Solid Waste Collection

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The City of Atlantic Beach, through solid waste contractor GFL (Green for Life), provides once-weekly garbage, recycling and yard collection service to more than 5,000 residential customers within the corporate limits of the City.  The City is divided into five zones; all customers receive their garbage, recycling and yard waste collection services on the same day.  

Please refer to the Garbage, Recycling and Yard Waste Pickup Schedule for pickup days and review the information below for more details.  Contact the City of Atlantic Beach Public Works Department at (904) 247-5834 for additional residential solid waste collection information or for commercial dumpster collection information.  

To contact GFL directly, please email Supervisor Nathan Theus at ntheus@gflenv.com.

LIVE NORTH OF DUTTON ISLAND ROAD? 

Most areas north of Dutton Island Road are serviced by contractors hired by the City of Jacksonville, which can be reached at (904) 630-CITY(2489).

HOLIDAY RESIDENTIAL GARBAGE/RECYCLING/YARD WASTE COLLECTION SCHEDULE

Please note that garbage, recycling and yard waste is collected every day of the year, except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.  When these holidays fall on a regularly scheduled collection day, all solid waste will be collected on the following day.

HOUSEHOLD GARBAGE

Please help us provide efficient, safe and timely service to all residents by doing the following:

  • Place all household garbage toters curbside within 5' of the traveled portions of the street by 7:00am on your designated pickup day.
  • Household garbage must be in the provided 95 gallon toter (maximum weight limit is 150 pounds).  New residents, inside City limits, who find they do not have a garbage toter at their location may call the Public Works Department at (904) 247-5834 to request delivery.  GFL will deliver one (1) per household, approved 95 gallon garbage toter within approximately one week. 
  • Although toters remain the property of GFL, residents are encouraged to neatly stencil house numbers (2” max height) on the containers for ease of identification.  Contact the Public Works Department at (904) 247-5834 for garbage toter replacement, who will notify GFL.
  • Excess waste must be contained in boxes or sealed plastic bags weighing 40 pounds or less.
  • Furniture, TVs, microwaves, bedding, water softeners (salt removed), gas grills (without tanks) may be set out with household garbage next to the garbage toter on your pickup day. 
  • Propane gas tanks must be empty and have valves removed.
  • Separate garbage from yard waste for collection.
  • Do not place garbage on or in front of vacant lots for pick up.  Garbage is only picked up at properties approved for occupancy.
  • Garbage must not be placed over water or gas meters, cable/phone boxes, under low hanging tree limbs or utility wires, or near mailboxes.
  • Do not place medical waste in garbage toters.
  • Wrap and seal all broken glass and mirrors in newspaper for safety and place only in garbage toters.
  • Do not place hazardous waste of any kind in garbage toters.
  • Vehicle parts will not be picked up - contact a local scrap dealer for disposal.

RECYCLING

Please help us provide efficient, safe and timely service to all residents by doing the following:

  • Place all recycling carts curbside within 5' of the traveled portions of the street by 7:00am on your designated pickup day.  Recycling carts require a 3' clearance around the cart to allow the automated truck to access the cart for pick up.
  • New residents (inside City limits) who find they do not have an Atlantic Beach recycling cart at their location may call the Public Works Department at (904) 247-5834 to request delivery.  Advanced Disposal will deliver one (1) per household, approved 65 gallon recycling cart within approximately one week. 
  • Each home will receive one (1) 65 gallon recycling cart at no cost to residents.  Use the recycling cart only for recycling (no household garbage or yard waste).  Only recyclables placed in the 65 gallon recycling cart will be picked up.  Excess items not in the cart will not be picked up for recycling.
  • Recycling must not be placed over water or gas meters, cable/phone boxes, under low hanging tree limbs or utility wires, or near mailboxes.

Items that are accepted for recycling (labels do not need to be removed):

  • Plastic Numbers: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 (place caps in garbage and rinse out containers)
  • Glass bottles and jars (place caps in garbage and rinse out containers) 
  • Aluminum, metal and steel containers (rinse out containers)
  • Paper (includes newspapers, magazines, inserts, catalogs, telephone books and soft cover books) 
  • Brown paper bags 
  • Cardboard and fiber board (cut down to 2' x 3' in size)
  • Corrugated cardboard (must be able to free-fall from cart when emptied) 
  • Boxboard (cereal or food boxes - remove plastic or wax paper liners) 
  • Milk cartons and juice boxes (rinse out containers)

Items that are NOT accepted for recycling:

  • Electronics
  • Ceramics and Dishes
  • Food Waste
  • Batteries
  • Hazardous Waste or their Containers
  • Light Bulbs
  • Mirrors
  • Window Glass
  • Hard Cover Books
  • Plastic Number 3 (PVC)
  • Syringes or Medical Waste
  • Styrofoam
  • Aerosol Containers
  • Propane Tanks
  • Motor oil, pool chemicals, pesticide or fertilizer bottles  
  • Plastic Grocery Bags

YARD WASTE

Lawn, tree and other vegetative debris is picked up curbside once a week. All yard waste is to be behind the curb or edge of pavement.

