Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Meadow Woods
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 lid cart Bin (Trash)
Garbage items must be bagged and tied before placing them in the cart. The cart lid must close fully. Do not exceed the 300-pound weight limit. Place the cart 3 feet from mailboxes, cars, and other carts.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Styrofoam and foam packing peanuts
- ✓Plastic wrappers and non-recyclable bags
Blue lid cart Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables; items must be placed loose in the cart. Ensure all containers are empty and dry to prevent contaminating the paper products.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, tubs, and clear to-go cups
- ✓Metal cans (tin, aluminum, steel)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Flattened corrugated cardboard
- ✓Paper (newspaper, magazines, milk/juice cartons, paper to-go cups)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags, air pillows, and bubble wrap
- ✕Food-soiled materials or dirty diapers
- ✕Tanglers (string lights, hoses)
- ✕Yard waste
- ✕Batteries and electronics
Yard Waste Bin
Limit of 3 cubic yards per week. Must use personal 50-gallon (or smaller) cans with handles, bags, or bundles. Bundles and branches must be 3 feet long or less. Max weight is 60 pounds per container/bundle.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Tree limbs and palm fronds
- ✓Small stumps
- ✓Live Christmas trees
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly (on your standard garbage collection day)
Placement
Place large items within 3 feet of the curb and ensure they are at least 3 feet away from your roll carts, mailboxes, and parked vehicles.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and mattresses
- ✓ Non-Freon appliances (stoves, washers, dryers)
- ✓ Televisions
- ✓ Up to four (4) passenger car tires
Not Accepted
- ✕ Freon-containing devices (refrigerators, freezers, AC units)
- ✕ Items small enough to fit inside the green garbage cart
- ✕ Hazardous waste or liquid paints
- ✕ Contractor-generated debris
The weekly 3-cubic-yard limit is included in your annual property tax solid waste assessment. Large amounts exceeding the limit must be dropped off at the Orange County Landfill for a fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Orange County only observes Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day as collection holidays. When these holidays fall on a regular scheduled day, collection moves forward by one day for the rest of the week (e.g., Thursday shifts to Friday).
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and large item collections follow the exact same holiday shift as regular garbage and recycling routes.
There are no service delays for holidays falling on a Saturday or Sunday, and collection occurs normally on all other holidays (like New Year's Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day).
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Do Not Bag Your Recyclables
The most common recycling mistake is placing items inside a plastic garbage bag. The automated sorting facility cannot open these bags, meaning all your good recycling will be sent directly to the landfill. Keep items loose.
Keep Plastic Bags at the Grocery Store
Plastic grocery bags, bubble wrap, and flexible plastic film are 'tanglers.' They wrap around the sorting gears at the recycling center and cause complete system shutdowns. Return clean plastic bags to drop-off bins at local supermarkets.
Separate Yard Waste Completely
Never place bagged or loose grass clippings, leaves, or branches into your green-lidded garbage cart or blue-lidded recycling cart. Yard waste must remain in its own separate containers or bundles to be collected by the proper truck.
Seasonal Information
Hurricane Season
June - NovemberWhen a tropical storm or hurricane watch is issued for Orange County, immediately halt all major tree trimming. Do not place yard waste or large bulky items at the curb, as high winds turn these into severe safety hazards.
Winter Holidays
November - JanuaryLive Christmas trees are collected on your regular yard waste day. Ensure you remove all stands, lights, and ornaments. If your tree is over six feet tall, you must cut it in half before placing it at the curb.
Spring Cleaning
March - MayAs you clean out garages and sheds, remember that household hazardous waste—such as paint, oil, pool chemicals, and propane tanks—can cause truck fires and are strictly banned from curbside carts. Take them to the county landfill.
About Meadow Woods Waste Management
Navigating the Green Clean Roll Cart Program
Because Meadow Woods is an unincorporated community, residential waste collection is managed by the Orange County Utilities Solid Waste Division. The county utilizes an automated 'Green Clean' roll cart system, providing residents with a green-lidded cart for household garbage and a blue-lidded cart for recycling. Garbage, recycling, yard waste, and large items are each collected once per week. To ensure collection, carts must be placed at the curb no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before and no later than 6:00 a.m. on your scheduled pickup day.
The 'Think 5' Recycling Initiative
Orange County simplifies curbside recycling with its 'Think 5' rule, directing residents to focus on just five categories: plastic, metal, glass, cardboard, and paper. A recent and highly convenient update to the program now allows residents to recycle empty, clear plastic and paper to-go cups. Keeping the stream clean is critical, so residents must ensure all items are completely empty and dry before tossing them loosely into the blue-lidded cart.
Weekly Large Item Allowances Without Calling Ahead
Unlike many municipalities that require pre-scheduled appointments and additional fees, Meadow Woods residents enjoy a generous weekly large item allowance. You can place up to three cubic yards (roughly the size of three stoves) of bulky items at the curb on your regular garbage collection day. This includes furniture, mattresses, televisions, and even up to four passenger car tires. However, items that easily fit inside your green-lidded cart will not be picked up as large items by the claw trucks.
Strict Limits for Personal Yard Waste Containers
Florida's climate means year-round landscaping, but Orange County has specific rules for curbside yard debris. Yard waste requires your own personal waterproof cans with handles, sturdy bags, or bundles—the county does not provide a specific cart for vegetation. Cans cannot exceed 50 gallons in capacity, and no single container or bundle can weigh over 60 pounds. Additionally, all tree limbs and cut stumps must be kept to three feet in length or shorter.
Freon Appliances Are Banned Curbside
While standard household furniture is easy to dispose of curbside, residents must make alternative arrangements for certain major appliances. Freon-containing devices, such as old refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioning units, are strictly prohibited from the curbside large item collection program. These items require specialized environmental processing and must be transported to the Orange County Landfill or handled by an independent recycling contractor.
Drop-off Facilities
Orange County Landfill
5901 Young Pine Road, Orlando, FL 32829
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Orange County pick up an old refrigerator in Meadow Woods?
No. Freon-containing devices such as refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners are strictly prohibited from the curbside large item collection program. You must transport them to the Orange County Landfill or hire a private hauler.
Does my trash pickup schedule change for New Year's Day?
No. Orange County Utilities only observes two holidays a year: Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. On New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, your trash will be picked up on its normal schedule.
How long can my tree branches be for yard waste collection?
To ensure safe and efficient collection, Orange County requires that all cut limbs, stumps, and bundles be kept to a maximum length of three (3) feet. Additionally, no single bundle or personal can may weigh more than 60 pounds.
Can I put paper coffee cups in my blue recycling cart?
Yes! Orange County recently expanded its 'Think 5' recycling program and now officially accepts empty and dry clear plastic to-go cups and paper to-go cups in the blue-lidded recycling carts. (Note: Straws and styrofoam cups are still banned).