Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Lake Magdalene
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 must fit completely inside the gray cart with the lid closed. Place the cart at the curb with the lid arrows pointing toward the street and the handle facing your home.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Diapers
- ✓Soiled paper items
- ✓Small plastic items (like grocery bags)
- ✓Clothing and textiles
- ✓Small appliances (that fit in the cart)
- ✓Incandescent light bulbs
- ✓Ceramics and broken glass
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
Items must be loose, clean, and unbagged. Do not use plastic garbage bags for recyclables. All items must fit inside the cart with the lid completely closed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean and empty plastic bottles and containers
- ✓Clean and empty aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Clean glass bottles and jars
- ✓Dry paper, newspaper, and junk mail
- ✓Flattened cardboard (cut down to fit inside)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Bagged recyclables
- ✕Food waste and liquids
- ✕Foam cups and Styrofoam
- ✕Batteries and chemicals
- ✕Yard waste
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses, ropes)
Yard Waste Bin
Standard limit is 2 cubic yards per week (about 12 bags). Use your own cans, boxes, or bags (under 50 lbs each). Place within 6 feet of the curb. No painted or treated wood is allowed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Tree limbs (under 4 feet long and 6 inches diameter)
- ✓Palm fronds
- ✓Shrub trimmings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By Request (Paid) or Self-Haul (Free Allowance)
Placement
If you schedule a special pickup, place items at the curb no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the day before your scheduled collection, keeping a 3-foot clearance from mailboxes and roll carts.
Accepted
- ✓ Sofas and large furniture
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Large household appliances (white goods)
- ✓ Large quantities of brush (if scheduled)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste (paint, chemicals)
- ✕ Tires (requires drop-off)
- ✕ Explosives
- ✕ Commercial construction and demolition debris
Special curbside collections require an upfront fee. However, self-hauling up to 10 cubic yards of bulky waste to a CCC is completely free for homeowners who pay the annual solid waste assessment.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Hillsborough County does not offer holiday make-up days for missed garbage collections. If your designated trash, recycling, or yard waste day falls on an observed holiday, your service will simply be skipped, and collection will resume on your next regularly scheduled service day.
Yard Waste Exception
On New Year's Day, garbage is skipped, but recycling and yard waste are actually collected as usual. For all other major holidays listed, yard waste collection is canceled and will resume on the next scheduled day.
County Solid Waste facilities and Community Collection Centers are also closed on these major holidays.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Banish Plastic Bags from the Blue Cart
The number one recycling mistake in Hillsborough County is putting plastic grocery bags or film into the blue cart. Take clean plastic bags back to a local supermarket for specialized recycling, and always keep your curbside recyclables completely loose.
Keep the 'Tanglers' in the Trash
Never place garden hoses, extension cords, Christmas lights, or ropes in your recycling bin. These items wrap around the spinning gears at the recycling center, causing costly shutdowns and safety hazards for the sorting crew.
Flatten and Cut All Cardboard
While cardboard is highly recyclable, it must be completely flattened and cut down to ensure it slides freely out of the blue cart when the automated truck tips it. Wedged cardboard will trap other recyclables inside your bin.
Seasonal Information
Spring Pruning Season
February, March, and AprilHillsborough County increases the weekly yard waste limit during these three months. Lake Magdalene residents can place up to 3 cubic yards (or roughly eighteen 30-gallon bags) of yard debris at the curb each week without incurring extra charges.
Hurricane Season
June to NovemberIf a tropical storm or hurricane watch is issued for the Tampa Bay area, immediately secure all gray and blue roll carts in a garage or shed. Suspend all yard waste trimming, as high winds can turn curbside branches into dangerous projectiles.
Winter Holidays
December to JanuaryLive Christmas trees can be placed at the curb on your regular yard waste day. You must remove all lights, tinsel, and ornaments, and cut the tree into sections no larger than four feet in length.
About Lake Magdalene Waste Management
County-Managed Waste Collection in Lake Magdalene
Because Lake Magdalene is an unincorporated census-designated place, residential trash and recycling services fall under the jurisdiction of Hillsborough County Solid Waste. The county utilizes an automated dual-cart system: a gray cart for standard household garbage and a blue cart for single-stream recyclables. Residents are required to roll their carts to the curb by 6:00 a.m. on their designated collection days, ensuring a minimum clearance of three feet around each cart so the automated truck arms can safely grasp them.
Recycling Guidelines: Keep It Loose and Clean
Hillsborough County enforces strict anti-contamination rules for its blue recycling carts. Acceptable items include clean and dry paper, flattened cardboard, glass jars, aluminum cans, and plastic jugs. The absolute most critical rule for Lake Magdalene households is to never place recyclables inside a plastic garbage bag. Bagged recyclables act as severe contaminants, jamming the mechanical sorting screens at the local Materials Recovery Facility. If you bag your recycling, your blue cart may be left uncollected at the curb.
Navigating Yard Waste in a Leafy Community
Surrounded by lakes and mature trees, Lake Magdalene properties generate a substantial amount of yard waste. Hillsborough County provides weekly curbside collection for up to two cubic yards of yard debris, which is roughly equivalent to twelve 30-gallon bags. Branches must be cut to less than four feet in length and under six inches in diameter. Notably, the county increases this limit during the heavy pruning months of February, March, and April, allowing residents to set out up to three cubic yards per week.
Bulky Item Disposal and Community Collection Centers
When it's time to dispose of a broken washing machine or a torn sofa, Lake Magdalene residents have a couple of distinct options. Rather than waiting for a neighborhood bulk day, residents can request a 'Special Curbside Pickup' for a fee (typically ranging from $30 to $50). Alternatively, homeowners paying the annual solid waste assessment receive up to 10 cubic yards of free self-haul disposal for bulky waste and appliances each year. This material can be taken directly to one of the county's Community Collection Centers (CCC) simply by showing a photo ID and property tax bill.
Innovative Donation & Waste Diversion Program
Hillsborough County offers a unique program allowing residents to donate usable household goods and dispose of junk in a single trip. In partnership with Goodwill, facilities like the Northwest County Solid Waste Facility feature dual-purpose drop-off zones. This initiative has already diverted hundreds of thousands of pounds of viable items from the landfill, making it incredibly convenient for Lake Magdalene residents undergoing major spring cleaning or moving out.
Drop-off Facilities
Northwest County Solid Waste Facility (Community Collection Center)
8001 W. Linebaugh Ave., Tampa, FL 33625
Materials Accepted
Sheldon Road Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection
9805 Sheldon Rd., Tampa, FL 33635
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if my trash pickup day falls on Thanksgiving in Lake Magdalene?
Hillsborough County does not schedule make-up days for holiday disruptions. Because Thanksgiving is an observed holiday, your Thursday collection will be canceled entirely, and you must wait until your next regularly scheduled pickup day to have your bins emptied.
How do I replace a cracked or broken gray trash cart?
If your county-issued roll cart is broken (e.g., a cracked body, missing lid, or broken wheels), you can call Hillsborough County Solid Waste Customer Service at 813-272-5680 or submit an online request. Repairs or replacements for standard wear and tear are provided free of charge.
Where can I dispose of old cans of paint or a broken television?
Paint and electronics cannot be thrown in your curbside bins. You can take limited quantities of household paint and electronic waste to a Community Collection Center, such as the Northwest County Solid Waste Facility on Linebaugh Avenue.
How much yard waste can I put out at the curb each week?
You are allowed up to two cubic yards of yard waste per week, which equals about twelve 30-gallon containers. Branches must be under four feet long. During the spring pruning months (February through April), this allowance is temporarily increased to three cubic yards.