Contractors or homeowners may require a permit from the Planning Department authorizing the removal of protected trees.  For information about permit requirements, visit www.coab/trees or call 247-5800.

Please help us provide efficient, safe and timely service to all residents by adhering to the following:

  • Do not block stormwater flow by putting yard waste in the gutter or on the street.  
  • Yard waste produced by a landscape contractor, tree surgeon/removal contractor, or other contractor must be disposed of by the contractor.  It will not be picked up by GFL or the City.
  • It is unlawful to deposit yard waste upon any adjoining lot or premises, whether vacant or improved, occupied or unoccupied, or upon any other lot or premises, or a street roadway or in the drainage gutter or drainage swale or ditch, plaza, alley, road median or park, or in any canal, waterway, lake or pool within the City.  
  • Yard waste is only picked up from in front of each residence and will not be picked up if an area is used as a "community dump."  These are considered to be illegal dumps, are subject to a fine, and delay the pick up of debris. 
  • Containerized yard waste should be placed curbside within 5' of the traveled portions of the street by 7:00am on your designated pickup day.  Non-containerized yard waste must be placed behind the curb or at the edge of pavement.  Do not block gutters or stormwater flow.
  • Collection of yard waste is limited to 5 cubic yards once weekly only.  This is approximately the size of a standard pickup truck load per week.
  • Grass clippings and leaves must be in open/uncovered cans of 20-48 gallon in size or in sealed plastic bags and must not exceed 40 pounds.
  • Tree limbs and fronds must be in lengths 5' or less and 6" or less in diameter.  No item or stump may weigh more than 40 pounds.  
  • Separate yard waste from household garbage for collection.  Yard waste will not be picked up if it is mixed with household garbage or construction debris.
  • Yard waste must not be placed over water or gas meters, cable/phone boxes, under low hanging tree limbs or utility wires, or near mailboxes.
  • Items that are NOT yard waste include:  fencing, landscape timbers, garden hoses, dirt, planters, flower pots and yard decorations. Yard waste will not be picked up if mixed with these items.

CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS/BUILDING MATERIALS

Collection of construction debris and/or building materials is limited to 1 cubic yard per week, not to exceed 5' in length (filling approximately two construction wheelbarrows) and only if the work was performed by the homeowner.   Construction debris/building materials is collected on your pick up day and must be placed next to the household garbage toter.  Do not mix household garbage, recycling, and yard waste with construction debris/building materials.

  • Lumber must be cut into pieces 5' or less in length.  Exposed nails and screws must be removed or completely flattened for safety. 
  • Debris and/or material must be in a container that weighs less than 40 pounds.
  • Concrete will not be picked up - contact a Contractor for disposal.
  • Contractors are required to dispose of all construction debris and/or building materials resulting from paid home improvements and for projects that require a building permit.

APPLIANCES/TIRES

Appliances and tires are picked up every Tuesday and Friday only and must be scheduled.  To schedule a pick up, contact the Public Works Department at (904) 247-5834 to be placed on the pick up list.  

  • Appliances must be empty and placed curbside (but out of the street) the night before.  
  • Any refrigerator, freezer, washer, dryer, or similar airtight unit having an interior storage capacity of 1.5 cubic feet or more must have the door removed prior to the scheduled pick up.
  • Water heaters must be completely drained of all water.  
  • Residents may place two scrap tires at a time (no more than six per year), off the rims, at the curb in front of their house. To schedule a pick up, contact the Public Works Department at (904) 247-5834.

DEAD ANIMAL REMOVAL

Report dead animals on City owned property to the Public Works Department at (904) 247-5834, who will notify GFL for removal. Neither GFL nor the City removes dead animals from private owned properties, yards or woods near yards.

