Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for East Lake-Orient Park
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.
Gray Bin (Trash)
All garbage must be bagged before being placed in the gray cart. The lid must close completely, and no excess waste should be placed on the ground next to the bin.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Paper towels
- ✓Plastic bags
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Lightly used textiles (if not donated)
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables. All items must be completely empty, clean, and dry, and placed loosely into the blue recycling cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Dry plastic bottles
- ✓Aluminum cans
- ✓Paper
- ✓Cardboard
- ✓Plastic and paper to-go cups
Do NOT Include
- ✕Loose plastic bags
- ✕Plastic film
- ✕Bagged recyclables
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Liquid residue
- ✕Styrofoam
Yard Waste Bin
Yard waste must be bundled, neatly stacked, or placed in your own containers. Limbs must be under 4 feet long and 6 inches in diameter. No single container may exceed 50 pounds.
Accepted Items
- ✓Branches and limbs
- ✓Brush
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Palm fronds
- ✓Untreated wood
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Year-round self-haul up to county limits
Placement
Residents must self-haul bulk waste to a designated facility and provide proof of Hillsborough County residency, such as a driver's license and a matching utility bill.
Accepted
- ✓ Bulky furniture
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Major appliances
- ✓ Scrap metal
- ✓ Electronics
- ✓ Tires
Not Accepted
- ✕ Commercial construction debris
- ✕ Explosives
- ✕ Biohazardous materials
- ✕ Commercial cooking oil
Bulk disposal is generally covered under your annual residential solid waste assessment. Once your yearly free disposal limits are reached, standard commercial tipping fees will apply.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Hillsborough County does not provide make-up days for missed collections due to holidays. If your collection day falls on a holiday, wait until your next regularly scheduled service day.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste follows the same rule: if your pickup is skipped for a holiday, the county will collect it on your next scheduled yard waste collection day.
Because East Lake-Orient Park residents receive twice-a-week garbage pickup, a missed holiday collection simply means keeping your refuse in the cart until the second pickup day of that week.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Tanglers Out of the Blue Bin
Items like garden hoses, holiday string lights, and extension cords wreak havoc on Hillsborough County’s sorting machinery. If you have these 'tanglers,' either donate them if working or dispose of them in your gray trash cart.
Never Bag Your Recyclables
The county's recycling facilities cannot process recyclables stuffed inside plastic garbage bags. Keep your cardboard, cans, and bottles completely loose in the bin to ensure they are properly sorted and successfully recycled.
Empty and Dry Is the Golden Rule
A half-full soda can or a greasy pizza box can ruin an entire batch of high-quality paper and cardboard. Always rinse out your plastic bottles, cans, and newly accepted to-go cups, and let them dry before throwing them away.
Seasonal Information
Spring
February to AprilTo help residents tackle spring cleaning and pruning, Hillsborough County temporarily increases the weekly yard waste limit. During these months, you can set out up to 3 cubic yards (approximately eighteen 30-gallon containers) instead of the standard 2 cubic yards.
Hurricane Season
June to NovemberFlorida's storm season requires proactive property management. Avoid doing major tree pruning when a tropical storm or hurricane is actively named. High winds can turn piled curbside yard debris into dangerous projectiles if the trucks cannot complete their routes in time.
Post-Holiday
Late December to JanuaryAfter the holidays, you can dispose of your live Christmas tree on your regularly scheduled yard waste collection day. Ensure all lights, tinsel, wire, and ornaments are completely removed before setting it at the curb.
About East Lake-Orient Park Waste Management
Comprehensive Waste Management in East Lake-Orient Park
Situated conveniently between Tampa and Brandon, the unincorporated community of East Lake-Orient Park relies on the highly integrated Hillsborough County Solid Waste Services for residential sanitation. Homeowners are provided with durable gray carts for garbage and blue carts for single-stream recycling. The county mandates placing carts curbside by 6:00 a.m. on your designated collection days, ensuring the wheels touch the curb and the bins remain at least three feet from vehicles or mailboxes.
Navigating the County's 'No Make-Up Day' Holiday Policy
Unlike many municipal waste districts across the country that simply push collection back by one day following a major holiday, Hillsborough County employs a strict 'no make-up day' policy. If your scheduled trash, recycling, or yard waste collection day happens to fall on a county-recognized holiday, the trucks will skip that day entirely. You will simply need to hold your waste until your next regularly scheduled service day.
Taking Advantage of Community Collection Centers (CCCs)
Because East Lake-Orient Park residents do not receive free, unlimited curbside bulk trash removal, Hillsborough County provides convenient Community Collection Centers (CCCs) to manage large, unwanted items. Facilities like the nearby Hillsborough Heights location allow locals to drop off old furniture, appliances, scrap metal, and even household hazardous waste. Disposal is generally covered by your annual residential solid waste assessment, provided you stay within the generous yearly tonnage limits.
Expanding Recycling Efforts Beyond the Basics
In an effort to adapt to modern consumer habits, Hillsborough County recently expanded its recycling program to accept plastic and paper to-go cups in residential blue bins. This marks a significant step forward in waste diversion. Residents are encouraged to review the county’s official 'Where Does It Go?' guide to ensure they are properly separating clean, dry recyclables from heavily soiled kitchen waste, which still firmly belongs in the gray garbage cart.
Drop-off Facilities
Hillsborough Heights Solid Waste Facility
6209 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584
Materials Accepted
Northwest County Solid Waste Facility
8001 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, FL 33625
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get rid of an old mattress or couch in East Lake-Orient Park?
Because Hillsborough County does not offer standard curbside bulk item pickup, you will need to haul your old mattress or couch directly to a Community Collection Center, such as the Hillsborough Heights facility in nearby Seffner. You can also hire a private junk removal service.
What happens if my normal trash collection day falls on Thanksgiving?
Hillsborough County enforces a strict 'no make-up day' policy for holidays. Since there are no delays or makeup routes, your garbage simply will not be collected on Thanksgiving. You must wait to put your bin out until your next regularly scheduled collection day later in the week.
Are plastic grocery bags allowed in the blue recycling bin?
No, plastic bags are heavily prohibited in the blue recycling carts. They act as tanglers and jam up the mechanical sorting screens at the recycling center. If you have plastic bags, either return them to a local supermarket that offers a drop-off bin or throw them into your gray trash cart.
How much yard waste can I place at the curb each week?
Generally, East Lake-Orient Park residents can set out up to 2 cubic yards (about twelve 30-gallon bags) of yard waste per week. During the heavy pruning season from February through April, this allowance is bumped up to 3 cubic yards, or roughly eighteen bags.