Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Winter Haven
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 Bin (Trash)
Place all garbage inside the green container. All trash must be bagged and securely tied. Place the cart curbside by 7:00 AM with the handle facing your home, leaving 3 feet of clearance on all sides.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Shredded paper
- ✓Tissue and paper towels
Blue Bin (Recycling)
All items must be empty, clean, and dry. Do not bag recyclables; place them loosely into the blue cart. Cart must be curbside by 7:00 AM.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard (flattened)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Metal and aluminum cans
- ✓Office paper, magazines, and mail
- ✓Plastic bottles and containers
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Shredded paper
- ✕Glitter or mylar paper
- ✕Tissue or paper towels
- ✕Hot ashes
- ✕Medical waste or paint
Yard Waste Bin
Do not put yard waste in the green trash cart. Branches must be cut to 4 feet or less. Leaves and clippings must be bagged or bundled. Must schedule a brush pickup for large piles via Access Winter Haven.
Accepted Items
- ✓Tree trimmings
- ✓Yard vegetation
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Bushes and branches
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By scheduled appointment only
Placement
Place items curbside by 7:00 AM on your scheduled day, keeping them at least 3 feet away from your carts, hydrants, and mailboxes. Bend over any nails protruding from lumber.
Accepted
- ✓ Appliances (refrigerators, water heaters, dryers)
- ✓ Furniture (couches, mattresses, armchairs)
- ✓ Bagged or bundled brush (cut to 4 feet)
- ✓ Non-horticultural refuse
Not Accepted
- ✕ Contractor-generated construction debris
- ✕ Hazardous waste and paint
- ✕ Medical waste
- ✕ Dirt and rocks
Up to 5 cubic yards of yard waste is free; excess is $7.36/yard. Appliances cost ~$17.58 each, furniture ~$14.69 each, and non-horticultural refuse ~$15.67 per cubic yard (rates subject to change).
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When a holiday falls on a weekday, collections for that day and the remainder of the week typically shift forward by one day (e.g., Thursday routes move to Friday, Friday routes to Saturday).
Yard Waste Exception
All vegetation will be serviced one day later all week. Additionally, absolutely no bulk pick-ups will be scheduled during holiday weeks.
Verify the exact schedule via the Access Winter Haven portal, as shifts vary depending on whether the holiday lands on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Shredded Paper Out of Recycling
Paper smaller than a credit card, including shredded paper, causes severe jams in the city's sorting machines and cannot be accurately separated at the facility. Always throw shredded paper into your green garbage cart.
Empty, Clean, and Dry
Give your plastic containers, glass jars, and metal cans a quick rinse to remove food residue before tossing them in the blue cart. Wet or sticky items can ruin a whole load of recyclable paper and cardboard.
The 3-Foot Clearance Rule
Winter Haven uses automated trucks that require at least three feet of clearance around your bins. Keep carts away from mailboxes, fire hydrants, low-hanging trees, and parked cars so the mechanical arm can safely grab them.
Seasonal Information
Hurricane Season
June - NovemberDuring peak tropical weather, avoid major tree pruning or placing bulk yard waste at the curb if a storm warning is active. High winds can scatter unsecured branches into the Chain of Lakes or turn them into dangerous projectiles.
Late Winter Pruning
February - MarchMany residents do major yard cleanups after the last frost in late February. Remember that large piles of brush exceeding 5 cubic yards will incur a $7.36 fee per additional cubic yard, so plan large landscape cleanups accordingly.
Holiday Delays
November - DecemberDuring Thanksgiving and Christmas, normal collection schedules typically shift forward by one day. Keep in mind that no bulk pick-ups will be scheduled during holiday weeks to accommodate the heavy volume of household waste.
About Winter Haven Waste Management
Automated Municipal Services and Cart Colors
The City of Winter Haven Solid Waste Division provides automated cart service for residential households strictly inside the city limits. Residents use green carts for household trash and blue carts for single-stream recycling. All carts must be placed curbside by 7:00 AM on your assigned day. If you live just outside the city limits and have grey and black carts, your solid waste is managed separately by Polk County.
The 'A La Carte' Appointment-Based Bulk System
Winter Haven handles bulk junk differently than cities with standardized weekly sweep days. Discarding bulky items like couches, appliances, or oversized non-horticultural refuse requires a scheduled appointment through the Access Winter Haven portal. While up to 5 cubic yards of brush and yard waste is collected for free, bulk items like refrigerators and mattresses incur specific per-item fees that are billed directly to your account.
Strict 'No-Bag' Recycling Policy
Flimsy plastic bags are the most disruptive contaminant in Winter Haven's recycling streams, often tangling the sorting gears at the processing plant. The city strictly mandates that all recyclables must remain loose, clean, and dry inside the blue cart. Recyclables wrapped in plastic grocery or trash bags will be treated as contamination, and your blue cart may be left uncollected.
Protecting the Chain of Lakes from Yard Debris
Surrounded by a vast network of lakes and canals, Winter Haven enforces specific yard waste rules to prevent nutrient runoff and flooding. Grass clippings, leaves, and trimmings must never be blown into storm drains, swales, or waterways. Large residential brush piles must be bundled or bagged, and branches must be cut to 4 feet or shorter to qualify for the city's complimentary 5-cubic-yard brush pickup.
Drop-off Facilities
North Central Landfill
7215 East Highway 540, Winter Haven, FL 33880
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I have city or county trash service in Winter Haven?
If your home is within the Winter Haven city limits, you will have a green garbage cart and a blue recycling cart. If you have a grey garbage cart and a black recycling cart, your service is handled by Polk County, not the city.
How do I get rid of an old couch or refrigerator?
Winter Haven offers bulk pick-up as an 'a la carte' service. You must schedule the pickup through the Access Winter Haven portal. There is a fee per item (e.g., around $17 for appliances and $14 for furniture) that will be billed to you.
Can I recycle shredded paper in my blue bin?
No. Shredded paper is too small for the sorting machines to process properly and it frequently causes mechanical jams. Throw any paper smaller than the size of a credit card into your green garbage cart.
What happens to my trash pickup if there is a holiday?
The city observes major holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Memorial Day. Generally, if your pickup day falls on a holiday, it is delayed by one day, and subsequent days that week are also pushed back one day. No bulk pickups are scheduled during holiday weeks.