HAZARDOUS MATERIAL DISPOSAL

  • The City of Jacksonville Solid Waste Division holds an annual collection of hazardous material at the Beaches. Collection days are published here and on other City of Jacksonville and City of Atlantic Beach communications platforms.
  • Do not place hazardous waste of any kind in garbage toters.
  • Oil based paint, chemicals and other hazardous waste including rechargeable alkaline and regular duty batteries, photographic chemicals, drain cleaners, pool chemicals, pesticides, antifreeze and paint thinner must be taken to Duval County Hazardous Waste, 2675 Commonwealth Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32202; (904) 387-8847; Hours of Operation: Mon. - Sat., 8:30am to 4:30pm; Closed Sun.
  • Disposal of Oil.  Used oil is prohibited by law in landfills.  Never pour used motor oil in the garbage, on the ground or down storm drains.  It can poison drinking water.  One gallon of improperly disposed waste oil could pollute one million gallons of fresh water.  Many local oil retailers accept used motor oil for recycling from residents.
  • Disposal of Paint. Paint is a common product that can become household hazardous waste when it is not used up, even when it is thrown in the trash. Eventually, most household trash is compacted, releasing the paint from the can. Sometimes this paint can leak from the garbage truck and end up splattered all over a residential street. In a landfill, as water seeps through the garbage, the paint will move with the water and may eventually contaminate ground water. As a general rule, liquids are not allowed in landfills. Full or partially full cans of liquid paint should not be placed in the trash and are not accepted by many garbage collectors.  Paint also should not be poured down the drain, dumped on the ground, or thrown in the trash. Paint contains chemicals, such as solvents and metals, that can damage the environment and endanger human health if disposed of improperly. When poured down the drain, many of the chemicals in paint will not be treated by sewage treatment or septic systems. The untreated chemicals may be discharged to lakes or streams and contaminate these waters. 
    • Latex Paint:  Water-based paints are called latex paints. If the clean-up instructions on the paint can say that water can be used for cleanup, the paint is a latex paint. Remove the lid, let the paint dry out (to speed up the drying process kitty litter or sand can be added to the can to absorb the paint).  Place next to garbage toter after the paint has hardened, without replacing the lid on the paint can. 
    • Oil Based Paint:  Enamels, varnishes, shellacs, lacquers, stains and sealers are all oil based paints. If the clean-up instructions on the paint can say that solvents such as paint thinner, mineral spirits or brush cleaner must be used, the paint is oil based. (Solvents can also become household hazardous waste.) Must be taken to the Duval County Hazardous Waste Disposal Facility.
    • Additional Information: 
      • Drying Out Paint
        • Location: All handling and drying should be done in a well ventilated area. Find an area protected from open flame, children, pets, and rain but has adequate air flow. A locked, screened porch is an ideal place, although a well ventilated garage or shed may be suitable. Proper ventilation is important to prevent solvent-fume build-up, which is a fire and health hazard.
        • Process: The simplest way is to remove the lid and allow the liquids (either water or solvents) to evaporate. This works well for small quantities, such as an inch or two in the bottom of the can. Larger quantities of paint take longer to dry out and may require other methods.
        • Disposal: When thoroughly dry, the remaining hardened material can be discarded with your regular trash. Leave the lid off the can so your garbage hauler can see that the paint is hardened. In a hardened form, the material is stable and less likely to seep through the landfill to the groundwater below.
        • Time: Depending on the type and quantity of paint, the drying process can be lengthy and may take from several days to several months. The length of this process can be decreased by using one or more of the following methods. Once the paint has completely dried and hardened, it can be discarded with your regular trash.
      • Speeding Up the Process
        • For paint that has separated and cannot be mixed, pour off the clear liquids on top, leaving the semi-solid paint sludge in the can to dry. The clear liquid can be poured into a cardboard box lined with plastic and mixed with an equal amount of absorbent material, such as cat litter, and allowed to dry.
        • When drying paint out in the can, occasionally stir it to break the surface scum, allowing the evaporation process to proceed.
        • Paint excess amount of paint on cardboard or newspaper to use it up.
        • Pour thin layers (about one inch) of paint into a cardboard box lined with plastic. Allow the paint to dry one layer at a time until all the paint has hardened.
        • Some types of oil paints and stains may be difficult to dry in the can. These can be mixed with cat litter or other absorbent material in a cardboard box lined with plastic and allowed to dry.
      • Speeding Up the Process
        • Identifying Usable Paint. Check to see if the paint is in good condition. Stir the paint; if it will mix up, it is probably usable. As a general rule, for paint to be usable by someone else, at least one-third of the contents should remain in the original can that has a legible label. The best way to see if latex paint is usable after it has been frozen is to brush it on newspaper to see if it has any lumps. If there are lumps, the paint is not usable. Paint containing lead should never be used on interior surfaces.
        • Oil paint can be good for up to fifteen years.
        • Latex paint is usable if it is less than ten years old and has not been exposed to repeated freezing and thawing.
      • Avoid Future Leftover Paint Disposal Problems
        •  Be a careful consumer. Paint and varnish become a disposal problem only when the quantity purchased is not used.
        • Buy only the amount of paint you need. Measure the space you need to paint and request the assistance of hardware or paint store personnel in purchasing the correct amount.
        • Use existing paint before purchasing more.
        • Avoid purchasing exotic colors that you will not be able to use for another project.
        • Apply another coat to use up left-over paint.
        • Store cans of left-over paint lid side down. Be sure to tightly close the lid before doing this.\
        • The paint will form a seal and this will prevent hardening or moisture damage. Store paint in a dry area, as well as in an area where it will not freeze.