Walking You through a Waste Wonderland
Boca Raton, FL – The holidays are nearly here, and along with them comes gifts, good times and … garbage! Here is everything you need to know about your recycling opportunities and weird winter wastes.
There is no garbage, yard waste or recycling collection service in unincorporated Palm Beach County and all SWA facilities are closed on Christmas Day (Monday, Dec. 25, 2023). There is no make-up collection day. There will be normal scheduled collection service for unincorporated residents on Christmas Eve (Sunday, Dec. 24), New Year’s Eve (Sunday, Dec. 31) and New Year’s Day (Monday, Jan. 1, 2024). Residents in unincorporated parts of the county should place all waste normally collected on these days curbside by 6 a.m. They may also place garbage 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 in unincorporated Palm Beach County can always see their updated collection schedule, set reminders and sign up for collection information on the “My Pick-Up Days” webpage.
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 taking steps to Recycle Right as 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; two gallons or less
• Food and beverage cans
• Glass bottles and jars – Lids off
• Milk and juice cartons – 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 and pizza boxes – No food stains
• Paper bags
• Cardboard paper rolls
Thank you for not placing these items into your blue or yellow recycle bins:
• Plastic bags
• Foam products
• Aluminum foil or pans
• Shredded paper
• Plastic eating utensils or straws
• Paper plates
• Paper towels or napkins
• Lithium batteries
• Coat hangers
• Light bulbs
• Needles
For more information about how to Recycle Right in Palm Beach County, 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 & Recycling Centers. Watch the SWA’s fun parody video on disposing of home chemicals.
The SWA’s locations include (from north county to south county):
- Jupiter
North County Transfer Station and Home Chemical & Recycling Center
14185 Military Trail (SWA Road) in Jupiter
Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
- West Palm Beach
Home Chemical & Recycling Center
6161 N. Jog Road in West Palm Beach
Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Belle Glade
Glades Regional Transfer Station and Home Chemical & Recycling Center
1701 State Road 15 in Belle Glade
Monday-Friday: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
- Royal Palm Beach
West Central Transfer Station and Home Chemical & Recycling Center
9743 Weisman Way in Royal Palm Beach
Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Lantana
Central County Transfer Station and Home Chemical & Recycling Center
1810 Lantana Road in Lantana
Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m.-12 p.m.
- Delray Beach – West
Southwest County Transfer Station and Home Chemical & Recycling Center
13400 South State Road 7 in Delray Beach
Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
- Delray Beach – East
South County Transfer Station and Home Chemical & Recycling Center
1901 SW 4th Ave. in Delray Beach
Monday-Friday: 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday: 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
The full list of all the hazardous waste items accepted in the SWA’s program is online.
Battery Disposal
Batteries that go along with these electronics could start a fire in waste trucks or at the SWA’s recycling facility if disposed of irresponsibly. Batteries such as rechargeable, nickel-cadmium, automotive, lithium or lead-acid should be dropped off at one of the SWA’s seven Home Chemical & Recycling Centers. Your regular alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D and 9 volt) can be placed into the garbage bin without fear of starting a fire. More than 216,000 pounds of batteries were dropped off at the SWA’s HCRCs last year.
Tips for Other Waste Items:
- Unincorporated Palm Beach County residents can place their live holiday tree that is eight feet or less curbside on their regular yard waste collection day. Trees larger than eight feet long should be cut in half. Remember to remove all decorations, lights and tinsel.
- Pre-lit and artificial trees should be discarded as trash.
- Plastic bags and film (like wrap on water bottle cases) can be recycled at most local supermarkets in special bins or at any of the SWA’s seven Home Chemical & Recycling Centers. Soiled bags and film should go into 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 SWA’s seven Home Chemical & Recycling Centers or at one of 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 SWA’s seven Home Chemical & Recycling Centers.
- Excess trash can be taken to the SWA’s Customer Convenience Drop-off Center at the North County Landfill during regular hours. Note: There is a nominal charge for disposal.
Much more recycling information is available online. Residents can also contact SWA Customer Information Services with their waste questions or comments at 561-697-2700, toll-free at 866-SWA-INFO (866-792-4636) or contactcis@swa.org.
Wishing you and your family a Happy Holiday Season from the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County!