Recycling Collection

This page is about the Recycling Collection program, a service provided by Waste Management, which provides a once-weekly pick-up schedule; on Thursdays. It's important that your blue recycling cart, provided by Waste Management, is placed out no later than 7:15 a.m. on collection days to ensure it is included in the pick-up. Different cart sizes are available; if you think your cart is too big or too small, please contact the Town Clerk's office to request a different size be provided in its place. Please be aware that only one swap is offered free-of-charge per address.

Garage Side Pick-up

When putting out your blue recycling cart for collection, please place it by your garage door, rather than at the end of your driveway. Waste Management's team will pick up the cart from in front of your garage area and return it there after emptying. This allows the Town to maintain its beautiful aesthetic even on recycling pick-up days.  However, please be mindful of the cart's visibility; choose a spot by the garage or the top of your driveway that is quickly and easily spotted for the pick-up crew.

Missed Collection

In the event Waste Management neglects to pick-up your trash by 2:00 p.m. on the designated service day, please use the "Trash/Recycling Issue Report form" or call the Town Clerk (772) 581-2770 for assistance.  A report received prior to that deadline will be attempted to be resolved the same day, a report after 2 p.m. and before 4 p.m. will be attempted to be resolved the following day. Additionally, please contact staff with any other complaints or problems you experience with the recycling service. In the event a problem arises regarding recycling collection, outside Town Hall operating hours (which are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), you may call Waste Management directly at (772) 569-1776.

Single-Stream Recycling

Thanks to Waste Management's Single-Stream Recycling program, there is no need to separate different recyclable items. Instead, all recyclable items are disposed in the same convenient cart! Food containers should be rinsed clean before disposal into the recycle cart.

Materials that are recyclable:

• Aluminum food and beverage containers
• Glass food and beverage containers – brown, clear, or green
• No. 1-7 plastic containers (replace caps on containers if made of plastic, do not toss in separately)
• Plastic bottles (put bottle caps back on bottles, do not toss in separately)
• Newsprint
• Cardboard, flattened (greasy pizza boxes are not recyclable, though sometimes just the lid can be if it's not greasy)
• Magazines/Catalogs
• Cereal boxes
• Telephone books
• Printer, copier,  and office paper
• Paper mail

Some common items that cannot be recycled via your blue cart (this list is not comprehensive):

• Plastic bags, including shopping bags, newspaper sleeves, bread bags, dry cleaning bags, etc. (instead take these to local supermarkets for recycling; look for the designated bins by the entrance, or take them to your local Recycling Convenience Center)
• Styrofoam and polystyrene; see more information below
• Unnumbered plastics
• Light Bulbs, including strings of lights
• Mirrors, windows or auto glass
• Glass cookware/bakeware
• Ceramics and porcelain
• Household electric items such as toasters, kettles, etc. (see electronics information below)
• Wood 
• Coat hangers
• Clothing and shoes, instead drop these into special receptacles dotted around various major retail parking lots for recycling
• Heavy metals, such as used for tools
• Garden hoses

Electronic Items and Polysterene Packaging

Electronic items cannot be picked up by Waste Management, but there is a local program for such items dropped off at the Recycling Convenience Centers in the county. The nearest of these is the Winter Beach location at 3955 65th St Vero Beach, FL 32967.  This Convenience Center is open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. except on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when it is closed. It's a shame for these items to end up on the landfill when they are full of useful parts. 

You may also take polystyrene packaging to this Convenience Center for recycling. That's likely to be protecting your replacement electronic purchase!

Paint Cans

Dry and paint-free: Plastic paint cans that used to hold latex or water-based paint and that have been entirely cleaned may be placed in your recycling cart for collection by Waste Management during the regular pick-up schedule.

All metal paint cans or plastic paint cans that held oil-based paint must go in your regular trash cart, as long as there is no wet/liquid paint left inside.

Paint cans with wet paint: Paint cans that still contain wet paint may be dropped off at any Indian River County Recycling Convenience Center. You may drop off up to five gallons at a time.

Batteries

Some batteries, such as rechargeable batteries, automobile batteries, cell phone batteries, and button batteries can be recycled at the Customer Convenience Center (see address below). Single-use batteries, such as AA and AAA are now safe to dispose of in the trash. The use of mercury in those was eliminated in the 1990s and nearly all of the old mercury alkaline batteries have been disposed of.

Cooking Oils

Used cooking oil should never be put down the drain where it can clog pipes. Instead bring it to the Customer Convenience Center (address at bottom of page). Motor oil should not be mixed with cooking oil. 

Donation to Charity

If you are disposing of large items that may still have value to someone in need, consider calling one of numerous local charitable organizations in the area to collect those items from your home for free. That keeps the landfill clear and your community thriving. Below are some phone numbers for this purpose provided in no particular order:

• Goodwill: (800) 257-3305
• ReStore (Habitat for Humanity): (772) 257-0222
• Visiting Nurse Association: (772) 494-6161
• Salvation Army: (800)-728-7825