Hours, fees and pickup rules change, especially after storms and at the start of a new fiscal year. Every line below links to the official page it came from. Confirm with Cape Coral or Lee County before you load the truck.
Who picks up trash in Cape Coral
- The City of Cape Coral contracts with Waste Pro to collect trash and recyclables from residents and businesses.[1]
- Waste Pro collects all properly prepared household trash and recycling placed in the carts provided under the city Automated Cart Program.[7]
- A city news release dated August 24, 2026 says each home gets a tan bin for trash and a green bin for recycling, and the bins belong to the city and stay with the property.[2]
- For collection days or service questions you can call the city at 311 or Waste Pro at 239-337-0800.[8]
- If Waste Pro has not picked up by 6:00 p.m. on your collection day, report a missed pickup through the city 311 app or call center.[7]
Bulk trash pickup in Cape Coral
- Bulk waste is picked up at the curb on the same day as your regular trash, recycling and yard waste.[3]
- Place bulk items within 3 feet of the road, and put anything that fits in the trash bin into the bin.[2]
- Accepted curbside bulk items include furniture such as sofas, desks, tables, chairs, bed frames, box springs and mattresses.[3]
- Carpet must be cut into sections no longer than 4 feet and bundled at 40 pounds or less.[3]
- Curbside bulk pickup takes a limit of two wood pallets per collection, and hot tubs must be cut up so one person can handle the pieces.[3]
- Household appliances such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, freezers, air conditioners and water heaters are accepted, but central air units are not.[3]
- For appliances, the FAQ says you can call Waste Pro at 239-337-0800 to schedule a special pickup of white goods at no charge.[8]
- Curbside bulk pickup does not take construction and demolition debris such as building materials, concrete blocks, pavers, tile or roofing.[3]
- Bathtubs, propane tanks, gas cans, fence sections, insulation, patio doors and contractor generated waste are not accepted as curbside bulk.[3]
- Any single item weighing more than 150 pounds is not accepted at the curb.[3]
- Move outs are not part of normal bulk pickup; they must be scheduled for removal and a fee may be charged.[3]
- When you hire a contractor for fence work or similar jobs, the contractor must haul away the debris rather than leave it for the city hauler.[2]
Cape Coral trash pickup schedule
- Trash collection runs Monday through Friday, and you can look up your trash day online.[2]
- The city Check Your Trash Day map shows your trash, recycling, yard waste and bulk days when you enter your address, and bulk day always matches your trash day.[5]
- Curbside service starts at 5 a.m. from May 1 to September 30 and at 6 a.m. from October 1 to April 30, so have carts out by then.[7]
- Trash carts may go to the curb any time after 5 p.m. the day before your collection day.[7]
- Extra garbage can go in plastic bags next to the can, with each bag weighing no more than 50 pounds.[7]
- Extra recycling can go in an empty cardboard box marked EXTRA RECYCLE set next to the cart.[7]
- Waste Pro does not collect on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day.[6]
- When one of those holidays falls on a weekday, collection is pushed back one day for the rest of that week; weekend holidays do not change the schedule.[6]
- Small yard waste piles under 50 pounds should be bundled, tied, stacked or bagged within 3 feet of the curb.[2]
Landfills and transfer stations near Cape Coral
Drop off center
Cape Coral Bulk Waste Drop-Off Site (North Cape Government Complex)
Run by: The City of Cape Coral runs the bulk waste drop-off site as an optional service for residents only.[4]
Address: The site is at the North Cape Government Complex, 1200 Kismet Parkway, with the entrance off NW 14th Avenue on the west side of the complex.[4]
Hours: The site is open Tuesday through Saturday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, and closes on the same six holidays as trash collection.[4]
Accepted
- Accepted items include furniture, mattresses, carpet, tires, incidental building materials and broken down boxes, plus household appliances and yard waste with branches no larger than four inches across or six feet long.[4]
Not accepted
- Regular garbage and recyclables are not accepted at the drop-off site.[4]
- Construction debris is not accepted, even when a resident generated it.[4]
- Household chemicals, paint and liquids are not accepted; take them to the Lee County Topaz Court facility instead.[4]
Rules
- Proof of residency may be required, and commercial businesses may not use the site.[4]
Drop off center
Lee County Resource Recovery Facility (Buckingham)
Run by: Lee County runs the Resource Recovery Facility in Buckingham, which is open to residential and commercial customers disposing of material.[11]
Address: The facility is at 10500/10550 Buckingham Rd, Fort Myers, FL 33905.[12]
Hours: Hours are Monday to Friday 6:00 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday 6:00 a.m. to noon.[12]
Phone: Lee County Solid Waste customer service is 239-533-8000.[12]
Fees
- The county FY27 rate sheet lists household garbage (MSW) at the Waste-to-Energy facility at $72.10 per ton with a $15.00 minimum.[14]
