07/09/2026
PSA for New Smyrna Beach peeps.
🚛 As New Smyrna Beach prepares to transition to solid waste hauler FCC Environmental Services effective Oct. 1, here’s an early look at what to expect.
Q: What’s the deal with these new trash cans everyone’s getting?
A: Each household will initially receive a 96-gallon wheeled tote which holds about 7 trash bags and serves 5-7 people. After 90 days, a 64-gallon variant will be available upon request, which holds about 3 trash bags and serves 3-4 people.
Q: What if I live in a rural area where wildlife getting into my trash is a concern?
A: For a one-time $290 fee, you can upgrade to a bear-proof 96-gallon tote with a spring-loaded mechanism that must be hand squeezed to open the lid. Retail prices for comparable models are $480-510.
Q: Why can’t I keep using my personal trash cans?
A: They can still be used for yard waste, but when it comes to household waste, using standardized totes shifts waste collection from an inconsistent, labor-intensive system to a more modern, organized one. Benefits include improvements in worker safety, more efficient collection procedures, lower long-term operating costs, reduced litter and pest issues, and more consistent service.
Q: I’m physically unable to bring my tote to the curb. Can the collection crews do it for me?
A: Yes, provided you give permission for crews to walk onto your property and keep a doctor’s note on file. We’ll soon be publishing a standard form which anyone can provide to their doctor for review and approval.
Q: What’s the new pickup schedule going to look like?
A: Each week will consist of two household waste days and one yard waste day. One of the household waste days will also be a bulk waste day when you can put up to four cubic yards of trash next to your tote. That’s roughly equivalent to four washing machines or a compact car. Specific changes to your pickup schedule, if any, will be announced soon.
Q: What if I put out more than four cubic yards on my bulk waste day?
A: Crews will tag the remainder and send a photo of it to the city’s solid waste compliance officer along with a reason it couldn’t also be taken. The leftover material will then be removed on the next bulk waste day.
Q: What about yard waste?
A: Grass clippings, leaves, and other small debris must be placed curbside in personal cans or bags. Just as it is today, palm fronds, shrubs, tree brush, and branches must be less than six inches in diameter and less than four feet long. Remember, large amounts of yard waste generated by land clearing, construction, or commercial contractors such as a landscaping or tree trimming service must be removed by the contractor to avoid overburdening the regular collection system.
Q: Why is curbside recycling being discontinued?
A: City leaders have for years questioned the effectiveness of recycling given nearly half of all materials placed in bins are consistently too contaminated to process, requiring them to be transported to a landfill for disposal at additional expense. The upcoming expiration of Waste Pro’s contract on Sept. 30 gave them the opportunity to realize cost savings and a reduced carbon footprint by discontinuing recycling truck routes. For his part, City Manager Kevin Cowper has publicly stated the door remains open to resuming curbside recycling provided “it makes sense” from an environmental and financial standpoint first.
Q: I diligently clean my recyclables and want to do continue doing so. What options are there for me?
A: Several voluntary drop-off sites throughout the city are being explored and we look forward to announcing their locations in a future post.
Would you like to know more? Please call New Smyrna Beach Public Works at 386-424-2212.
