What happens to your recycling?

Recycle Together, Recycle Right!!

Manatee County uses single-stream recycling. All clean recyclable paper, glass, and plastics are put together in the recycle cart, eliminating the need for sorting. It's easy and convenient. Once collected, all materials are separated for reuse at a materials recycling facility (MRF). 

Recycling pickup schedule:

• Curbside collection of recycling items is once a week. Use our Resident Information Tool to check your pickup day. Your recycling will be collected on the same day as your garbage and yard waste.
• Each residence is issued one (1) 64-gallon cart to be used for recycling: paper, cardboard, cans, glass, and plastic. You may request additional recycling carts for a monthly collection service fee on your CSS portal. 

How to place your recycling cart:

• The recycling cart is for listed recyclables only.
• The cart must be three feet from the curb as well as all other obstructions such as vehicles, mailboxes, backflow preventers, and garbage cans.
• Place the cart with the arrow facing the street.
• Recycling cart must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m.
• Arrange materials loosely in the recycling cart. Materials packed too tightly may remain in the recycling cart after it is dumped.

How to request a recycling cart:

If you are a new homeowner in need of a new recycling cart or your recycling cart has been damaged in any way, please take the following steps:

• Please visit your online customer self-service account at mymanatee.org/css, and go to "Requests". Follow the prompts to request your recycling cart.
• You can also put in a ticket with 311 at mymanatee.org/311, or by calling 3-1-1.
• Your 64-gallon recycling cart will be delivered within three weeks of placing the order.
• Please make sure your damaged recycling cart is empty and placed at the curbside on your recycling day. For example, if your recycling day is on a Tuesday, you will take your recycling cart out for the following three Tuesdays before 6:00 a.m.

How do I recycle cardboard?

To recycle cardboard boxes at home:

• Break down all boxes and place them in the recycling cart.
• The boxes must be loose-fitting in the cart.
• They may not extend over the top of the cart more than six inches.
• The cardboard must be clean (no greasy pizza boxes, etc.), and dry.
• When in doubt, throw it out.

Clothing recycling

To keep textiles out of the waste stream and ending up in a landfill, we can redirect our textiles and clothing to another use and re-purpose these materials. Consider donating or selling these items.

• Donate to your favorite charity thrift store.
• Buy, sell, or trade through social media outlets.
• Pass these items to a friend or family member.
• Bring items to the blue textile drop off box at the Manatee County Lena Road Landfill at 3333 Lena Rd., Bradenton, FL 34212 on Monday - Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 
• The following items are allowed: clean useable clothing, shoes, accessories, and linens.

Where to drop off recycling:

Recycling drop-off locations are for Manatee County resident use only.

If your condo complex, RV park or other multi-family residence does not offer recycling service, or if your recyclables are too large for your recycling cart, you may drop off recyclable items at the following locations:

Recycling Sites (click on location for a map):

• *Myakka City Community Center, 10070 Wauchula Rd. in Myakka City
• *Manatee County Utilities, 4750 66th St. W. in Bradenton
• *Parrish Community Park, 7550 Fort Hamer Rd. in Parrish
• Braden River Park, 5201 51st. Street East in Bradenton
• Lakewood Ranch Park, 5350 Lakewood Ranch Blvd in Bradenton (across from the YMCA)
• Buffalo Creek Park 7550 69th St. E. in Palmetto
• Bayfront Park, 310 North Bay Blvd in Anna Maria
• Manatee Public Beach, 4000 Gulf Dr in Holmes Beach
• Coquina Beach, 2650 Gulf Drive S. in Bradenton Beach
• Bennett Park, 400 Cyprus Creek Blvd. in Bradenton
• Landfill, 3333 Lena Road in Bradenton

These locations are for recycling materials only. All items must be placed inside the container. All cardboard must be clean, broken down, or flattened to be recycled.