Yard Waste Collection

Storm Yard Waste Debris Removal Update

red hurricane iconUpdated 11/6/24: Collection of yard debris left by Hurricanes Helene and Milton is proceeding on schedule in the City of Gainesville. Approximately 40,000 cubic yards of storm debris have been collected to date. The first pass is scheduled for completion this week, and a second pass for all streets is expected to be completed next week.

As special operations wrap up, residential curbside customers should return to following the standard guidelines for yard waste collection services. Please follow these guidelines when setting out new yard waste materials for collection:

  • Loose Material: All loose items like dried leaves, small limbs, and twigs must be placed in brown paper lawn & leaf bags or personal reusable yard waste containers. Each bag or container should weigh no more than 40 pounds. Containers or piles over this weight limit and loose piles of debris will not be collected.
  • Larger Branches: You may set larger branches at the curb in piles not exceeding two cubic yards. Branches can be no longer than 5 feet in length, no larger than 8 inches in diameter, and weigh no more than 40 pounds per piece.
  • Clearance: Ensure at least 4 feet of clearance between your yard waste and obstacles such as garbage carts, recycle bins, or posts.
  • Yard Waste Only: Yard waste piles, bags, and containers must be free of garbage, litter, and non-regulated items. Do not place lumber, boards, or manufactured materials with yard waste for collection.
  • Note: Debris generated from work performed by tree service contractors (i.e., tree surgeons or landscapers) must be hauled off by the contractor per the City of Gainesville Ordinance.

From November 18 to December 18, residential curbside customers with hurricane-related large debris that doesn’t meet the standard collection guidelines may request assistance from the City’s Public Works Department, Solid Waste Division at 352-334-2330 or waste@gainesvillefl.gov once materials have been placed curbside.

Commercial property owners (businesses, apartment properties, churches, etc.) are responsible for making their own arrangements to remove storm debris. These costs may be eligible for FEMA reimbursement assistance. For more information, visit www.FEMA.gov.

Thank you for helping keep our community clean and organized. For more information, visit gainesvillefl.gov/CurbsideCollection

Storm Debris Drop-off Locations (Alachua County)

  • NW Landfill – 15530 NW 173rd St., Alachua, FL
  • SW Landfill – 19401 SW Archer Rd., Archer, FL (Archer Rural Collection Center site)

Please Note:

  • Hurricane storm yard waste debris only
  • Alachua County & City of Gainesville residents only. Be prepared to provide proof of residence, such as a utility bill and driver’s license with a matching address.
  • No debris from commercial parcels or private haulers (commercial companies)

Right-of-Entry Agreements for Private Communities

Private gated communities with residential curbside collection services provided by the City of Gainesville’s Solid Waste Division will need to complete a FEMA Right-of-Entry Agreement for the specialized contractors to access properties.

Storm Debris at Commercial Properties

Commercial property owners (businesses, apartment properties, churches, etc.) are responsible for making their own arrangements to remove storm debris. These costs may be eligible for FEMA reimbursement assistance. For more information, visit FEMA.gov.

Storm Debris Employment

Yard Waste Collection

Yard Waste materials such as leaves, grass clippings, and branches are collected curbside weekly from residential homes in the City of Gainesville. Only residential homes serviced through the City of Gainesville's Residential Curbside Service Program are eligible for this service.

Weekly yard waste collection anticipates volumes from the routine upkeep and maintenance of residential yard work performed by the homeowner(s) or occupant(s). Larger volumes of material generated from land clearing activities, larger tree debris piles, and storm debris piles may require additional collection time. Tree debris generated from work performed by tree service contractors (i.e., tree surgeons or landscapers) must be hauled off by the contractor per City of Gainesville Ordinance Ch. 27-73.11.

Yard Waste Collection Guidelines

  • Place your yard waste curbside for collection by 7 AM on your scheduled collection day (same day as your garbage collection day).

