Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Temple Terrace
Trash Day
Twice per week (collection days depend on your street address)
Recycling
Once per week (specific pickup day is assigned by neighborhood route)
Yard Waste
Wednesdays
Set Out Time
By 7:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential solid waste and recycling fees are conveniently bundled into your monthly City of Temple Terrace municipal utility bill alongside water and sewer charges.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Automatic Bank Draft (ACH), Mail, In Person, Phone
Pro Tip / Discount
The city offers a Senior Citizen Solid Waste Discount for qualifying active residential utility accounts (application submitted to Public Works).
City-Issued 65- or 95-Gallon Cart Bin (Trash)
Carts can be placed at the curb no earlier than one hour before sunset the day prior to pickup, and must be removed by sunset on collection day. All trash must fit inside with the lid closed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (since they are banned from recycling)
Green Bins Bin (Recycling)
Items must be separated. Plastics/metals go in one green bin; paper/cardboard must go into a second green bin. Unsorted bins or bins containing glass will be tagged and left at the curb.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bin 1: Aluminum and steel cans, rinsed plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Bin 2: Flattened corrugated cardboard (cut to 3'x3'), junk mail, office paper, and magazines
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass of any kind
- ✕Plastic bags or bubble wrap
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Pizza boxes (or any food-soiled paper)
- ✕Tissue paper or paper towels
Yard Waste Bin
Collection is every Wednesday. Put debris in reusable containers under 30 gallons (max 50 lbs), in bags, or neatly bundled. Branches must be under 4 feet long and 6 inches thick.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Palm fronds
- ✓Tree limbs and trunks
- ✓Mulch and brush
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
One free pickup annually (On-Demand)
Placement
Place items within 10 feet of the curb. Do not block the street, sidewalks, or place under low-hanging tree limbs and power lines. Call Public Works at 813-506-6570 *after* the pile is set out to schedule the truck.
Accepted
- ✓ Old furniture
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Large household items
- ✓ Extra yard debris (must be piled separately from household items)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition (C&D) debris
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Trees larger than 10 inches in diameter (requires a permit and paid removal)
The first bulk pickup is free. Removing prohibited items (like C&D or massive tree stumps) or requesting a second pickup will result in minimum quarter-hour time fees added to your utility bill.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
There is no solid waste, recycling, or yard waste collection on city-observed holidays. If your collection day falls on a holiday, your refuse will not be picked up until your next regularly scheduled service day for that specific material.
Yard Waste Exception
Since yard waste is only collected on Wednesdays, a Wednesday holiday means yard debris will be delayed a full week.
Unlike cities that shift everything forward by one day, Temple Terrace simply skips the holiday and resumes on the next normal route day for your neighborhood.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Hurricane Season
June to NovemberBefore severe tropical weather strikes, secure all city-issued carts indoors. Do not initiate major tree pruning right before a storm hits, as regular Wednesday yard waste pickups may be suspended to prioritize emergency vehicle road clearance.
Winter Holidays
December to JanuaryWith the influx of online shopping deliveries, remember that all cardboard must be broken down and cut into pieces no larger than 3 feet by 3 feet to fit into the green recycling bins. Foil wrapping paper and ribbons must go into the trash.
Spring Cleaning
March to MaySpring is the optimal time to utilize your one free annual bulk pickup. Call the Public Works Department early in the season to secure your spot for hauling away old furniture or mattresses that won't fit in your 95-gallon cart.
Local Tips & Community Info
Turn Your Cans and Bottles into Cash Right Here in Temple Terrace!
Hey neighbors, did you know those aluminum cans and plastic bottles you're recycling can actually put a little money back in your pocket? While Hillsborough County doesn't have a statewide bottle deposit law like some other places, there are still ways to cash in. You can often find local scrap metal yards that will take aluminum, and sometimes even certain plastics, for recycling. Check out places like Tampa Bay Scrap Metal or similar yards in the general Tampa Bay area. They're usually looking for bulk amounts, so it's a great excuse to gather up your neighbors' recyclables too!
Give Your Gently Used Stuff a Second Life Around Temple Terrace
Got items that are still good but you just don't need anymore? Before they end up in the trash, think about donating them! There are fantastic organizations right here in the Temple Terrace and wider Tampa Bay area that would love to give your old furniture, clothes, or household goods a new home. Consider dropping off items at a local Habitat for Humanity ReStore – they're always looking for usable building materials, furniture, and appliances. Also, keep an eye out for Goodwill or Salvation Army thrift stores nearby; they do a wonderful job of helping local families and keeping things out of the landfill.
Let's Keep Temple Terrace Beautiful: Tackling Trash Together
We all want Temple Terrace to look its best, right? If you ever notice any illegally dumped items – think old mattresses or bags of trash left where they shouldn't be – it's super helpful to report it. The City of Temple Terrace and Hillsborough County Solid Waste Management have ways to deal with this. You can usually report illegal dumping through the city's website or by calling their public works department. They often organize community clean-up events throughout the year too, which are a fun way to meet neighbors and make a real difference in our parks and streets.
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
When do I need to put my garbage carts on the curb in Temple Terrace?
City code requires that solid waste carts be placed at the curb no earlier than one hour before sunset on the day prior to your scheduled collection. They must be out by 7:00 a.m. on the collection day and removed from the curb by sunset that same evening.
Why didn't the city pick up my green recycling bin?
The Sanitation Division will tag and leave a recycling bin if it contains contamination. In Temple Terrace, the most common reasons for a rejected bin are the inclusion of glass bottles (which are prohibited) or failing to separate your metals and plastics from your paper and cardboard into different bins.
Does Temple Terrace provide a way to get rid of large furniture?
Yes. Every residential utility account is provided with one free annual bulk waste pickup for items that don't fit in standard carts. You must place the items at the curb and then call the Public Works Department at 813-506-6570 to notify them to schedule the truck.
What happens if a holiday falls on my garbage collection day?
If a city-observed holiday (like Thanksgiving or Labor Day) lands on your scheduled pickup day, service is canceled for that day. Temple Terrace does not push the schedule back by one day; instead, you must hold your refuse until your next regularly scheduled route day.