Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Fort Pierce
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.
Green Cart Bin (Trash)
All household garbage must be placed inside the green cart. Carts must be placed at the curb no later than 7:00 AM on your collection day, spaced exactly five feet apart from other carts and obstacles.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Styrofoam
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
Recyclables must be completely inside the blue cart, placed loosely without plastic bags. Items from the blue cart are transported to the St. Lucie County Recycling Facility. Place at the curb by 7:00 AM.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard (flattened)
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Paper, mail, and magazines
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Yard debris
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses)
- ✕Styrofoam
Yard Waste Bin
Use the designated black cart for small yard debris. Do not commingle yard waste with regular garbage. Large branches (up to 6 feet long) must be stacked neatly in a separate pile for brush collection.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Twigs and small branches
- ✓Garden trimmings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Monthly on designated days
Placement
Ensure the bulk waste pile has a strict clearance of five feet on all sides from garbage carts, recycling carts, parked cars, fences, and mailboxes.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and mattresses
- ✓ Appliances (freon and doors removed)
- ✓ Small household trash (bagged/containerized)
- ✓ Tree branches (under 6 feet long and 6 inches in diameter)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Automotive parts and tires
- ✕ Soil, rocks, and stones
- ✕ Hazardous waste (paint, chemicals, fuel)
- ✕ Electronic waste (TVs, computers)
Nonconforming trash collection, or piles exceeding the two-cubic-yard weekly limit, will be subjected to an additional hauling fee billed to the resident.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
The Fort Pierce Solid Waste Division operates on almost all holidays. Services are ONLY suspended on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. If your normal collection falls on one of these two days, your trash will be picked up on your next regularly scheduled service day.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and bulk collection follow the exact same exception. They operate normally on holidays like Memorial Day and July 4th, but skip Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Because pickups are not 'pushed back' a day but rather skipped until the next cycle, you may need to rely on the second weekly pickup day for your household garbage.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Zero Tolerance for Commingling
The City of Fort Pierce actively monitors bins for contamination. Throwing grass clippings or palm fronds into your green trash cart, or conversely, tossing household trash into your black yard waste cart, violates local ordinances and will result in a bypassed pickup.
Secure Dangerous Glass
If you are discarding window panes, mirrors, or glass tabletops during bulk pickup, they cannot simply be leaned against other trash. The city requires these hazardous items to be placed safely inside a rigid container to protect sanitation workers from shattering glass.
Maintain the Blue Cart Standard
Keep all plastic grocery bags and garbage bags out of your blue recycling cart. When bagged materials arrive at the St. Lucie County sorting facility, they are treated as contamination and can cause the mechanical sorting screens to jam.
Seasonal Information
Hurricane Season
June - NovemberDuring named tropical storm or hurricane watches, the city requires residents to immediately halt all major tree trimming. Do not place bulk items, black yard waste carts, or loose brush piles at the curb, as high winds turn these materials into severe projectile hazards.
Post-Holiday Volumes
Late December - JanuaryBecause Fort Pierce collects trash twice a week, massive post-holiday cardboard accumulation can easily overwhelm the system. Ensure you flatten all holiday shipping boxes completely so they fit securely inside the blue cart, allowing the lid to close entirely.
Summer Yard Maintenance
July - SeptemberSummer rains spur rapid lawn growth. Ensure all routine grass clippings and leaves are placed entirely inside the black yard waste cart rather than blown into street gutters, which blocks storm drains and violates city stormwater regulations.
About Fort Pierce Waste Management
Dedicated Municipal Services for Fort Pierce Residents
While many unincorporated areas of St. Lucie County rely on private contractors, the City of Fort Pierce manages its own comprehensive Solid Waste Division. This municipal service provides residents within city limits with highly robust collection schedules, including twice-weekly household garbage pickup and once-weekly routes dedicated to single-stream recycling and yard waste. This in-house operation allows the city to maintain rapid customer service and tightly regulate neighborhood cleanliness.
The Mandatory Three-Cart Color System
Fort Pierce utilizes a strict, color-coded automated cart system that residents must follow to avoid service disruptions and code violations. Green carts are strictly for household garbage, blue carts are designated for single-stream recycling, and black carts are used exclusively for garden and yard trash. Under City Ordinance Section 30-24, commingling household waste with yard waste in the wrong container is an actionable violation, and contaminated carts will be left unemptied.
The Five-Foot Clearance Mandate
Because Fort Pierce uses fully automated collection trucks, spatial clearance is critical for the hydraulic arms to operate safely. The city mandates a strict five-foot clearance rule. All green, blue, and black carts must be placed at least five feet apart from one another, as well as five feet away from mailboxes, parked vehicles, fences, and bulk trash piles. Failure to provide this clearance is the leading cause of missed pickups in the city.
Managing Your Weekly Bulk and Brush Allowances
Fort Pierce offers generous, ongoing bulk and brush collection, but with specific volume limits. Each residence is allowed up to two cubic yards of bulk waste per week—roughly equivalent to the bed of a small pickup truck. Brush trimmings cannot exceed six inches in diameter or six feet in length. For safety, residents must remove doors from discarded appliances like refrigerators and secure any broken glass or mirrors inside rigid containers before placing them at the curb.
Drop-off Facilities
St. Lucie County Solid Waste, Baling & Recycling Facility (Landfill)
6120 Glades Cut-Off Road, Fort Pierce, FL 34981
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the City of Fort Pierce pick up trash on holidays?
Yes, the Fort Pierce Solid Waste Division picks up trash on almost every holiday, including Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. The only two holidays where service is suspended are Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Can I get a new garbage cart if mine is old and smells bad?
No. The city requires residents to maintain and clean their own carts using water, bleach, and deodorizer. The Solid Waste Division will only replace your cart if it is broken beyond repair (such as a cracked body or missing wheel).
What are the color codes for the trash carts in Fort Pierce?
Fort Pierce uses a strict color-coded system: Green carts are for household garbage only, Blue carts are for single-stream recycling, and Black carts are exclusively for yard waste and garden trash.
How much bulk trash can I put on the curb at once?
You are allowed to set out a maximum of two cubic yards of bulk trash per week, which is roughly the size of a small pickup truck bed. Any piles exceeding this limit, or piles containing unauthorized construction debris, will be subject to extra fees.