Find out your collection day

  • Remove all yard waste containers from the curb between collection days (remove by 9 PM on the day collection has occurred). Repeat offenders not removing carts, bins or containers from the curb can be issued a $35 service charge per occurrence.
  • Leaves and grass clippings, along with small piles of limbs and twigs, must be containerized in brown paper lawn & leaf bags or personal reusable yard waste containers weighing no more than 40 pounds per bag or container.  Loose leaves or pine needles set out in piles or on tarps cannot be collected.

    correct yard waste set out with one incorrect example in plastic bags  

    Yard waste is not accepted in plastic bags.

  • Larger branches may be set out curbside in manageably-sized piles for hand collection. Branches set out for collection can be no longer than 5 feet in length, no larger than 8 inches in diameter, and weigh no more than 40 pounds per piece.
  • Allow at least 4 feet of clearance between your garbage cart and any yard waste bags, containers, or piles you set out for collection.

Accepted

  • Leaves
  • Grass clippings
  • Small twigs & vines
  • Branches (less than 5 ft. long, 8 in. in diameter, and 40 lbs. per piece)
  • Palm fronds & hedge trimmings
  • Fallen fruit, pine needles & pine cones
  • Dead plants & flowers (removed from pots)
  • Christmas trees (in December & January)

Not Accepted

❌ NO lumber or pressure-treated wood

❌ NO yard waste set out in plastic bags 

❌ NO branches over 5 ft. long, 8 in. in diameter, or 40 lbs. per piece

❌ NO dirt, sand, soil, or sod

❌ NO potted plants

❌ NO animal bedding or animal waste

❌ NO rocks, bricks, or stone

❌ NO tree debris generated from work performed by tree service contractors

❌ NO boxes

❌ NO stumps

Pro Prep Tips

  • Consider drilling drainage holes in the bottom of your personal yard waste containers to allow rainwater to escape.
  • Avoid placing your paper yard waste bags, containers, or piles in the street, as this may result in materials entering and then clogging storm drains. Blocked storm drains can increase the potential for flooding and mosquitoes in your neighborhood. Yard waste materials in brown paper bags or piles should be set out curbside as near as possible to the traveled portion of the street without being placed in the street.
  • Keep paper yard waste bags dry by waiting to place them out for collection curbside until the day before your scheduled collection day. Paper bags set out multiple days before your collection day are more likely to get rained on and become soggy.
  • Avoid overfilling yard waste bags or personal containers with mulch, pine bark or other heavy materials. Containers weighing more than 40 pounds will not be collected.
  • Place paper yard waste bags upright when setting them out for collection.

 

  • Set your yard waste bags, containers, and/or piles within four (4) feet of the curb or the traveled edge of the road. Yard waste set back more than four (4) feet cannot be collected.
  • Containers weighing more than 40 pounds will not be collected.
  • All yard waste must be free of garbage, litter, or other non-regulated yard waste. Do not set out unacceptable yard waste materials, such as lumber, boards, or other manufactured materials for yard waste collection.

Do not set out piles of larger branches mixed with brush or leaves.

Do not set out potted plants with dirt or soil attached. 

  • Personal reusable yard waste containers does not include orange or blue recycle bins. Orange and blue recycle bins are provided to households for the sole purpose of holding bottles, cans, cardboard, and other papers for recycling collection. The City of Gainesville reserves the right to remove recycle bins not used for their intended purpose.

Collection of Branches & Large Piles

Larger branches may be set out curbside in manageably-sized piles for hand collection. 

large pile of sticks  

Do not set out piles of larger branches mixed with brush or leaves.

  • Branches set out for collection can be no longer than 5 feet in length, no larger than 8 inches in diameter, or weigh no more than 40 pounds per piece.
  • Avoid setting out branches in piles exceeding two (2) cubic yards in size. Multiple smaller, manageably-sized branch piles will make it easier and more efficient for collection crews.
  • All pieces within larger piles must still be less than 5 feet in length, no larger than 8 inches in diameter, and weigh no more than 40 pounds per piece.