- The FY27 rate sheet lists a citizen box flat rate of $15.00 each at the Buckingham Waste-to-Energy facility.[14]
- The FY27 rate sheet lists construction and demolition material at the Buckingham Waste-to-Energy site at $72.53 per ton with a $15.00 minimum.[14]
- Customers still unloading after closing time can be charged $10.00 for every 5 minutes the facility stays open.[12]
Accepted
- The campus has a residents' drop-off area, a Waste-to-Energy plant for household garbage, construction and demolition debris recycling, and a yard waste area.[12]
Not accepted
- Asphalt shingles are no longer accepted at the Buckingham campus and should go to the Lee/Hendry Landfill or an approved private C&D company.[12]
- Garbage and debris generated outside Lee County is not accepted at Lee County facilities.[12]
Rules
- Every load is weighed at the scale house on arrival.[12]
- Site rules require loads to be secured with a tarp, shirts and closed toe shoes, and children and pets to stay in the vehicle, and all loads are subject to inspection.[13]
- The county asks customers to pay with exact change or a debit card, credit card or mobile pay.[12]
Landfill
Lee/Hendry Regional Solid Waste Disposal Facility (Lee/Hendry Landfill)
Run by: Lee County runs the regional landfill in neighboring Hendry County, mainly for ash left after Waste-to-Energy combustion, with separate areas for household garbage and construction debris.[11]
Address: The landfill is at 5500 Church Road, Felda, FL 33930.[15]
Hours: Landfill hours are Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 7 a.m. to noon.[15]
Fees
- The FY27 rate sheet lists household garbage (MSW) at the landfill at $72.10 per ton with a $15.00 minimum.[14]
Rules
- The county notes that the Gulf Coast Landfill in Fort Myers, run by Waste Management of Florida, has closed.[15]
Hazardous waste disposal in Cape Coral
- Do not put household hazardous waste, paint, liquids or electronic waste in your garbage or bulk pile.[9]
- Typical accepted items include drain cleaners, pool chemicals, pesticides, liquid paint and thinners, fluorescent tubes, electronics, car and boat batteries, motor oil, and gas and propane tanks.[9]
- Lee County also takes ammunition and fireworks, antifreeze, rechargeable batteries, fire extinguishers, gasoline, fertilizers and solvents at Topaz Court.[17]
- Lee County says household alkaline batteries can go in the regular trash, while rechargeable and lithium ion batteries should be dropped off.[17]
- The city battery page says to tape 9 volt and button battery terminals, never put batteries in the recycling cart, and take car batteries back to an auto parts store or a hazardous waste event.[10]
- Empty paint cans, cans of hardened paint and empty spray cans can go in regular household garbage.[17]
- Cape Coral holds semi annual bulk and household chemical waste drop off events from 7 to 11 a.m., with the next on November 7, 2026 at City Hall, 1015 Cultural Park Boulevard, and May 1, 2027 across from City Hall.[4]
- At these events, proof of residency may be required, such as a photo ID with a Cape Coral address or an active Cape Coral utility bill, and white goods are not accepted.[4]
Hazardous waste drop off
Lee County Household Chemical Waste and Electronics Recycling Facility (Topaz Court)
Run by: Lee County runs the Topaz Court drop-off, which Cape Coral directs residents to for household hazardous waste.[9]
Address: The facility is at 6441 Topaz Court, Fort Myers, east of Metro Parkway and north of Crystal Drive.[16]
Hours: It is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on the first Saturday of the month, with Saturdays subject to change on holiday weekends.[16]
Phone: Cape Coral tells residents to call Lee County Hazardous Waste at 239-533-8000 for disposal guidance.[9]
Fees
- Drop off is a drive through process open to all residents at no charge.[16]
Accepted
- Electronics accepted for recycling include computers, printers, copiers, scanners, televisions and monitors.[16]
Not accepted
- Wires, keyboards, remotes, modems, microwaves, corded vacuums, solar panels and satellite dishes are not taken as electronics recycling and go in regular garbage.[16]
Rules
- The facility shuts down temporarily during thunderstorms and reopens once rain and lightning pass.[16]
Check with the city first
- Cape Coral bulk rules, holiday changes and drop off event dates are set by the city and Waste Pro, so check the city Solid Waste page or call 311 before you set items out.
- Lee County posts its disposal fees in a yearly rate sheet; the county rates web page still showed older FY 25-26 figures while the linked FY27 sheet listed higher ones, so confirm the current fee with the county at 239-533-8000.
- After a hurricane or major storm, debris collection follows separate city and county rules, so watch official announcements instead of using the normal bulk schedule.
- Move outs, construction debris and contractor waste are not part of normal city bulk service, so plan to schedule them or haul them to a county facility.
We left these out because we could not read them on an official page when we checked:
- Fee for scheduled move out removal
- Which Lee County facility receives Cape Coral curbside garbage
- Residents drop-off area hours and fees separate from the scale house