Solid Waste and Recycling

The Solid Waste and Recycling Division Provides full-service solid waste management to the residents of Lake Worth Beach which includes the collection of garbage, recycling, yard waste, and bulk waste. The Division also offers a full spectrum of services for commercial customers.

Residential Services

Garbage Collection

• Household garbage is collected 2 times per week. 

• Residents must use the black garbage cart provided by the City. 

• The lid must be closed on the cart and the opening must face the street with the wheels at the curb. 

• Cart should be placed at the curb with a 3 feet clear zone on all sides (away from parked cars, walls, mailboxes, fences, landscaping, etc.).

• Bags placed next to the cart will not be collected.

Yard Waste Collection

Yard Waste refers to debris from routine residential yard maintenance only.  Debris from land clearing or tree removal is not eligible to be collected at the curb.  On the scheduled service day, each residential property can place out their dark green cart in addition to a maximum of one (1) 4 cubic yard pile of yard waste for collection. 

Collection Guidelines

• Cut tree limbs, branches, logs and palm fronds into pieces that are no more than 4 feet in length or 50 lbs in weight (4/50 Rule).

• Make sure pile is neat and no larger than 4 cubic yards (the size of 2 refrigerators).

• Place loose vegetation like grass, leaves, tree and hedge trimmings, pine needles and coconuts in bags or in the dark green cart provided by the City.

• Do not place rocks, dirt or anything other than yard waste in the cart.

• Mangos and other fruit should go in the black cart as they are considered food waste.

• Do not place pile on top of water meters, under low branches or utility wires, or within 5 feet of mailboxes, parked cars, poles, or other obstacles.

• Do not place bulk out on scheduled yard waste day.  A Notice of Violation will be issued and fines will apply.

Bulk Collection

Bulk Waste is collected once per month on a scheduled day.  Place up to 4 cubic yards of bulk items at the curb, making sure that nothing is stacked on top of water meters, under low branches or utility wires, or within 5 feet of mailboxes, parked cars, poles, or other obstacles.

Acceptable materials include:

• Furniture

• Mattresses

• Appliances

• Box Springs

• Other large items that do not fit in garbage cart

Unacceptable materials include:

• Vegetation/yard waste of any kind

• Rocks and dirt

• Wood

• Glass

• Metal

• Car Parts

• Construction Debris including roofing materials, cabinets, doors, drywall, fencing, concrete, plumbing fixtures, tubs

• Tires

• Steel

• Hazardous Materials including oil, paint, and toxic chemicals

For safety reasons, please:

• Remove or seal doors on all appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, washers, and dryers so that children cannot crawl inside and become trapped.

• Glass items, such as mirrors and table tops, must be broken up, secured in a box and placed in black garbage cart.  Wear proper safety equipment, wrap glass in a blanket, break the glass, and safely place in a box.

Recycling Collection

The City provides recycling collection 1 time per week. Recycle Right by placing ONLY the following items in your bins:

Blue Bin:

• Plastic Bottles and Containers – Lids on; 2 gallons or less

• Cans, Food and Beverage

• Glass Bottles and Jars – Lids off

• Cartons, Milk and Juice – Lids on

• Drink Boxes – No pouches

Yellow Bin:

• Cardboard – Flattened and cut to 3’ x 3’

• Newspapers and Inserts – No plastic bags

• Office and School Paper

• Mail

• Magazines

• Dry Food Boxes – No food stains

• Paper Bags

• Cardboard Paper Rolls

• Pizza Boxes – No food stains (remove bottoms)

Please do not mix blue bin and yellow bin items into one container.

Keep these items out of your bins:

• Plastic Bags and Wrap (recycle at local grocery stores)

• Foam Products

• Aluminum Foil or Pans

• Shredded Paper

• Plastic Eating Utensils or Straws

• Paper Plates

• Paper Towels or Napkins

• Coat Hangers

• Light Bulbs

• Air Filters

• Needles

These items could endanger the safety of waste workers, harm the environment, or damage the recycling center.

When in doubt, throw it out!

Wondering if something is recyclable?  Search our database.

Commercial Services

Commercial Services

The City of Lake Worth Beach Solid Waste & Recycling Division is the exclusive provider of solid waste collection in the City. 

