By Sal DiBenedetto, Licensed Real Estate Broker · The DiBe Group, brokered by eXp Realty · Updated October 2026

If you just moved to Estero, one of the first questions is simple: what day does the trash go out? The Village of Estero does not run its own garbage trucks. Curbside service for homes in Estero is handled through Lee County Solid Waste, and the trucks you see in your neighborhood belong to Waste Pro, the county’s contracted hauler for the Estero area. This guide covers how the schedule works, how to look up your day, set-out times, and what to do with yard waste, bulky items and household chemicals.

How Collection Works in Estero

Estero moved to single-day collection: garbage, recycling and yard waste all go out on the same day each week. About 45,500 Estero addresses were moved to this schedule. Lee County says it cuts the time materials sit at the curb and puts collection trucks in each neighborhood just one day a week.

• Garbage: once a week, with no limit on the number of cans.
• Recycling: once a week, in your county recycling cart.
• Yard waste: once a week, containerized or bundled.
• Bulky items: furniture and appliances can go next to your regular garbage on collection day.

Many gated communities and condo associations have their own rules on where carts go and when they must come back in. Check your HOA rules in addition to the county rules below.

How to Find Your Pickup Day

Pickup days vary by street, so the fastest way to get your day is to look up your address:

1. Lee County Solid Waste lookup: visit leegov.com/solidwaste and search your address.
2. Recycle Coach app: Lee County’s free app shows your collection calendar, sends reminders the night before, and answers “where does this go?” questions. Find it at leegov.com/solidwaste/recycle-coach.
3. Call: Waste Pro customer service at 239-337-0800, or Lee County Solid Waste at 239-533-8000.

Set-Out Times and Cart Rules

Lee County uses a seasonal set-out time. During the hot months (roughly April through October), crews start early to finish before the afternoon heat, and carts must be at the curb by 5 a.m. Starting Monday, October 26, 2026, the set-out time moves back to 6:30 a.m. for the Village of Estero, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers Beach and unincorporated Lee County. Your collection day does not change. The simplest habit is to roll your carts out the evening before.

Repeated violations of set-out rules can lead to warnings and fines, so it’s worth getting the routine right early.

What Goes in the Recycling Cart

Put recyclables in the cart loose. Never bag them. Plastic bags tangle the sorting machines and are not accepted curbside.

Flatten extra cardboard and set it next to the cart. After a move, that usually means a big stack of boxes for the first few weeks, which is normal.

Yard Waste Rules

Southwest Florida landscaping grows fast, and yard waste is one of the most common reasons a pickup gets skipped. Lee County’s rules:

• Accepted: grass clippings, branches and limbs, palm fronds, leaves, fallen fruit, and dead plants and flowers.
• Bundles: tie loose material into bundles no longer than 6 feet and no heavier than 50 pounds.
• Containers: a can or tub weighing 50 pounds or less when full.
• Palm fronds: up to 50 pounds can go out unbundled; anything more must be bundled.
• Plastic bags: discouraged. If you must use one, leave a twig sticking out so the driver knows it’s yard waste.
• Not accepted: fencing and wood borders go in regular garbage.

If your landscaper hauls away clippings as part of service, you may rarely need the yard waste pickup. For a big tree-trimming job, call Waste Pro for a quote on a special pickup.

Bulky Items, Construction Debris and Moving Boxes

Furniture, mattresses and appliances can be set at the curb next to your regular garbage. If an item doesn’t fit in the truck, the driver tags it and a crew returns within about three days. Construction and renovation debris is limited to less than 2 cubic yards per week; bigger remodels need a dumpster or roll-off from a private company.

Household Chemicals, Paint and Electronics

Household chemicals are never collected at the curb. That includes paint, pool chemicals, pesticides, motor oil, propane cylinders, fluorescent bulbs and batteries. Lee County takes them at:

• Lee County Household Chemical Waste Collection Facility: 6441 Topaz Court (off Metro Parkway), Fort Myers.
• Estero collection events: the county holds periodic drop-off days at Estero Community Park, 9200 Corkscrew Palms Boulevard, typically from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Check the Village of Estero website for upcoming dates.

Holidays and Storms

Lee County publishes a holiday schedule each year; a few major holidays shift collection by a day. After a hurricane or tropical storm, collection can be suspended for a few days and storm debris is picked up separately on its own schedule. Keep storm debris away from your regular carts, and follow the separate sorting instructions the county announces. For storm prep, see our guide to hurricanes and buying a home in Southwest Florida.

New to Estero?

Trash day is one of a dozen small things to set up after a move. Our Estero Newcomer Hub covers utilities, driver’s licenses, schools and social clubs, and our Estero local links page lists the government offices you’ll use most. If you’re still deciding where to live, browse Estero’s gated communities or Estero homes for sale.

Schedules and rules can change. Confirm current details with Lee County Solid Waste before relying on them. Last checked October 2026.

About the Author: Sal DiBenedetto

Sal is a licensed real estate broker with The DiBe Group, brokered by eXp Realty, serving Estero, Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Southwest Florida. A Brooklyn native who is also licensed in New York, he helps New Yorkers plan both ends of the move, from selling or renting a city home to finding the right Florida community. More about Sal · Contact