Holiday Recycling and Waste Tips for Palm Beach County Residents
♬ Walking You Through a Waste Wonderland ♬
County Commissioner Robert S Weinroth’s office reminds you the holidays are here, and with them gifts, good times and … garbage!
Here is everything you need to know about metal and copper recycling opportunities and weird winter wastes.
There is no garbage, yard waste and recycling collection services in unincorporated Palm Beach County and all SWA facilities are closed on Christmas Day (Saturday, Dec. 25, 2021). There is no make-up collection day.
However, under the new collection service contract using standardized garbage carts, garbage will be collected outside of the cart from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1. The garbage must be properly secured in plastic bags weighing less than 50 pounds when filled. Residents should place all waste normally collected on these days curbside by 6AM.
New Year’s Day (Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022) will not affect your scheduled garbage, recycling, yard waste and bulk waste collection services in unincorporated Palm Beach County. All material should be at the curb on New Year’s Day by 6AM as collection service may be much earlier than normal.
Residents in unincorporated Palm Beach County can always see their updated collection schedule, set reminders, and sign up for collection information by clicking the “My Pick-Up Days” button at SWA.org.
County residents living in one of Palm Beach County’s 39 municipalities should contact their municipality directly for their holiday collection schedule. A list of municipal contacts can be found online.
Resolve to Recycle
Many of us celebrate the values we hold most dear at this time of year. Thank you for making Recycling Right a part of your holidays.
Many food and drink containers can be recycled in your blue recycling bin, including:
- 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 or straws
The yellow recycling bin is the place for all fiber, including:
- Cardboard – Flattened with packaging removed. Palm Beach County residents can also take oversized cardboard to one of more than 250 community cardboard drop-off locations.
- Newspapers and Inserts – No plastic bags
- Office and School Paper
- Magazines
- Dry Food Boxes – No food stains
- Paper Bags
- Cardboard Paper Rolls
- Pizza Boxes – No food stains; tear the stained side off
Thank you for not placing these items in your blue or yellow recycling bins:
- Plastic Bags
- Foam Products
- Aluminum Foil or Pans
- Shredded Paper
- Plastic Eating Utensils or Straws
- Paper Plates
- Paper Towels or Napkins
- Coat Hangers
- Light Bulbs
- Needles
For more information about Recycling Right, or to order new recycling bins, call 866-NEW-BINS (866-639-2467) or visit SWA.org/RecycleRight.
Electronics Recycling and Home Chemical Disposal
Are you upgrading your electronics or cleaning out the garage after setting up the decorations? Palm Beach County residents can bring outdated devices and wastes such as holiday lights, used cooking oil, old paint, fluorescent light bulbs, batteries, automotive fluids, and more to any of the seven Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County Home Chemical and Recycling Centers. Watch the SWA’s fun parody video on disposing of home chemicals.
See the full list of all of the hazardous waste items accepted in the SWA’s program online.
Tips for other items:
- Unincorporated Palm Beach County residents can place their live Christmas tree curbside on the regular yard waste collection day. Remember to remove all decorations, lights and tinsel.
- Pre-lit and artificial trees should be discarded as trash (check out our video explaining this).
- Plastic bags and film (like wrap on water bottle cases) can be recycled at most local supermarkets in special bins. Soiled bags and film should go in the trash.
- Foam food trays and egg cartons can be recycled at most local supermarkets in special bins.
- Oversized and large volumes of flattened cardboard boxes may be recycled at any of the Home Chemical and Recycling Centers or at one of the hundreds of community drop-off locations.
- Holiday ornaments, decorative pieces, clothing and toys that are in good condition can be donated to a local nonprofit, church or shelter to be reused.
- Tree trimmings such as tinsel and garland should be discarded as trash. Palm Beach County residents can bring holiday lights to any of the seven Home Chemical and Recycling Centers.
- Excess trash can be taken to any of the SWA’s transfer stations [swa.org] or the North County Landfill during regular hours, but there is a nominal charge for disposal.
Much more information is available online at SWA.org. Residents can also contact SWA Customer Service with their questions or comments at 561-697-2700, toll-free at 866-SWA-INFO (866-792-4636).
County Commissioner Weinroth and is staff wish you and your family a Happy Holiday Season!
As always, Commissioner Weinroth and his staff (Lucia, Yailen and Caitlin) are here to assist you with your county issues. Feel free to reach out via phone (561.355.2204) or email (RWeinroth@PBCGov.org).