Garbage Collection Services

Notice: Commercial Waste Removal Customers

The City offers various options for the collection of garbage from commercial accounts.  Depending on the size and use of the property, customers can request one or more 95 gallon carts or various-sized dumpsters starting at 2 cubic yards up to 8 cubic yards.  Service is provided a minimum of 2 times per week up to 7 times per week.  Staff will work with the business to determine the level and type of service required.

If a property needs a dumpster, City ordinances require it to be in an enclosure and hidden from view.   Download our Dumpster Enclosure Requirements Brochure for building requirements, the application process and applicable City codes.

Roll-Off Services

In some instances, a roll-off dumpster or compactor is better suited for the permanent or temporary collection of waste from commercial properties.  The City has an agreement with Waste Management to be the exclusive provider of these services.  For pricing and service information, call Waste Management at 1-800-269-0073.

Recycling

Businesses generate a lot of waste and much of that is recyclable. The City is committed to providing recycling service to businesses that want to be environmentally-friendly and reduce waste. We have staff available to assist with all aspects of implementing a program at your office, restaurant, and any other type of establishment. Here’s what we can do for you:

• Meet with you to determine what your needs are

• Conduct a waste audit to learn what type of recyclable material is generated by your business

• Provide containers for inside (limited supply) and outside collection

• Provide training and education for your staff

• Provide educational materials

• Evaluate your garbage collection needs as you may be able to reduce collection frequency and/or reduce the size of your garbage dumpster which will reduce your costs

Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Right!

Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Right!

Recycling is a great way to help keep our environment happy! Recycling keeps valuable material from being disposed of and reduces our need for natural resources.  It allows us to turn something that is no longer useful into something of value.  Be sure to Recycle Right by following all collection guidelines.

Contamination – What’s the Big Deal?

A key to having a successful recycling program is keeping out the contamination.  Contamination is anything in the recycling bin that doesn’t belong there.  Sometimes, people think they are doing the right thing by placing an item into their recycling container that is not on the list of acceptable items in hopes that it will get recycled anyway.   Unfortunately, the item won’t get recycled, it causes processing costs to increase and, if there is too much contamination in a load of recycling, it may require disposal at significant cost to the City.  

Plastic bags are one of the largest sources of contamination.  Bags, wrap and other items made of plastic film are not accepted in the curbside recycling program and should not be placed in the bins.

One of the ways the City helps reduce contamination is with the special trucks we use.  They may look like regular garbage trucks, but they have an interior wall to separate the truck into two compartments. One side is for the mixed items, such as bottles and cans (blue bin), and the other side is for paper (yellow bin). Because it has two compartments, the materials never touch each other and this helps us to deliver a cleaner load to the recycling facility.

If you have an item that you are unsure if it can be recycled, search the What Goes Where? database to learn how to properly dispose of it.

Buy Recycled

When you purchase items made from recycled materials, you help close the loop on recycling.  It helps create a demand for the recycled material. Some examples of products with recycled content are:

• Copy paper, folders, binders and other office supplies

• Pens, pencils and crayons

• Playground rubber

• Ceiling tiles

• Flower pots

• Insulation

• Kitty litter

• Plastic toys

• Clothing and shoes

Donate!

Instead of throwing out your unwanted items, please consider donating them to local charities:

• Animal shelters always need your old sheets and towels.

• Extra non-perishable food can be donated to food pantries.

• Clothing, furniture, and other household items in good condition can be donated to various organizations and thrift stores.

• Senior Centers and Assisted Living Facilities would welcome puzzles and magazines.

• Schools are always looking for various donations of items such as school, office, and art supplies and gently used school uniforms.

Be sure to check with the organization you wish to donate to before you drop anything off.

Holiday Schedules

Holiday Collection Schedule

There is no solid waste and recycling service on the following holidays:

• Thanksgiving Day

• Christmas Day

If your service falls on one of these holidays, your service will resume on the next regularly scheduled collection day.  Collections missed due to these holidays will not be rescheduled. 

All other holidays have regular collection service.

