Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Fountainebleau
Trash Day
Varies by neighborhood zone (twice weekly collection)
Recycling
Every other week (day varies by zone)
Yard Waste
Included in green waste cart or via 2 scheduled bulky waste pickups per year
Set Out Time
By 7:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Curbside waste collection and recycling fees are billed annually as a non-ad valorem assessment on your Miami-Dade County property tax bill. Residents with disabilities can apply for special assistance curbside collection service by calling 311.
Billing Cycle
Annual (Included in Property Taxes)
Accepted Methods
Property Tax, Online, Mail, In-Person
Green Cart Bin (Trash)
All garbage and small yard clippings must be securely bagged before going into the green cart. Place the cart at the curb by 7:00 AM on your collection day, with wheels facing your home. Do not overfill; the lid must be completely closed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Bagged yard clippings and leaves
- ✓Styrofoam and non-recyclable plastics
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
Recyclables must be placed completely loose inside the blue cart. Never bag your recycling. Place the cart at the curb by 7:00 AM on your scheduled alternating week, keeping it at least five feet from your green cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard boxes
- ✓Paper, magazines, and mail
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Metal food and beverage cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Pizza boxes (greasy parts)
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Electronics and batteries
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses, wires)
Yard Waste Bin
Small yard waste (clippings and leaves) must be bagged and put inside the green waste cart. Large piles of branches or palm fronds require a scheduled bulky waste appointment or a trip to a nearby Neighborhood TRC.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Palm fronds
- ✓Tree limbs and brush
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Two free pickups per calendar year (By appointment only)
Placement
Place items curbside within 3 days of your scheduled appointment. Keep piles at least 5 feet from mailboxes, parked cars, green/blue carts, and low-hanging tree branches.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (couches, mattresses, tables)
- ✓ Large household appliances (freon and doors removed)
- ✓ Large tree limbs and palm fronds
- ✓ Rolled carpets
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste (paint, chemicals)
- ✕ Tires and auto parts
- ✕ Commercial construction debris
- ✕ Rocks, dirt, and sand
- ✕ Electronic waste (TVs, monitors)
If your bulky pile exceeds the 25-cubic-yard limit, it will exhaust your second annual pickup. If both are exhausted, excess yardage incurs a fee of roughly $32 per additional cubic yard.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Miami-Dade DSWM provides garbage and recycling collection rain or shine on almost all holidays, including Thanksgiving. Service is ONLY suspended on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Independence Day, and Christmas Day. On these three holidays, you must wait for your next regularly scheduled pickup day.
Yard Waste Exception
All Neighborhood Trash and Recycling Centers (TRCs) and bulky waste collection routes are also closed on these three specific holidays.
Unlike many cities that shift pickup days forward by one day, Miami-Dade skips the holiday entirely. Keep your bins inside until your next assigned service day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Blue Cart
The most common recycling contaminant in Miami-Dade County is the plastic grocery bag. When flimsy bags enter the recycling stream, they tangle the gears at the sorting facility. Always leave your recyclables loose and return grocery bags to your local supermarket.
Loose Garbage vs. Bagged Garbage
The county requires residents to treat their two carts entirely differently. All standard trash and yard clippings in the green cart must be securely bagged to prevent windblown litter, while everything in the blue recycling cart must be completely unbagged.
Pizza Boxes: Tear and Share
While cardboard is highly recyclable, greasy food residue is not. If you order pizza, tear off the clean, unsoiled top lid and place it in your blue recycling cart. Throw the greasy bottom half into your green garbage cart.
Seasonal Information
Hurricane Season
June - NovemberIf a named tropical storm or hurricane warning is issued, DSWM will immediately suspend all bulky waste appointments. Do not place yard trimmings or large furniture at the curb during a storm watch, as high winds turn these items into severe projectile hazards.
Winter Holidays
December - JanuaryWith heavy post-holiday cardboard volume, remember to flatten all shipping boxes completely. Additionally, Christmas Day is one of the only holidays Miami-Dade suspends service. If your collection day falls on Christmas, your pickup is skipped until your next scheduled day.
Spring Cleaning
March - MaySpring is a peak time for garage cleanouts. Because bulky waste appointments can be booked up to 30 days in advance on the 311 app, schedule your pickup early to secure your preferred date. Keep in mind that construction and demolition materials are strictly capped at 3 cubic yards per pickup.
About Fountainebleau Waste Management
County-Operated Services in Fountainebleau
Because Fountainebleau is an unincorporated community within Miami-Dade County, all residential waste, recycling, and bulky waste services are administered directly by the Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste Management (DSWM). The county utilizes an automated truck fleet, providing residents with twice-weekly household garbage collection and once-every-other-week single-stream recycling. These essential services are funded through the annual non-ad valorem property tax bill rather than a monthly utility charge.
The Bulky Waste Appointment System
Miami-Dade DSWM provides single-family households in Fountainebleau with two free bulky waste pickups per calendar year. Each pickup allows for up to 25 cubic yards of debris. Residents must actively book their pickup online or by dialing 311 before placing items at the curb. To combat neighborhood blight, Miami-Dade enforces a strict rule: you may not place your bulky pile at the curb more than three days prior to your scheduled appointment. Early placement will result in code enforcement citations.
Neighborhood Trash and Recycling Centers (TRCs)
For immediate disposal needs outside of your scheduled bulk pickups, Fountainebleau residents have access to Miami-Dade's network of 13 Neighborhood Trash and Recycling Centers. The most convenient locations for Fountainebleau are typically the Snapper Creek TRC or the Sunset Kendall TRC. These facilities allow residents to drop off large furniture, clean yard waste, and excess cardboard free of charge, provided they bring a valid driver's license or utility bill verifying their active DSWM account.
Waste-to-Energy and Zero Waste Initiatives
A massive portion of the garbage collected in Fountainebleau is diverted from traditional landfills. Miami-Dade County utilizes the Resources Recovery Facility, where everyday household trash is incinerated and converted into electricity to power the plant and supply the local grid. Additionally, the county heavily promotes its Zero Waste Master Plan, encouraging residents to download the Scrapp Recycling App to scan barcodes and ensure items are properly sorted.
Drop-off Facilities
Snapper Creek Trash and Recycling Center (TRC)
2200 SW 117th Avenue, Miami, FL 33165
Materials Accepted
West Miami-Dade Home Chemical Collection Center
8801 NW 58th Street, Doral, FL 33178
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for trash pickup in Fountainebleau?
As an unincorporated area of Miami-Dade County, Fountainebleau's residential solid waste and recycling collection is managed by the Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste Management (DSWM).
Does Miami-Dade pick up garbage on Thanksgiving?
Yes. The county provides waste collection rain or shine on almost all holidays, including Thanksgiving. The only three days they suspend service are Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Independence Day, and Christmas Day.
How do I schedule a bulk pickup for an old couch?
Residents get two free bulky waste pickups per year. You can schedule yours by downloading the MDC Solid Waste App, visiting the county website, or simply dialing 311. Do not place the couch outside until your appointment is confirmed.
Why didn't they pick up my blue recycling bin?
The most common reason for a missed recycling pickup is contamination. If you placed plastic bags, styrofoam, or greasy pizza boxes inside your blue cart, the automated trucks will tag it and leave it behind to prevent corrupting the entire load.