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Trash Guidelines for Marco Island and Naples, FL.
What is the last thing you think of when making your travel plans? Making sure it correlates with your trash day!
However, if you don’t plan what to do with your trash beforehand, when you come back you will smell it all the way from the airport! Leaving your trash cans on the curb is not an option as many neighborhoods in Naples and Marco Island will fine you for leaving them out long past the scheduled pick-up time. Therefore, it is smart to make a plan for your trash before leaving with your Home Watch Company.
All neighborhoods have trash picked up twice a week and recycling once a week. Trash days can differ throughout the week depending on where you live in the Marco Island or Naples area.
If you’re a part-time resident of the area, you might have difficulty remembering when your scheduled trash pick-up day is. Your Home Watch Company should be able to help. Click here to see our list for what the trash days are in many of the neighborhoods we service.
Have the trash bin to the curb by 6am on the day of your scheduled pick-up. Remember, never place your trash bin out by the curb more than 24hrs before pick-up. Also, the bin must be brought back in by 6am the following day. However, if you are a resident of Marco Island, your bin must be back in the garage or stored at the side of your house by 7pm on the day of your scheduled pick-up. Breaking any of these rules could result in a fine from your HOA or the county!
Another, additional service Collier County provides for free is Special trash pick-up.
How Does Special Trash Pick-Up Work?
Special trash pick-up is necessary whenever trash requires special handling or is considered bulky. Below is a table of common items that require special trash pick-up.
| Couches | Electronics | Tires |
| Sinks | Carpets | Lead Acid Batteries |
| Washer/Dryer | Refrigerators | Hot Water Heaters |
| Toilets | Ladders | Furniture |
Whenever you need a special pick-up just call the county at least 48 hours beforehand and put in the request. Special pick-up occurs the same day as recycling. Many homeowners coordinate their furniture deliveries, renovations, and other home improvement projects while they are gone, make sure your Home Watch service understands how special pick-up works and what day it is for your neighborhood.
Although it is a free service, there are a few guidelines that you need to follow in order for them to take your trash:
Special Trash Guidelines
- Dismantle bulky trash into pieces
- Trash pieces must weigh less than 50lbs
- Trash pieces must be shorter than 4ft
- No more than 4 tires at a time
- No more than 2 car batteries at a time
While a lot of garbage falls under special trash, yard waste is handled a little differently.
How Does Yard Waste Pick-Up Work?
If you have palm fronds or bush clippings you need to get rid of you are in luck! Collier County picks up yard waste for free too. However, similar to special trash, there are guidelines!
Yard Waste Guidelines
Yard waste cannot go in your trash bin or recycling cart like traditional trash. Instead, there are specific ways in which the yard waste must be discarded.
- Bundle – When you bundle your yard waste, it MUST be with twine.
- Bag – When you bag your yard waste, it MUST be in a paper bag, NOT plastic.
- Bin – When you bin your yard waste, it MUST be in a personal bin no larger than 32 gallons.
A personal bin is any plastic or metal trash can that you personally buy, in other words it is not one of the city provided bins. When your yard waste is picked up, your personal bin will be returned to you.
When you have yard waste, you do not need to call ahead for pick-up.
Following these rules will help ensure that your yard waste is actually picked up. Keep in mind though, that yard waste will not be collected in huge quantities. In other words, no more than 10 bundles, bins, or bags at a time!
Both special trash and yard waste are picked up on the same day as recycling. However, what happens if that scheduled day is also a holiday?
Trash Service Holiday Schedule
There are only three holidays in which trash and recycling will not be picked up in Collier County.
- Fourth of July
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
There are no makeup days for the Marco Island or Naples area, therefore that week you will only have trash picked up one day. So, for those weeks plan accordingly!
Keep in mind that special trash and yard waste will also not be picked up those days. Any tires or palm fronds you have will need to wait till next week for pick-up!
If you are lucky enough that your scheduled trash pick-up day doesn’t fall on the three listed holidays, congrats! All of your trash and recycling (including special trash and yard waste) will be picked up that holiday week like normal.
However, they can not pick-up your trash if you do not have the proper bin or if yours are severely damaged. If something has happened to your bins, you will need to have them replaced.
How to Order or Replace Your Trash Bins
Life happens and sometimes trash and recycle bins need to be replaced. Whether moving into a brand new home or replacing a damaged or stolen bin, ordering new trash and recycle bins is easy. Simply call the Collier County Utility customer service at (239) 252-2380.
They will gladly replace it for free!
Once you call, they will deliver a new bin to your house on your street’s next scheduled trash pick-up day. However, you have to remember to bring it in so you do not get fined!
It sounds easy, but given the amount of growth in Marco Island and Naples, FL, many of our new clients are also new to their homes and not always present when the house is finished. Therefore, make sure too coordinate with your Home Watch Company if you cannot be present to avoid any unnecessary fines.
Now with a new bin in tow, you’ll be able to continue properly disposing of your trash, never skipping a beat.
Overview of Trash Guidelines
It is important to plan what you will do with your trash before you leave the Marco Island or Naples area in order to prevent your home from smelling like a morgue when you come back. Trash will be picked up twice a week and recycling once. Coordinate with your Home Watch Professional if these days don’t align with your travel plans. They will be happy to help assist with bringing trash bins to and from the curb, so you can avoid HOA and county fees.
Further, if you have any bulky or special trash, make sure to call Collier County Utilities 48 hours in advance and follow their guidelines. Following this, your couches, tires, and fridges will be picked up for free on the same day as your recycling is picked up. Your bundled, bagged, or binned yard waste will also be picked up for free on recycling day as well!
These pick-up days continue on all holidays but Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Remember though, those three holidays will have no make-up days.
Last, no trash can be picked up if you do not have a city trash bin. If for some reason, you do not have one or need a new one, call the city and they will give you a new one for free. If you are not there to receive your new bin, do not worry! Your Home Watch company is always happy to lend a hand!
If you follow and know these simple guidelines, you’ll never have to worry about what to do with your trash in Marco Island or Naples, FL again.
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