What Can and Can't Go in Tallahassee Trash (Leon County Guide)

The line between "throw it out" and "this is a code violation" in Tallahassee is fuzzier than it should be. Here's the actual rules for what can go in regular trash, what's bulk pickup, what's recycling, and what needs special handling — for both the City of Tallahassee and unincorporated Leon County.

Regular curbside trash (City of Tallahassee)

The city provides 95-gallon trash carts for weekly pickup. What's allowed: routine household garbage, food waste, non-recyclable plastics, broken glass (bagged), small bags of yard waste under certain conditions. What's NOT allowed:

• Furniture, mattresses, large appliances — bulk pickup only (see below)
• TVs, electronics, computer monitors — must go to electronics recycling, not trash
• Refrigerators, freezers, AC units — refrigerant-containing items need EPA-compliant handling
• Tires — go to designated tire drop-off sites
• Hazardous waste — paint, motor oil, pesticides, pool chemicals, ammunition (county hazmat days)
• Construction debris — drywall, concrete, lumber from a remodel needs special disposal
• Medical waste — sharps, prescriptions, biohazard

Curbside recycling

The city's blue recycling carts pick up: aluminum and steel cans, glass bottles and jars (any color), #1 and #2 plastic bottles and containers, paper, cardboard (broken down), magazines, junk mail.

NOT recyclable curbside even though people put them in anyway:

• Plastic bags (return to grocery store collection bins)
• Pizza boxes with grease (compost or trash)
• Styrofoam
• Light bulbs
• Batteries

City of Tallahassee bulk pickup

For furniture, working appliances, and large items that don't fit in the regular cart, the city offers scheduled bulk pickup for residents on city sanitation routes. Highlights:

• Must be scheduled — call 891-4YOU or use the city website
• Schedule is usually 1–2 weeks out
• Item limits per pickup (call to confirm current rules)
• Appliances with refrigerant need certified recovery before pickup
• Items must be at curb the night before — not on lawn, not blocking sidewalk

Alternative for these items: free pickup from us. Faster scheduling (24–48 hours), no refrigerant pre-recovery needed, no item limits.

Leon County (unincorporated)

Outside city limits, sanitation service comes through contracted haulers (Waste Pro, Republic Services, others depending on your address). Regular trash works similarly, but:

• No county-wide bulk pickup program — check with your specific hauler
• Most haulers don't take furniture, mattresses, or large appliances on regular routes
• The Leon County Solid Waste Management Facility on Apalachee Parkway accepts almost everything for a per-ton fee

The "I have one specific item, what do I do" answers

Mattress

Not allowed in regular trash, not on bulk pickup in most cases. Free mattress disposal from us, or pay $25–$50 at the county landfill.

Old TV (CRT or flat-screen)

Not allowed in trash. Best Buy charges $25–$30 to recycle. We do it free — TV disposal. Goodwill and Habitat ReStore generally don't take old TVs.

Refrigerator

Federal refrigerant rules apply. Coordinate with the retailer if buying new, or call us for free pickup with EPA-compliant handling. Detailed guide: how to dispose of a refrigerator in Florida.

Couch

Not in regular trash, bulk pickup if scheduled in advance, or free pickup from us.

Paint cans

Hazardous waste — never trash. Leon County hosts hazmat collection days a few times a year; check the county website for the schedule. Dried paint (let it harden) is fine in trash.

Motor oil

AutoZone, O'Reilly, and most auto parts stores in Tallahassee accept used motor oil free.

Tires

Most tire shops will take old tires for a small disposal fee ($5–$10). Discount Tire and Walmart Tire Centers in Tallahassee accept drop-offs.

Batteries (car or household)

Car batteries — most auto parts stores take them and often pay a $10–$15 core credit. Household batteries (AA, AAA, 9V) — Home Depot, Lowe's, and Best Buy have collection bins. Lithium-ion (laptop, phone) — these are fire hazards in regular trash and need special drop-off.

Electronics (computers, printers, small electronics)

The county solid waste facility accepts e-waste. Best Buy takes most small electronics free. We pick up electronics free along with TVs.

Construction debris (drywall, lumber, concrete)

This is C&D waste — the county facility takes it but charges by weight. Some haulers specialize in this; we don't typically handle large C&D loads but we can refer.

Yard waste

City of Tallahassee picks up bagged yard waste on regular schedule. Larger amounts can go to the county compost site for free (Leon County residents).

What happens if you put the wrong thing out?

Most of the time: nothing. The truck refuses to pick it up and it sits at your curb until you deal with it. Repeated violations can result in code enforcement contact and fines, but the city's first move is usually a friendly "please don't" notice.

For dumpster-illegal items (furniture, appliances) in apartment complexes — that's where you really get billed. The leasing office tracks who's dumping what (security cameras) and your damage deposit takes the hit.

The shortcut

If you're trying to figure out what to do with multiple oddball items at once — old TV, broken microwave, busted office chair, half a can of paint — the easiest path is one phone call to us. We take everything in the resalable / donatable / recyclable column (free), and we'll tell you straight which items need to go elsewhere (paint, ammunition, medical waste) and where. (850) 270-3164.