Manatee County, FL Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Access method
- Appointment only, call the department
- Scheduling window
- Date set within one week of call
- Fee
- Special waste collection fee applies
- Covered items
- White goods, tires, batteries, C&D debris
- Commercial version
- Same appointment process (Sec. 2-16-32(f))
- Improper prep
- Separate fee under Sec. 2-16-32(g)
Summary
Bulk and special waste items in unincorporated Manatee County, from white goods to construction debris, aren't left at the curb on a whim: Sec. 2-16-35 requires calling the solid waste department first for an appointment, which the county must schedule within one week, with the material placed out only on the assigned date, and a special waste collection fee applies.
Commercial special waste and residential special waste collection of items meeting the definition of special waste shall be collected by appointment only. The owner or occupant of any residential improved real property desiring to place such special waste out for collection shall first call the department to make an appointment. The department shall give the owner or occupant a date upon which the special waste shall be collected, such date not exceeding one week from the date of the call for service from the owner. On the scheduled date, the owner shall place the special waste out for collection in the normal collection location. Special waste collection by appointment is subject to a special waste collection fee.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 124 | Land Development Code: Supplement 21).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 2-16-35 covers both residential and commercial 'special waste,' items too far outside ordinary trash to go out on a normal collection day. The chapter's definition (Sec. 2-16-2) lists what counts: white goods, waste tires, used oil, lead-acid batteries, construction and demolition debris, ash residue, yard waste, biological wastes, and mercury-containing devices or lamps. To use the service, the owner or occupant must first call the department to request an appointment; the department then assigns a collection date that cannot fall more than one week after the call.
The resident is responsible for placing the material at the normal collection location only on that scheduled date, not before or after, and the appointment carries its own special waste collection fee separate from the standard monthly service charge. Commercial customers use the identical by-appointment process and fee under Sec. 2-16-32(f). A related but distinct service covers 'improperly prepared' solid waste or yard waste, meaning material set out that doesn't meet the containing and bundling rules of Sec. 2-16-34; the department collects it by appointment too, but bills an improperly prepared collection fee instead (Sec.
2-16-32(g)). Residential customers also get a standing weekly allowance for special waste collected by appointment as part of the base residential collection service, referenced in Sec. 2-16-31(c)(4), so a scheduled special-waste pickup doesn't require a separate account or franchise.
Violations & Fines
Setting special waste out at the curb without first booking an appointment, or placing it before the department's assigned date, falls outside the protections of Sec. 2-16-35 and the material will not be collected. Beyond a missed pickup, violating Chapter 2-16's special waste rules is punishable under Sec. 2-16-102 by a fine of up to $500, up to 60 days in jail, or both, with each continuing day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get bulky items like an old refrigerator picked up in Manatee County?
Is there a fee for special waste pickup?
Can I just leave a mattress or old tires at the curb without calling?
What if my solid waste isn't bagged or bundled correctly?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Manatee County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Manatee County to another location·View the Florida trash & recycling overview
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