Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Delray Beach
Florida residential routes generally operate Monday through Friday. Your specific household collection depends on your local county zoning map.
State Mandate
Do not mix yard trimmings with regular household garbage.
Standard City Roll-Out Cart Bin (Trash)
Cart must be placed curbside by 6:00 a.m. but no earlier than 5:00 p.m. the day prior. Carts must not exceed 50 pounds in weight if using personal cans for rear/side door service.
Accepted Items
- ✓Normal household garbage
- ✓Food waste and kitchen scraps
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Styrofoam
- ✓Soiled paper and pizza boxes
Blue Bin and Yellow Bin (Dual-Stream) Bin (Recycling)
Separate materials into the respective blue and yellow bins. Place bins out no earlier than 5:00 p.m. the day prior and remove by 7:00 p.m. on collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Blue Bin: Plastic containers, glass bottles and jars, aluminum and steel cans, drink boxes.
- ✓Yellow Bin: Newspapers, magazines, mail, office paper, flattened cardboard.
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Batteries
- ✕Light bulbs
- ✕Pizza boxes
Yard Waste Bin
Branches cannot exceed 6 feet in length or 50 lbs. Grass and hedge clippings MUST be bagged and weigh under 50 lbs. Do not mix with other refuse.
Accepted Items
- ✓Tree trimmings
- ✓Branches
- ✓Bagged grass clippings
- ✓Hedge trimmings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Collected on your scheduled bulk day.
Placement
Items must be placed at the curb, not blocking drains, meters, driveways, sidewalks, or mailboxes. Placing bulk outside approved times incurs an $11.50 per cubic yard fee.
Accepted
- ✓ Refrigerators and washing machines
- ✓ Lawn mowers
- ✓ Couches and bedding
- ✓ Wood fences (up to 6 feet in length)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction materials
- ✕ Boats and junk cars
- ✕ Boulders
- ✕ Tree trunks
Compliant bulk loads are included in standard service. Code violations for early or improper placement will result in a minimum $11.50 fee billed directly to your water account.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Garbage is collected Monday through Friday on all standard holidays, with the explicit exception of Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. On these two days, there is no trash, recycling, or yard waste collection.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste follows the exact same holiday suspension rule as standard residential garbage.
For any unexpected route delays, residents can contact the Waste Management dispatch complaints line directly at 561-202-2463.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Respect the Color Code
Never mix your paper and plastic. The yellow bin is exclusively for paper and flattened cardboard, while the blue bin is for rigid plastics, glass, and metal. Mixing them contaminates the SWA's specialized sorting lines.
Keep Plastic Bags Out
Do not collect your recyclables in plastic grocery bags or garbage bags. They act as tanglers and jam the mechanical screens at the Palm Beach County recycling facility.
No Batteries in the Bins
Button batteries, lithium batteries, and Ni-Cad batteries cause severe fires in collection trucks. Never place them in your trash or recycling bins. Take them to the SWA Home Chemical Centers instead.
Seasonal Information
Hurricane Season
June to NovemberIf a tropical storm or hurricane is tracking toward Palm Beach County, immediately stop placing bulk waste or yard trimmings at the curb. Secure all bins and loose items inside your garage to prevent them from becoming dangerous projectiles.
Winter Holidays
November to DecemberDelray Beach works on almost all holidays, but Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day are the two strict exceptions where all garbage, recycling, and yard waste services are suspended.
Sea Turtle Nesting Season
March to OctoberLitter on coastal streets can easily blow into the Atlantic. Ensure your cart lids are tightly closed and your recycling bins are secured on windy days to protect nesting sea turtles and marine life.
About Delray Beach Waste Management
Managing Waste in the 'Village by the Sea'
The City of Delray Beach partners with Waste Management to provide robust residential sanitation services. Most standard households benefit from twice-a-week garbage collection, keeping neighborhoods and coastal properties clean. Carts must be placed within six feet of the curb no later than 6:00 a.m. on your scheduled days, but importantly, no earlier than 5:00 p.m. the evening before. Carts must be rolled back to your property by 7:00 p.m. on collection day.
Mastering the Blue and Yellow Bin System
Because Delray Beach falls under the jurisdiction of the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County (SWA), residents use a dual-bin recycling system rather than a single large cart. The blue bin is strictly for plastic containers, glass bottles, and metal cans. The yellow bin is exclusively for paper products and flattened cardboard. This separation prevents broken glass from ruining clean paper bales, making the county's recycling program highly efficient.
Strict Codes and Out-of-Compliance Fees
The city takes its neighborhood aesthetics seriously. If you place bulk items or yard vegetative waste on the curb outside of your authorized collection window, the city will dispatch a contractor to clean it up and slap you with a mandatory fee. This code enforcement penalty is set at $11.50 per cubic yard, which will be directly added to your monthly residential water bill.
Tackling Tropical Yard Debris
Florida's subtropical climate means yard maintenance is a year-round job. Delray Beach accepts tree trimmings and branches up to 6 feet in length and under 50 pounds. However, you cannot leave loose piles of grass or hedge clippings at the curb; all small vegetative waste must be securely bagged and weigh no more than 50 pounds per bag. Do not mix yard waste with your regular household garbage.
Two Fantastic Facilities for Hazardous Drops
Keeping toxic chemicals out of the local water table is incredibly easy in Delray Beach. The Solid Waste Authority operates two convenient Home Chemical and Recycling Centers right in the city—one in East Delray on SW 4th Ave and another in West Delray on South State Road 7. Residents can drop off lithium-ion batteries, automotive batteries, paint, and pool chemicals at these locations absolutely free of charge.
Drop-off Facilities
Home Chemical and Recycling Center - Delray Beach (East)
1901 SW 4th Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33444
Materials Accepted
Home Chemical and Recycling Center - Delray Beach (West)
13400 South State Road 7, Delray Beach, FL 33446
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What holidays does Delray Beach stop picking up trash?
The City of Delray Beach operates its waste collection routes on almost all standard holidays. The only two days of the year with no trash, recycling, or yard waste collection are Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
What goes in the yellow recycling bin versus the blue recycling bin?
Delray Beach uses Palm Beach County's dual-bin system. The yellow bin is exclusively for paper products and flattened cardboard. The blue bin is reserved for rigid plastic containers, glass bottles, and metal cans.
Can I put large tree trunks out for bulk yard waste pickup?
No. The city's bulk waste guidelines explicitly prohibit large tree trunks and boulders. Tree trimmings and branches must be no longer than 6 feet and weigh less than 50 pounds.
What happens if I put my bulk trash or yard waste out on the wrong day?
If vegetative waste or bulk trash is placed curbside outside of authorized time periods, the city or its contractor will collect it and automatically charge you a special collection fee of $11.50 per cubic yard, which will be added to your water bill.