Services and Policies

Place garbage other than yard waste in container; close lid; be sure nothing hangs down sides of barrel.
Yard waste is recycled. Bag or box uncontaminated leaves and grass clippings; cut tree limbs and brush into four foot lengths and bundle. Place at curb, not in your black barrel.
Place container at curb no earlier than 7:00 p.m. on the night prior to collection day, and no later than 7:00 a.m. that morning. Remove container from curb no later than 7:00 a.m. on the day following collection. Place container within two feet of the curb with handle facing away from curb. Do not place container within three feet of your recycling bin or other obstructions, i.e., mailboxes, parked cars, trees and guidewires. The solid waste truck is on a scheduled route, and cannot return if container is not put out as described above.
It is your responsibility to keep your container clean. Wash it periodically with a hose and mild soap.
Drain and wrap wet garbage prior to placing in your container. Bag lightweight material (Styrofoam "peanuts," shredded paper, etc.)
Do not place the following items in your container: hot ashes, yard waste, concrete, electronics, dirt, sod, sand, plaster, carpeting, lumber, plasterboard, concrete, bricks, roofing shingles or any other construction, remodeling or demolition debris.
It is illegal to dispose of the following materials in your container: tires, auto batteries, pool chemicals, toxic or flammable items or liquid paint. Paint cans will get crushed and leak onto your streets. Leave lids off latex paint cans to allow the paint to dry out, or saturate with newspaper, then place in container.
Oil-based paint, other chemicals, and electronics must be disposed of at the County's Household Electronics & Chemical Collection Center, or at scheduled mobile chemical collection events. Call (727) 464-7500 for information.

Residential Container Maintenance

Contact the Solid Waste/General Services Department at (727) 562-4920 and report the type of damage or repair required and give the service address of your residence.
Containers needing repair or replacement must be emptied, washed out and placed at the curb.
The City is not responsible for repair or replacement of containers at no charge when damage is caused by abuse or negligence.

Recycling Programs

A curbside/curbsort recycling program operates in Clearwater. An 18-gallon yellow recycling container is provided to each household, and collection is weekly. Materials collected are mixed paper, newspaper, aluminum cans, steel cans and #1 and #2 plastic bottles. On rainy days, either hold your recyclables for the next week's collection, or place paper in plastic bags, which our drivers will leave with your bin.

Up to 3 extra bins per household are available for cost plus $1 handling each, and convenient recycling bins with wheel kits attached can be purchased for cost plus $1 apiece. Call (727) 562-4930 with your order.

Please note: It is unlawful for anyone but authorized City personnel "...to remove recyclables or any marketable materials from solid waste placed out for collection. Such an act is declared "scavenging" and is punishable by a fine of $500.00 per incident." --City Ordinance 6391-99, Sec. 32.274 (4) (See Solid Waste Ordinance -- Adobe® PDF format.)

The following materials can be taken to the City's recycling dropoff center at the City of Clearwater Solid Waste/General Services Complex, 1701 N. Hercules Ave., Clearwater:

Cereal and other food boxes
Computer paper
File folders
Junk mail
Magazines & catalogs
Newspaper
Office paper
Paper grocery bags
Shredded paper (please bag in a brown grocery bag or other paper bag)
Soft cover books
Telephone books
Window envelopes
Wrapping paper
Any other paper item that tears

Wood
Metal (although paper clips & staples are okay)
Food waste
Glass
Construction debris
Plastics
Any non-paper items

"It shall be unlawful for any person to discard any solid waste, other than designated recyclable material, in a collection center container or vehicle or on the site at which a collection center is located." -- Section 106-1., Pinellas County Code.

Specialized containers have been placed at condominiums, apartment complexes and mobile home parks for weekly collection of recyclables. If you do not have service, call (727) 562-4930.

Yard waste is converted into weed-free mulch at the Pinellas County mulching facility. It is then offered back free to citizens at the Solid Waste/General Services Complex, 1701 N. Hercules Ave., and at Moccasin Lake Nature Park, 2750 Park Trail Lane. Christmas trees are also collected each year and recycled into mulch.

