Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Keystone
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 Cart Bin (Trash)
All household garbage should be bagged and fit completely inside the gray cart with the lid closed. Place carts at the curb by 6:00 a.m. with the arrows on the lid pointing toward the street. Leave a 3-foot clearance around the cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste and soiled wrappers
- ✓Plastic bags and film
- ✓Foam egg cartons and takeout containers
- ✓Hoses, cords, and tanglers
- ✓Clothing and non-donatable textiles
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
Never bag your recyclables. All accepted items must be clean, dry, empty, and tossed loosely into the blue cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard and shipping boxes
- ✓Cartons (beverage or broth) with caps attached
- ✓Paper, junk mail, and magazines (not shredded)
- ✓Paperboard (cereal and tissue boxes)
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs only (with caps attached)
- ✓Metal food and drink cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (no lids)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or bagged recycling
- ✕Foam packaging, cups, or styrofoam
- ✕Food or liquids
- ✕Batteries and electronics
- ✕Yard waste
- ✕Hoses, wires, and cables
Yard Waste Bin
Do not use the gray or blue county carts for yard waste. Use your own bags, boxes, or cans (each under 50 lbs). Limbs must be under 4 feet long and 6 inches in diameter. The standard limit is 2 cubic yards per week.
Accepted Items
- ✓Branches, limbs, and brush
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Palm fronds
- ✓Clean, untreated wood and lumber
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
On-demand by request (fee applies) or via self-hauling to a county facility
Placement
If a special pickup is scheduled, place items at the curb at least 3 feet away from your gray and blue carts, mailboxes, and parked cars, avoiding low-hanging power lines or tree branches.
Accepted
- ✓ Couches, recliners, and bulky furniture
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Household appliances
- ✓ Excessive brush (requires coordination)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (chemicals, paint, motor oil)
- ✕ Dirt, concrete, and roofing materials
- ✕ Automotive parts
- ✕ Industrial or commercial waste
Scheduling a special curbside bulk pickup incurs a fee. Alternatively, Keystone residents can use their annual 2-ton solid waste assessment allowance to self-haul large items to a Community Collection Center for free.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
In Hillsborough County, there are no holiday makeup days for residential garbage, recycling, or yard waste. Because trash is collected twice a week, if your collection date falls on a holiday, services will simply resume on your next regularly scheduled collection day.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and recycling follow the same rule: there are no makeup days. If your weekly recycling or yard waste day falls on a holiday, it will not be picked up until the following week.
If an observed holiday falls on a Sunday, the normal schedule still applies for Saturday and Monday collections.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Blue Bin
Bagged recyclables are the number one contaminant in Hillsborough County's recycling stream. The mechanical screens cannot sort plastic bags, so they end up jamming the machinery. Ensure all paper, plastic bottles, and cans are placed loosely in the blue cart.
Ditch the Foam Containers
Even if your styrofoam egg carton or takeout box features a recycling symbol, it is strictly prohibited in the county's curbside program. All foam products must go into the gray garbage cart.
Rinse Out the Residue
Dirty pasta sauce jars or sticky peanut butter containers can ruin a whole truckload of clean cardboard. Please give all glass jars, plastic jugs, and aluminum cans a quick rinse to ensure they are empty and clean before recycling.
Seasonal Information
Spring
February to AprilTo help manage intense spring growth on Keystone's heavily wooded properties, the county temporarily increases the weekly curbside yard waste limit from 2 cubic yards to 3 cubic yards (up to 18 bags or bundles).
Summer/Fall
June to NovemberDuring Atlantic Hurricane Season, avoid initiating major tree pruning if a tropical system is approaching. If a hurricane warning is issued for Hillsborough County, immediately secure all carts and do not put yard waste at the curb, as high winds turn loose branches into dangerous projectiles.
Winter
December to JanuaryLive Christmas trees can be placed curbside on your normal yard waste collection day. Remember to strip the tree of all lights, ornaments, tinsel, and the tree stand. Extremely large trees should be cut to fit the 4-foot branch rule.
About Keystone Waste Management
Waste Collection in Keystone's Rural Retreat
Originally a citrus and farming hub, Keystone has evolved into a serene unincorporated community filled with lake homes and equestrian ranches. Because it is an unincorporated census-designated place, residential solid waste collection is governed entirely by Hillsborough County Solid Waste Services. The county assigns franchised haulers, such as Waste Management, to service the neighborhoods, providing each household with a gray cart for standard, twice-a-week garbage collection and a blue cart for weekly single-stream recycling.
Recycling Plastics: Focus on Shape, Not the Number
Hillsborough County has streamlined its recycling rules to make sorting easier and more effective for Keystone residents. When it comes to plastics in your blue cart, the county asks you to ignore the confusing numbers inside the recycling triangle. Instead, focus entirely on the shape of the container: only plastic bottles and jugs are accepted. Plastic berry clamshells, yogurt cups, takeout containers, and plastic bags must be thrown into your gray trash cart.
Accommodating Spring Landscaping in Keystone
Given the large, sprawling properties and ranches in Keystone, yard maintenance is a significant year-round task. Hillsborough County generally limits curbside yard waste to 2 cubic yards (roughly twelve 30-gallon bags) per week. However, in recognition of Florida's vigorous spring growth, the county expands this allowance. During the months of February, March, and April, residents can place up to 3 cubic yards—or eighteen 30-gallon bags or bundles—at the curb each week.
Managing Bulky Estate and Home Cleanouts
For larger items that cannot fit into the gray cart with the lid closed, Keystone residents do not have unlimited free curbside bulk pickup. Homeowners have two options for disposing of old couches, mattresses, or appliances. You can call Hillsborough County Solid Waste Customer Service to schedule a special curbside pickup, which requires an additional fee. Alternatively, you can utilize the 2-ton annual disposal allowance included in your property taxes by self-hauling the items to a local Community Collection Center.
Drop-off Facilities
Northwest County Solid Waste Facility
8001 W. Linebaugh Avenue, Tampa, FL 33625
Materials Accepted
Hillsborough Heights Solid Waste Facility
6209 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Is trash pickup delayed for holidays in Keystone, FL?
No. Hillsborough County does not schedule holiday makeup days. If your collection day falls on an observed holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas, your items will be picked up on your next regularly scheduled service day.
What is the rule for recycling plastics in Keystone?
Hillsborough County asks residents to ignore the recycling numbers on plastic items. You should only recycle plastic items based on their shape: clean and empty plastic bottles and jugs are the only plastics allowed in the blue cart.
How can I throw away an old mattress in Keystone?
Bulky items are not collected with standard curbside service. You must either call Hillsborough County at (813) 272-5680 to schedule and pay for a special pickup, or self-haul the mattress to a Community Collection Center using your annual property assessment allowance.
Are there limits to how much yard waste I can put out?
Yes. Standard regulations allow for up to 2 cubic yards of yard waste per week. However, during the spring growth months of February, March, and April, this limit is temporarily expanded to 3 cubic yards (about 18 bags or bundles).