officers use in the field: all garbage must be contained inside the tote, the lid must be properly closed and sit flush with the top of the cart, and nothing may protrude above the lid or be stacked on top of a closed tote. Any receptacle other than the 96-gallon tote is limited to 50 pounds unless it can be mechanically dumped by the collection truck. It is unlawful under the same subsection for a property owner or customer to fail to keep enough receptacle capacity on hand to hold all garbage generated between collections, apart from bulk waste and excess yard waste, which follow the separate scheduled-pickup rules of § 21-74(2).