Commercial Garbage & Recycling

Commercial garbage collection

Commercial customers are required to use one of the franchise collectors listed below for garbage collection (the franchise collectors were granted the exclusive right to provide commercial solid waste collection within the unincorporated areas of the county when the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners awarded the Solid Waste Franchise Collection Agreements on January, 31, 2022):

• FCC Environmental Services FL, LLC, (813) 999-0078
• Republic Services of Florida, (813) 265-0292
• WM, (813) 621-3053

Businesses are encouraged to request quotes for garbage collection from the franchise collectors to best understand the cost and value of their service.

Franchise collectors cannot collect waste from a commercial customer unless the customer has a Waste Profile approved by Solid Waste department. Franchise collectors are responsible for completing a digital Waste Profile for their commercial customers. (See Waste Profile Program section below).

Collection frequency and container locations

• Commercial garbage collection service must be provided at least once per week unless the County approves an alternate collection schedule
• Commercial customers must ensure that the container is not overfilled, and that garbage is not placed outside the container between collection days
• Commercial containers must meet all County setbacks (i.e., garbage must not be placed on the County's right-of-way)

For questions about collection frequency and container location, please contact Solid Waste Customer Service at (813) 272-5680. 

Fees for commercial garbage collection are based on dumpster size and frequency of collection. The less garbage your business produces, the more you can potentially save on garbage collection fees. See Recommended Best Practices to Reduce Costs of Commercial Garbage Collection. 

Multifamily developments: Garbage and recycling collection  

Most multifamily residential developments are considered commercial customers when establishing garbage and recycling collection service and need to follow the requirements of commercial businesses. See Multi-Family Home Trash & Recycling. 

Commercial garbage disposal: Self-haulers 

Self-hauling commercial customers who frequently dispose of garbage must obtain approval from Solid Waste department prior to disposal (exception: commercial customers with only yard waste do not need to obtain approval).  

• Request disposal approval from the Solid Waste department by emailing SpecialHandling@HCFL.gov or by calling (813) 272-5680. Please provide your contact information and a description of your garbage.  
• Once approved, you will be provided with instructions to dispose of garbage at either the South County Solid Waste Facility, Northwest County Solid Waste Facility or the Southeast County Landfill. Before arriving, be sure to check the County holiday closure schedule.  
• Commercial customers must pay for disposal service
• View the “Commercial” disposal rates per ton in the "Commercial" disposal rates per ton
• Payment must be made at the scale house by cash, credit card, or through a solid waste commercial account (checks are not accepted). To set up a commercial account, contact SWCommercial@HCFL.gov.  
• A 30% cash deposit, or credit card hold, of the gross total weight of the loaded vehicle/trailer is required prior to entry. After unloading, the total amount due is settled upon weighing out at the scale house. 

Commercial recycling collection 

Commercial recycling collection is an open market system in the state of Florida, which means that commercial customers, including multifamily developments, may contract with any provider for recycling collection service. To request a list of local recycling collection service providers, contact Recycling@HCFL.gov. 

The Solid Waste department does not provide containers or collection services for commercial recycling. However, it does offer the following free educational resources to commercial customers. Contact Recycling@HCFL.gov for more information. 

• How to start a recycling program at your business or multifamily property 
• A free commercial recycling and waste reduction site assessment 
• A free presentation on recycling and waste reduction 

Special Handling Program: Businesses and households 

Businesses and households who have non-hazardous waste that requires special handling must receive approval from the Solid Waste department prior to disposing of the waste at either the Southeast County Landfill or the Resource Recovery Facility. Some waste may require analytical testing and be subject to committee review for consideration of approval.

Examples of special handling wastes are those that require:

• A secure disposal environment (i.e., controlled substances and evidence)
• A prepared disposal location (i.e., animal carcasses)
• Analytical testing (i.e., sand blast media)
• Preparation for safe handling (i.e., asbestos-containing material) 

If your business or household produces waste that meets the criteria above and is not currently approved through the Special Handling Program, request an application form by emailing SpecialHandling@HCFL.gov or calling (813) 272-5680, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM. Wastes not accepted at County disposal facilities are: 

• Hazardous waste
• Liquid waste 
• Containerized waste (i.e., in drums) 
• Biohazardous waste 
• Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) 
• Radioactive waste 

Waste Profile Program

Franchise collectors are responsible for completing a digital Waste Profile for their commercial customers.  

Commercial customers are required to obtain approval for disposal through a Waste Profile before receiving commercial collection service. The Waste Profile Program tracks commercially generated waste disposed of at County disposal facilities. To date, approximately 10,000 Waste Profiles are approved for commercial customers. Beginning in the late 1990s, County leaders established the Waste Profile Program in the Hillsborough County Code of Ordinances, Section 130-22(a)(7), to protect County disposal facilities from harm from potentially hazardous materials.  

Who is required to submit a Waste Profile? 

Commercial customers are required to have an approved Waste Profile before disposing of waste if they contract with a franchise follector or frequently self-haul waste to the County’s disposal facilities. 

Who is not required to submit a Waste Profile? 

Commercial customers not required to submit a Waste Profile are those disposing of: 

1. Waste at non-County facilities, such as private landfills or the City of Tampa 
2. Yard waste only 
3. A single load of waste 

How do commercial customers comply with the Waste Profile Program? 

Frequent self-hauling commercial customers are required to submit a Waste Profile; an example of a self-hauler is a dumpster rental business who regularly disposes of bulky waste. Self-hauling commercial customers should contact Solid Waste department staff by emailing specialhandling@HCFL.gov or calling (813) 272-5680, Monday through Friday 8 AM to 5 PM to inquire if they need to submit a Waste Profile. 

If a Waste Profile is needed, Solid Waste department staff will review it to ensure that waste is not a prohibited material. Approval is typically provided within seven calendar days. If approved, staff will notify customers of approval, provide the conditions for disposal, and the disposal facility’s address. If not approved, staff will request more information or notify the customer how to dispose of waste. 

Who is responsible for administering the Waste Profile Program? 

• Franchise collectors 
  As part of their Franchise Collector Agreement with the County, franchise collectors are responsible for obtaining Waste Profiles by completing a digital Waste Profile for their customers. Franchise collectors cannot collect waste from a commercial customer unless the customer has an approved Waste Profile. 
• Solid Waste department 
  Solid Waste department staff review and approve Waste Profiles. They also conduct approximately 400 site visits each year of commercial customer establishments to verify that Waste Profiles are adhered to. During the site visit, staff meet with commercial customers, verify contents of disposal containers, and provide education about waste reduction and recycling options.  
• Code Enforcement 
  County Code Enforcement is responsible for ensuring compliance with the County’s Code of Ordinances. Code Enforcement staff may follow up on Solid Waste department staff site visits if non-compliance with a Waste Profile is noted, such as commercial customers using non-county franchise collectors or persistent nuisance conditions in collection containers, such a vermin/pests. At its discretion, Code Enforcement may opt to enforce the Code of Ordinances.