Trash and Recycling

The following are a few "do's and don'ts" for customers to keep in mind.

• Do face the front of the cart toward the street so the side arm can collect it. Please do not place the cart on the sidewalk or under low hanging limbs.
• Do store your empty carts behind the front building line on non-collection days, as required by City Code.
• Don't place the carts or yard waste cans at the curb until after 5 p.m. the day before collection. To be assured of pickup, place carts at the curb by 6 a.m. on the day of collection.
• If you have large items that won't fit in the cart, please call the City's ECO Division at 321-608-5080 or Waste Management at 321-723-4455 to schedule a bulk collection.

Each new residential customer can request either a 96-gallon, 64-gallon or 35-gallon cart for garbage and recycling if they are not already housed at the residence. These are sturdy, user-friendly carts with wheels. The cart with the green lid is for garbage only and the cart with the yellow lid is for recycling only.

Residents can also purchase additional carts from Waste Management for $70 each or can request a swap for a larger or smaller size garbage cart (35 gallon, 64 gallon or 96 gallon) for $25 by calling 321-723-4455.

For a special bulk yard waste collection, using the clam truck, please call Waste Management at 321-723-4455 or the City's ECO Division at 321-608-5080 to schedule.

Yard waste is collected once a week. Yard waste is anything that grows around your home or property and that you cut. This includes grass clippings, weeds, twigs, branches, palm fronds, leaves, etc. The key to prompt yard waste pickup at your home is proper preparation. Following are some points to remember:

• Yard waste must be cut to proper lengths and placed in containers for collection. Containers need to be plastic or metal and not exceed 40 gallons in capacity and not weigh more than 50 pounds.
• Do NOT use the recycling or trash cart for yard waste.
• Branches must be cut in lengths of four feet or less. All branches, leaves, twigs, berries, clippings, etc. must be placed in containers.
• Yard waste is NOT accepted in plastic bags or paper bags.
• When placing yard waste at the curb for collection, do not place it on or in storm drains or in any manner that could obstruct drainage.
• Make sure your yard waste is free of any other debris that is not yard waste (such as wood fencing, doors, landscaping timbers, etc.).
• Do not obstruct or conceal fire hydrants with yard waste.
• Do not place yard waste piles under power lines or trees.
• Do not place yard waste over water meters.
• Yard waste may not be placed on vacant lots, City streets, medians or parks.
• Yard waste generated by landscape contractors or tree removal workers must be disposed of by the contractor and is not included within the requirements of the City's sanitation contractor's responsibility.

When yard waste will not fit into cans or containers, it can be stacked near the roadway. The debris should not be on a curb, gutter, or water meter, and must not go into the street. The debris should not be placed under a power line or a large tree. Accepted placement procedures also include cutting limbs into four foot sections.

You must call Waste Management to request pick up of stacked yard waste that doesn’t fit in the cans: 321-723-4455. Waste Management no longer automatically picks up stacked yard waste without a request for service. If you have any questions, please call the City's ECO Division at 321-608-5080. 

During the summer and early fall, when hurricanes can bring high winds and heavy rains to Melbourne, residents and businesses are asked to take special care in the handling of yard waste. For instance, it is best to trim trees prior to the hurricane season to remove limbs that might break off during high winds.

Once a hurricane threat is approaching, everyone is asked to delay any landscape trimming until after the threat has passed. If yard waste is on hand, avoid placing it at the curb, since the material could potentially clog drainage structures or be picked up by high winds. If a hurricane threat causes the closing of the Brevard County landfills, collections by Waste Management will have to stop at that time.

Waste Management does not provide curbside collection of wood fencing or other Construction and Demolition material such as lumber, docks, plywood, pallets, and associated construction material that would be used to construct a building, house, fence, dock, garage, shed, etc. Residents are offered the following options:

• Take the wood to the Cocoa Landfill located at 2520 Adamson Road. Residents can dispose of the wood there themselves at no charge.

• Initiate Waste Management Bagster service. Bagsters can be purchased at local home improvement retailers and hold up to 3,300 pounds of debris and waste. For more information, visit The Bagster or call Waste Management: 321-723-4455.

• Establish service with a rolloff service provider.

• Waste Management can schedule curbside collection upon request for an additional charge.

For more information, contact Waste Management at 321-723-4455.

The Sarno Landfill/Transfer Station, located at 3379 Sarno Road, has a household hazardous waste facility open to Brevard County residents on Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

They accept household chemicals including aerosol cans, cleaners, fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, pesticides, automotive batteries, fluorescent bulbs, paint (latex or oil), paint remover, paint thinner, pool chemicals, solvents, thermometers, thermostats, and wood preservatives.

Electronics are also accepted including flat screen TVs and monitors, VCRs, cell phones, computers, copiers, printers, fax machines, scanners, digital cameras, stereo equipment and telephones.

For more information, call 321-255-4452.