Delray Beach Trash & Recycling Schedule
Official garbage collection rules, bin guidelines, and holiday schedules for residents of Delray Beach, Florida.
Find Your Exact Pickup Days
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📍 View Official Collection MapService Provider
City of Delray Beach Solid Waste / Waste Management
Phone Number
561-243-7000Facility Address
100 NW 1st Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33444
Collection Schedule
Garbage is collected twice weekly, with recycling and yard waste collected once a week.
Bin Colors
Gray for garbage, Yellow bin for paper, Blue bin for plastics/glass.
Guidelines & Rules
🎄 Holiday Delays
Service is typically delayed by one day during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
🛋️ Bulk Waste Pickup
Bulk waste is collected weekly on the second garbage day of the week.
⚠️ Important Guidelines
Recycling is managed regionally by the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County (SWA) using a dual-bin system.
Comprehensive Guide & Details
Residential Garbage Guidelines and Collection Times
Living in the vibrant coastal community of Delray Beach means adhering to strict sanitation guidelines to keep our streets beautiful. The city's Solid Waste Division conducts residential garbage collection twice a week. Homeowners must ensure their city-approved trash carts or tightly sealed heavy-duty bags are placed at the curb no later than 6:00 a.m. on their scheduled mornings. To comply with local ordinances, refuse cannot be placed out before 3:00 p.m. on the day prior to collection. Once the route is completed, all empty bins must be brought back onto your property and hidden from public view by midnight. Keeping containers off the street after hours helps prevent pedestrian hazards and maintains the neighborhood's aesthetic appeal.
Palm Beach County Dual-Stream Recycling Requirements
Unlike neighboring municipalities that use a single-stream approach, Delray Beach participates in the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County's dual-stream recycling program. This system utilizes two distinct bins to reduce contamination. The Yellow Bin is exclusively for paper products, including newspapers, magazines, mail, and flattened corrugated cardboard. The Blue Bin is reserved for rinsed plastic containers, glass bottles, milk jugs, and aluminum or steel cans. Plastic grocery bags, styrofoam, and loose wire are strictly forbidden in either bin. Recycling is picked up once a week, and keeping these streams properly separated ensures that the maximum amount of material is successfully processed and diverted from local landfills.
Disposing of Yard Clippings and Landscape Debris
Maintaining tropical landscaping generates significant vegetation, and the city provides once-weekly yard waste removal. Residents can set out up to six cubic yards of unbagged yard debris per week. Tree branches, palm fronds, and limbs must be cut to lengths of six feet or less, and no single piece can weigh more than fifty pounds. Do not mix any household trash, fencing, or construction lumber into your vegetation piles, as this will trigger a code violation and the pile will be left behind. Always place yard clippings on the swale away from storm drains, mailboxes, and overhead utility lines so the grappling trucks can operate safely.
Appliance and Furniture Bulk Outings
When it is time to discard oversized household items like worn-out couches, old mattresses, or broken washing machines, Delray Beach residents can utilize the weekly bulk pickup service. You are permitted to place up to three large items at the curb on your designated bulk day. For safety reasons, Florida law mandates that all doors must be completely removed from refrigerators or freezers before they are left outside. If your pile exceeds the three-item limit or contains prohibited materials like roofing tiles, concrete, or vehicle parts, you will need to haul those directly to the local transfer station or hire a private junk removal contractor.
Holiday Adjustments and Reporting Missed Service
The sanitation department works diligently year-round, but regular routes are suspended on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. If your standard collection falls on either of these two holidays, your refuse will simply be picked up on your next regularly scheduled day, as there are no next-day rollover shifts. For all other holidays, operations continue as normal. If you followed all placement rules, had your items out before 6:00 a.m., and still experienced a missed pickup, you can report the issue directly to the Delray Beach Solid Waste Division by calling their main dispatch line to arrange a courtesy recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When is trash collected in Delray Beach?
A: Garbage is collected twice weekly, with recycling and yard waste collected once a week.
Q: How does the holiday schedule affect garbage pickup?
A: Service is typically delayed by one day during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Q: Which bins should I use for trash and recycling?
A: Gray for garbage, Yellow bin for paper, Blue bin for plastics/glass.
Q: How can I schedule a bulk waste pickup?
A: Bulk waste is collected weekly on the second garbage day of the week.
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