Manatee County, FL Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)

Sec. 2-16-34(c) sets the physical limits for curbside yard waste: it must be kept in its own container, never mixed with solid waste or program recyclables, and any commingled load will not be collected. Logs, tree limbs, brush and palm fronds cannot exceed 6 inches in diameter and must be cut into 4-foot lengths or shorter before being containerized or tightly bundled. Loose, non-containerized yard waste may only be bundled in craft paper or other non-plastic bags, and every container, bag or bundle is capped at 40 pounds.

The 40-pound weight cap is echoed in the chapter's definition of 'container,' which specifically excludes plastic bags for yard waste collection (Sec. 2-16-2). Material too bulky, heavy or oddly shaped to fit these limits isn't refused outright; it can still be collected as an 'extraordinary service' for an added charge. Residential collection service includes one weekly pickup for yard waste on the same schedule as trash and recyclables, set by the authorized collector and approved by the department director (Sec. 2-16-31(c)(2)). Large quantities of loose yard waste beyond ordinary curbside amounts fall outside the standard service charge; the county bills those as an individual extraordinary-service arrangement, though the resident is entitled to an estimate before the work is done (Sec. 2-16-31(d)). All yard waste, once placed curbside for collection, becomes the exclusive property of the county (Sec. 2-16-38).