Hurricane Information

Before, During, and After the Storm

Hurricane season is from June 1st through November 30th every year.  The best way to be prepared is to regularly maintain your yard year-round.  Here are some guidelines to help you prepare ahead of hurricane season and what to expect after the storm passes.

Pre-Hurricane Season Maintenance December Through April

All major cutting of vegetation (i.e., tree removal) should be completed long before

June 1st, the beginning of hurricane season. Do all major cutting/tree removal from December 1st through April 30th, after one hurricane season ends and another starts. The City provides removal of debris from routine yard maintenance throughout the year. If you are having trees removed or doing any other major cutting, be sure to have your contractor include the price of debris removal as part of their service. The City does not remove debris from contractors. 

TIP: Before doing major cutting or tree removal, contact the City Arborist, Dave McGrew, at 561-586-7433 to make sure you are complying with City codes.

• Cut back all trees and weak branches that could contact buildings.

• Trim foliage so wind can flow freely through branches, decreasing the chance that trees/plants will be uprooted.

• Place vegetation material from routine maintenance (up to 4 cubic yards – equivalent to 2 standard size refrigerators) at the curb on your regular scheduled collection day and follow the 4/50 rule (i.e., each piece cannot exceed 50 lbs in weight or 4 feet in length).

• Containerize small pieces of vegetation such as coconuts, pine needles, leaves, twigs, etc. in bags or your green vegetation cart and place at the curb the night before your scheduled collection day.

• Clean your yard of any items that could pose a danger to you or your neighbors in hurricane force winds, such as broken lawn furniture or old toys, and place curbside the night before your monthly bulk waste collection day. 

• Download the City’s Recycle Coach App and set it up to receive alerts.  This will allow you to receive important messages regarding your solid waste and recycling services.

Once a Storm has been Named

• Do not cut down trees or do major yard work.

• Do not begin construction projects that produce debris.

• Once a watch or warning has been issued, do not trim vegetation of any kind.

• Mass cutting places a tremendous burden on the collection and disposal processes and there is not enough equipment or manpower to handle the additional material before the storm makes landfall. You could put not only yourself at risk, but your neighbors as well.

• Do not take materials to the curb, transfer stations or landfill during a watch or warning period. Services may be suspended and facilities closed early to prepare for the storm.

• Items placed curbside prior to a storm MAY be collected, however, residents WILL RECEIVE A VIOLATION AND BE CHARGED ON YOUR UTILITY BILL FOR THE REMOVAL.

After the Storm has Passed

Please be patient.  It will take several days before we can start providing collection service.  Services cannot resume until the disposal facilities have re-opened.

• Keep household garbage, recycling and vegetative and/or construction storm debris in separate piles.

• The City’s number one priority is the collection of household garbage.

• Securely containerize all household garbage in the black garbage cart to be placed curbside the night before your scheduled day.

• Don’t place any debris near or on a fence, mailbox, power line equipment, poles, transformers, downed electrical wiring, water meters, fire hydrants or storm drains.

• Be prepared to repair possible damage to swale areas from the specialized equipment used to collect storm debris.

• Contact the Solid Waste & Recycling Division Customer Service Line at 561-533-7344 with any questions.  Please understand that our staff will be answering calls and checking messages as quickly as possible. If you leave a message please include your name, address, phone number and the issue/question.  Also, please mention if a return call is required.

• Look for service updates through the local media, Facebook, Instagram and the Recycle Coach app.

Once a major storm has passed, the Solid Waste & Recycling Division’s response plan includes the following tasks:

• Re-establishing normal household garbage and food waste collection is our first priority.

• It may be 3-6 weeks before the first collection of storm debris (vegetation and building material) is provided.

• Clean vegetation only will be collected on the first pass with construction debris and mixed loads (construction debris mixed with vegetation) on subsequent passes.

• Please do not call and ask that trucks be pulled from scheduled routes to pick up your own debris first. Deviation from carefully planned routes causes delays in the entire process and creates a burden to those with the greatest need.

Collecting debris following a hurricane can be an overwhelming task, but with the cooperation of our amazing community, the solid waste collection crews will be working hard to help our City recover as quickly as possible.