This material is collected on a special route and recycled separately from other waste. Call (727) 562-4920 for pick up. There is no extra charge for this service.

Recyclables collected from Clearwater businesses include corrugated cardboard, mixed paper, steel and aluminum cans and newspaper. Dumpsters or 90-gal. carts are provided, and rates vary depending on container size and frequency of pick up. In every case, recycling will result in savings over the solid waste rates.

Commercial customers interested in recycling can call (727) 562-4930 for further information and to arrange a waste audit at no charge.

Informational and promotional material on recycling, waste reduction and buying recycled is available to Clearwater citizens and customers. Speeches and presentations are given on request to schools, businesses and civic organizations. Recycling displays are set up at community events and fairs. Call (727) 562-4933 ext 3 for more information.

Solid Waste Special Services

In addition to twice-weekly garbage collection, the Solid Waste/General Services Department provides for the collection of yard waste and scrap metal (see Recycling), bulk debris and miscellaneous household items. All such discarded material should be placed at the curb on your trash day, not in your black barrel. It should be placed out no earlier than 48 hours in advance of a scheduled pick-up and should not present a health or safety hazard to the general public.

Yard waste
Household appliances, steel, aluminum and any other metal products
Miscellaneous - furniture, beds, etc. (Small items such as dishes, lamps, clothing, etc., should be bagged or boxed.)

The Solid Waste/General Services Department's "Jaws" truck is equipped with a clam bucket attached to a hydraulically-operated boom with a 400 lb. weight capacity. Its purpose is to collect bulk debris that is too heavy to be picked up by a solid waste worker, or too large for standard rear end loader collection. Debris placed at the curb for collection by this truck should be placed in an area free from obstructions (overhead wires, trees, poles or mailboxes). Logs over 4" in diameter and tree stumps should be kept separate from other yard waste and will be picked up by this "Jaws" truck. Call (727) 562-4920.

The Solid Waste/General Services Department's trucks are subject to weight limits. Therefore, if you will be generating heavy debris from remodeling or construction work that requires a City permit, please call the Solid Waste/General Services Department at (727) 562-4920 for information on our roll-off service.

All debris generated within the City by a yard maintenance contractor (tree surgeon, landscaper or other) must be removed by the contractor and disposed of legally or used by the property owner as mulch or firewood, or other domestic use. -- City Ordinance 6391-99, Sec. 32.282(1). (See Solid Waste Ordinance -- Adobe Acrobat PDF format.)

Roll-Off Service

The Solid Waste/General Services Department provides complete roll-off service for all 10 to 40 cubic yard open-top containers and compactors. We offer competitive rates and prompt, professional service. For more information, call (727) 562-4920.

Commercial Collection Service

Businesses and organizations supplied with Dumpsters should follow these guidelines:

Dumpsters that are visible at ground level from any public right-of-way or adjacent property must be concealed in a gated enclosure with a reinforced concrete pad. Enclosures must be constructed so the Dumpster is accessible to users and refuse collection trucks, and must conform to City of Clearwater specifications. For assistance or questions, call (727) 562-4920.
Do not block Dumpster enclosures with vehicles or other obstructions.
Do not overload containers or place objects on top of closed lids.
Cut pipes or boards into short lengths so they will not stick out of, or become wedged in, the container.
Do not place the following materials in the container: concrete, dirt, sod, sand, plaster or other heavy building materials, electronics, paint, tar, hot ashes, flammable, hazardous or biomedical waste, auto batteries and tires.
Drain and wrap wet garbage prior to placing in the container.

The Solid Waste/General Services Department offers a commercial recycling program, collecting corrugated cardboard and other materials from businesses (see Recycling). Call (727) 562-4930 for information.

Call the Solid Waste/General Services Department at (727) 562-4920 to report containers needing service or repair.

Please provide the ID number painted on the container's front, and the service address. Describe type of damage or service needed. Ensure container is easily accessible on day of scheduled repair or service.

Solid Waste/General Services