Residents with curbside service receive twice per week pickup of household garbage except for designated holidays. Call Republic Services at (352) 540-6457 to sign up for service or ask questions about your existing service. Follow the procedures below for curbside pickup:

• Containers: Republic Services provides each customer with one blue cart to use for garbage collection. Only trash inside the Republic Services blue carts with the lid closed will be collected. Garbage left outside of the cart and overflowing carts will not be collected. There are two sizes of carts available: 65-gallon or 95-gallon. For information on changing the size of your cart or obtaining a second cart, contact Republic Services at (352) 540-6457. 

• Bag Your Garbage: All trash should be bagged prior to being placed in the cart as loose trash may get blown by the wind when the cart is picked up. Loose trash that is scattered during collection is the responsibility of the customer and will not be picked up by Republic Services.

• Put a Lid on It: Cart lids must be closed to prevent scavenging of animals and to prevent rainwater from collecting in the container while awaiting collection.  This also prevents garbage from becoming spilled during the collection process.

• Placement: The automated arm used to collect the carts requires clearance for your cart to be picked up. Carts should be placed at least three feet from the curb with the arrows facing the street and the handle facing away from the street. Do not place cart in the street. The lid must be closed. Carts should be placed at least three feet away from other obstacles, such as mailboxes, cars and other carts, and should not have any overhead obstructions, such as powerlines or tree limbs. Carts that are not properly placed may not be serviced.

• Placement Restrictions: Curbside placement shall be made no earlier than 6 p.m. on the day prior to the designated collection day and carts must be removed by the end of the day garbage was collected.

• Storage Areas: Areas where garbage containers are kept shall be maintained in a clean sanitary manner, free of spilled garbage, wastewater and odors.

• Community Pickup Locations: Garbage carts used at community pickup locations in rural areas must follow the above placement guidelines.  Carts are uniquely identified by serial number. To avoid confusion, it is recommended that customers use stickers to place their address under the handle of the cart. Only use the cart assigned to your address.  It is considered illegal dumping to place your trash in a container or dumpster that is not your own.

• Prohibited Items: Do not place recycling, yard waste, red bag medical waste, needles, hazardous waste, paint, chemicals, motor oil, liquids, dead animals, hot ashes, large car parts, tires, car batteries and/or construction debris including bricks, blocks or large pieces of wood, in your cart. Please contact Hernando County Solid Waste at (352) 754-4112 for information on the proper way to dispose of these items. 

• Excess trash: Most household waste will fit easily in the cart, however only the contents of the cart with lid closed will be collected. Excess trash may be saved for the next collection day or taken to a drop off facility. Residents who frequently have excess trash should consider reducing waste through recycling. Curbside recycling is included in your service with once-per-week collection of paper, cardboard, plastic, aluminum, and tin. Contact Republic Services at (352) 540-6457 or visit www.HernandoCounty.us/Recycling to request your recycling bins.

• Excess Trash – Prepayment Options: For larger quantities of trash, yard waste or bulk items, or to request a second cart, please call Republic Services at (352) 540-6457 for pricing and pre-payment options before setting the trash at the curb.

• Commercial Trash:   Commercial Waste is not collected curbside.  Please take all commercial waste to the Northwest Waste Management Facility for disposal.  Appropriate tipping fees will apply.

• Cart Maintenance:  Customer is responsible for keeping container clean and sanitary.  Republic Services will repair normal wear and tear only.  Call (352) 540-6457 to schedule repair.

• Additional Information: Visit www.HernandoCounty.us/SolidWaste and click on FAQ for more information on this service.