Non-compliance Violations

In an effort to keep the City clean and ensure compliance with Chapter 12, Health and Sanitation, of the City Code of Ordinances, employees of the Solid Waste & Recycling Division will leave Non-Compliance Notices for violations. (Make Chapter 12 a link to /fl/lake_worth_beach/codes/code_of_ordinances) The violations can vary from misuse of a container to illegal construction debris left at the curb.  Please note:

• The violation notice and collection can occur on the same day.

• All fines will be added to your next utility bill.

• Fees charged are in accordance with the City of Lake Worth Beach Schedule of Fees. 

To avoid receiving a Non-Compliance Notice, please follow all collection guidelines and schedules.  If you are unsure if you are in violation of our guidelines, contact us PRIOR to placing any items at the curb.

Roll-off Service

If you need to rent a roll-off for the collection of construction debris or for large projects such as tree removal, please contact Waste Management at

1-800-269-0073. They are the only provider authorized to provide this service within the City.

Cardboard Drop-off Locations

There are several locations within the City where you can drop off cardboard and paper:

• Parking Lot on the corner of North J Street and Lucerne Avenue (across from the Post Office)

• Parking Lot behind 701 Lake Avenue (on S K Street)

• Lake Worth Beach Golf Club – 1 7th Avenue N

• Gaslight Business District – 1937 10th Avenue N

• Lake Worth Commerce Center – 1100 Barnett Drive

Cardboard must be clean, flat, and free of packing materials.  Paper must be clean and loose, not in plastic bags.

Home Chemical Disposal

Home chemical products can be dangerous if not properly used, stored, or disposed.  When they are no longer needed, they are referred to as “Household Hazardous Waste” or HHW for short.  Examples of HHW include:

• Used Oil, Filters & Antifreeze

• Pesticides

• Gas Cylinders

• Fuel & Gas

• Flares

• Mercury & Fluorescent Lights

• Paint

• Electronics

• Household & Auto Batteries

• Used Cooking Oil

Anywhere along the disposal route – from your curb to the disposal facilities – chemicals can present a threat to the public, solid waste workers, and the environment if not properly disposed.  Residents are encouraged to separate HHW from their household garbage and dispose of it in an appropriate manner.

The Solid Waste Authority has Home Chemical & Recycling Centers for residents to properly dispose of HHW at no charge.  The closest location for the residents of the City of Lake Worth Beach is:

• 1810 Lantana Road Lantana, FL 33462 (across from Costco)

For more information, call the Solid Waste Authority 561-697-2700 or visit their website.

Alley Maintenance

According to Section 12-18 of the City Code of Ordinances, property owners or agents, tenants or lessees of all property improved or unimproved are responsible for maintaining one half of the alley adjacent to their property.  This means property owners or agents, tenants or lessees are required to keep their one half of the alley clean and free of debris and, failure to do so, may result in Code Enforcement action and a fine.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I pay for solid waste and recycling services?

Single family residents and multifamily properties with 8 or less units pay for services on their property tax bill. Multifamily properties with 9 or more units and commercial establishments pay for service on their utility bill.

How big is 4 cubic yards?

A good estimate is the size of 2 refrigerators.

What if I have more than 4 cubic yards of vegetation or bulk?

You can take the waste to a disposal facility yourself or you can request the City remove it for an extra charge.

What if my container is damaged or missing?

The City will repair or replace it free of charge. However, if the cause of damage is abuse, mutilation, or modification, customers are responsible for purchasing a replacement container from the City.

What should I do with the containers when I move?

The containers are the property of the City and they must remain with the house for use by the next resident.  Be sure to secure them in the garage or out of sight once you vacate the property.

Can I use my own container?

No, due to the type of collection equipment we use, we require the use of City-issued containers only.

Can I have more than one garbage cart?

Residents are provided with one cart per legal unit.

How do I get one of the big recycling carts on wheels?

The recycling carts are for residential properties with 4 or more units and commercial properties only.

How do I know which Zone I live in?

You can find your Zone by using our online map.

How do I dispose of items that the City does not collect?

Search our What Goes Where? Database for more information.

My pile of yard waste was collected, but the green cart was not.  How come?

We collect the pile using one type of truck and we collect the cart using another type of truck.