Port St. Lucie, FL Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Household trash
- Bagged before going in cart
- Recyclables
- Never bagged, kept separate
- Scrap metal length
- Cut/bent to 6 feet or less
- Appliances
- Doors removed, laid flat
- Overflow
- Banned outside/atop the cart (Sec. 80.05(h))
Summary
Before a garbage or recycling cart goes to the curb in Port St. Lucie, Section 80.05 of the Code of Ordinances dictates exactly how the waste must be packed: household trash bagged inside the cart, recyclables loose and never bagged, appliance doors removed, and nothing left sitting on top of a closed lid.
(a)All household garbage and trash shall be placed in a plastic bag prior to being put into a garbage cart.(b)Recyclable materials shall be placed or set out in a recycling cart. Recyclable materials shall not be placed in the same collection container with other solid waste.(c)Recyclable materials shall not be in a plastic bag prior to placing into a recycling cart or container.(d)Garbage cart shall not be overfilled; the lid on a collection container shall be closed securely.(e)Garbage and recycling carts, when filled, shall not weigh more than the designated cart limitations.(f)Scrap metal and appliances shall be set out as bulk waste. Freezers, refrigerators, clothes washers, clothes dryers, dishwashers, or similar airtight units shall have the doors removed before being placed for collection. All stand-up items shall be laid flat. Scrap metal such as poles, pipes and antennas shall be cut or bent into pieces not longer than 6 feet.(g)All solid waste shall be free of protruding nails, screws, staples, or other dangerous conditions.(h)No garbage bags or recyclables shall be placed outside or on top of the collection container.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 103).
Full Breakdown
05's general set-out provisions govern how waste has to be prepared before a collector will take it, independent of when or where the cart sits. " Carts cannot be overfilled, and "the lid on a collection container shall be closed securely," with weight capped at the designated cart limitations set by the franchise hauler. 05(h) closes the loop by banning bags or recyclables "placed outside or on top of the collection container," meaning overflow next to a full cart simply will not be picked up.
Violations & Fines
Improperly bagged, overloaded, or unsafely packed waste is enforced the same way as other Chapter 80 violations: a code compliance officer can issue a solid waste citation under Section 80.17(b), and the general garbage/rubbish tier of the Section 80.17(d) penalty table applies where the violation is tied to a specific collection cart, $35 for a first offense and $70 for a second, with 24 hours to correct it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to bag my trash in Port St. Lucie?
Can I leave extra bags next to a full trash cart?
How do I set out an old refrigerator or washer?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Port St. Lucie
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Port St. Lucie to another location·View the Florida trash & recycling overview
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