Per City of Gainesville Ordinance (Ch. 27-73.11), it is unlawful for any person to produce tree debris while acting in the capacity of a contractor without removing the debris generated from that work. Contractors would include tree surgeons, landscapers, building contractors, as well as someone hired from Craig’s List or a random person hired who happens to own a chainsaw. Homeowners need to ensure that the removal of tree debris is included in fees for any work performed. Homeowners that opt to arrange for the removal of tree debris on their own should be aware that residential curbside collection service does not include the removal of oversized material or tree debris generated from work performed by contractors. Weekly yard waste collection is intended for the routine upkeep and maintenance of residential yard work performed by the homeowner or occupant. There are several local companies that homeowners can hire for the removal of yard debris.

Yard Waste Limits

  • Lawn & leaf bags or personal containers weighing more than 40 pounds cannot be collected. Loose yard waste materials set out in piles cannot be collected.
  • Branches set out for collection can be no longer than 5 feet in length, no larger than 8 inches in diameter, or weigh no more than 40 pounds per piece.
  • Allow at least 4 feet of clearance between your trash cart and any yard waste bags, containers, or piles you set out for collection.
  • There is no weekly volume limit on the amount of yard waste that can be set out curbside for collection, as long as the material does not exceed size or weight limits. Weekly yard waste collection anticipates volumes from the routine upkeep and maintenance of residential yard work performed by the homeowner or occupant. Larger volumes of material generated from land clearing activities, larger tree debris piles, and storm debris piles may require additional collection time.
  • Tree debris generated from work performed by tree service contractors (tree surgeons or lawn service companies) must be hauled off by the contractor (City of Gainesville Ordinance Ch. 27-73.11). 

Lawn & Leaf Bags

brown paper lawn and leaf bag with leaves in it Brown paper lawn & leaf bags can be purchased at most hardware stores (Ace, Home Depot, Lowes, etc.) and many grocery stores (Publix, Walmart, Winn-Dixie, Target, etc.).

The elimination of plastic bags from the yard waste significantly reduces the cost of processing and reusing the yard waste. Also, getting rid of plastic bags results in a reduction in greenhouse gasses generated in the manufacturing of plastic bags in the first place.

Yard waste set out for collection in plastic bags or placed loose on tarps will not be collected. Residents setting out yard waste in plastic bags will need to remove the yard waste from the plastic bags or arrange for a special collection that will include additional fees.

Paper lawn & leaf bags containing tape or staples will not be collected. Tape and staples are not compostable.

Examples of Improper Yard Waste Set Outs

Below are examples of yard waste material improperly set out for residential curbside collection.

Loose leaves or pine needles set out in piles cannot be collected. Material must be containerized.

Example of yard waste not containerized     Example of yard waste not containerized

Oversized yard waste material. Branches set out for collection can be no longer than 5 feet in length, no larger than 8 inches in diameter, or weigh no more than 40 pounds per piece.

Example of yard waste that is oversized     Example of yard waste that is oversized

Yard waste set back more than four (4) feet from the curb cannot be collected. Be sure to set your yard waste bags, containers, and/or piles within four (4) feet of the curb or the traveled edge of the road.

Example of yard waste set back too far from the curb     Example of yard waste set back too far from the curb

What Day is Yard Waste Picked Up in My Area?

Residential yard waste is collected within the City of Gainesville on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. To find out the collection day for your address, click on the map below.

Collection-day-map.jpg

Tuesday (Blue), Wednesday (Green), Thursday (Pink)

Where Does the Yard Waste Go?

Most of the yard waste material collected curbside goes to a local facility where it gets made into a partially composted soil enrichment for land use applications. Some larger branch only piles may go to a different facility to be ground up and made into wood chips.

Private Tree Debris Collection Services

claw truck removing tree debris Tree debris generated from work performed by tree service contractors (i.e., tree surgeons or landscapers) must be hauled off by the contractor per City of Gainesville Ordinance Ch. 27-73.11.

Local companies specializing in tree debris removal: