Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for West Melbourne
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)
All trash must be placed securely inside the cart with the lid closed. Trash left outside the cart will not be collected by the automated trucks. Bagging your trash is highly recommended to prevent odors and pests.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Soiled paper towels
- ✓Chip bags and to-go containers
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Dirty diapers
Yellow Lid Cart Bin (Recycling)
Items must be loose inside the recycling cart. Do not bag recyclables. Rinse out all food residue before tossing items in the bin.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs
- ✓Aluminum, tin, and steel cans
- ✓Newspaper, office paper, and junk mail
- ✓Flattened cardboard
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags (of any kind)
- ✕Tanglers (cords, wires, hoses, holiday lights)
- ✕Electronics and batteries
- ✕Propane tanks and needles
- ✕Scrap metal and auto parts
- ✕Bubble wrap
Yard Waste Bin
All yard waste must be placed unbagged inside the 96-gallon brown-lidded cart. Bagged yard waste is strictly rejected by the county landfill. Do not leave small piles on the ground.
Accepted Items
- ✓Small branches
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Palm fronds
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By Appointment Only
Placement
Once your appointment is confirmed, place items at the curb no more than 24 hours in advance. Do not place items under low-hanging trees, power lines, or near water meters and fire hydrants.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, tables, chairs)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Large appliances (white goods)
- ✓ Large, un-containerized vegetative debris piles (via clam truck)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris (drywall, concrete)
- ✕ Wood fencing
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals)
- ✕ Auto parts and tires
Standard bulky item pickups are typically accommodated upon request, but residents should always confirm with Waste Management if their specific load size or material type will incur an extra fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If your scheduled collection day falls on an observed holiday, your trash and carted yard waste will not be collected until your NEXT regularly scheduled collection day. However, your recycling will be serviced on the NEXT business day.
Yard Waste Exception
Carted yard waste (in the brown-lidded bin) follows the exact same holiday skip schedule as standard household trash.
Waste Management operates on all other minor holidays. If the holiday is not on the observed list above, place your carts out by 6:00 a.m. as usual.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Banish the Plastic Bags
Never place your recyclables inside a plastic garbage bag or grocery bag. In West Melbourne, all items in the yellow-lidded cart must be kept loose to ensure they can be efficiently separated at the Materials Recovery Facility.
Keep the 'Tanglers' Out
Extension cords, wire hangers, garden hoses, and holiday string lights are severe hazards in the recycling stream. These items wrap around the spinning discs at the sorting plant and should always go in the green trash cart if they cannot be donated.
Say No to Bagged Yard Debris
The Brevard County Landfill prohibits plastic bags mixed with vegetative debris. If you bag your leaves and grass clippings, Waste Management will flag your brown-lidded cart and leave it uncollected at the curb.
Seasonal Information
Hurricane Season
June to NovemberWhen a severe storm approaches, immediately secure all three carts in your garage. Do not place yard debris or bulk trash on the curb right before a hurricane. After a storm, the city will dispatch specialized storm debris contractors; do not mix your yard debris with construction fencing or shingles.
Winter Holidays
December to JanuaryDuring the holidays, remember that bubble wrap, ribbons, and holiday string lights are strictly prohibited from the yellow recycling cart. Flatten all shipping boxes so they fit entirely inside the yellow cart with the lid shut.
Spring Cleaning
March to MayIf you are undertaking major spring cleaning or a landscaping overhaul, do not overload your regular carts. Call Waste Management at 321-723-4455 to schedule a bulk pickup or a special clam truck service for massive brush piles.
About West Melbourne Waste Management
Automated Cart System in West Melbourne
The City of West Melbourne utilizes a fully automated curbside collection system managed by Waste Management (WM). Each residence is equipped with three distinct, heavy-duty rolling carts: a green-lidded cart for household trash, a yellow-lidded cart for single-stream recycling, and a brown-lidded cart exclusively for yard waste. Because automated trucks use mechanical lifting arms, residents must ensure carts are placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. with the lid opening facing the street and the wheels facing the house. A strict minimum clearance of three feet is required between carts, mailboxes, and parked cars.
Strict 'No Bags' Rule for Yard Waste
Maintaining a pristine lawn in Florida means generating frequent yard clippings, but West Melbourne enforces rigorous disposal rules. Bagged yard waste is strictly prohibited and will not be accepted at the Brevard County Landfill. All small branches, grass clippings, leaves, and palm fronds must be placed loosely inside your brown-lidded 96-gallon yard waste cart. The city does not permit small, loose piles on the ground. For massive pruning jobs that exceed cart capacity, residents must call Waste Management directly to schedule a specialized 'clam truck' pickup.
Mastering the Yellow-Lidded Recycling Cart
West Melbourne employs a single-stream recycling system, meaning all approved paper fibers and rigid containers are commingled in the yellow-lidded cart. Acceptable materials include glass bottles, cardboard, plastic jugs and tubs, and metal cans. It is imperative that these items remain completely loose. Do not bundle your recyclables in plastic grocery bags, as the thin film wraps around the sorting machinery at the processing facility and causes extensive damage. When in doubt about an item, default to the green trash cart to avoid contaminating a whole truckload of clean recyclables.
Scheduling Bulky Waste and Clam Truck Collections
Unlike some municipalities that offer designated neighborhood bulk sweep days, West Melbourne requires an on-demand approach for oversized items. If you need to discard old furniture, mattresses, or large appliances, you cannot simply drag them to the curb and expect them to vanish. Residents must actively call Waste Management at 321-723-4455 to schedule a bulk pickup appointment. Placing bulky waste or large un-containerized yard debris on the swale without prior authorization can result in code enforcement violations.
Safe Disposal of Household Hazardous Waste
West Melbourne residents must never place hazardous chemicals, paint, or electronics into any of the curbside carts. These toxic items pose severe fire and environmental risks if compacted inside a standard garbage truck. For safe disposal, residents have access to the nearby Sarno Landfill and Transfer Station in Melbourne. This facility hosts a Household Hazardous Waste center open Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., accepting items like pool chemicals, pesticides, flat-screen televisions, and fluorescent bulbs at no charge to Brevard County residents.
Drop-off Facilities
Sarno Landfill & Transfer Station (Household Hazardous Waste Facility)
3379 Sarno Road, Melbourne, FL 32934
Materials Accepted
Brevard County Central Disposal Facility
2250 Adamson Road, Cocoa, FL 32926
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get rid of an old couch or mattress in West Melbourne?
You cannot simply leave large furniture at the curb on your regular trash day. West Melbourne requires residents to schedule all bulky waste collections by calling Waste Management customer service directly at 321-723-4455.
Can I put my yard waste in plastic garbage bags?
No. Bagged yard waste is strictly prohibited and will not be accepted by the Brevard County Landfill. You must place all small branches, leaves, and grass clippings loosely into your brown-lidded yard waste cart.
What happens to my garbage pickup if a holiday falls on my service day?
Waste Management observes Memorial Day, July 4th, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. If your trash or yard waste day falls on one of these holidays, your service will be skipped and collected on your next regularly scheduled day. Recycling will be picked up on the following business day.
Why didn't the automated truck pick up the extra bags next to my green cart?
The automated collection trucks used in West Melbourne require all household garbage to be placed completely inside the green-lidded cart. Drivers do not exit the cab to pick up loose bags or boxes left on the ground.