Mission: To promote a clean, safe and esthetically pleasing environment for the citizens of West Palm Beach by collecting residential, commercial refuse and yard waste, throughout the city's streets in a timely manner.

Operations: The Sanitation Department is responsible for the removal of residential refuse, yard waste and commercial waste throughout the City. Our customers include those that reside in single-family units, multi-family units and in gated communities. Ten code enforcement officers work to identify refuse code offenders and prevent illegal dumping. The Sanitation Department has taken it upon itself to clean up illegal dumping sites throughout the City.

Capacity: The growth rate of West Palm Beach continues at a rapid pace. Currently, the Sanitation Department is serving approximately 20,697 residential, 20,417 multi-family, and 2,146 commercial customers, but these numbers grow almost daily. To meet collection needs, the Sanitation Department operates 11 crane trucks for yard waste, 3 each, 3 man, rear loading refuse trucks and 10 one man automated trucks for residential refuse and 8 each, 2 man, front loading refuse trucks for commercial waste.

The Sanitation Department permits private companies to collect commercial refuse, for a fee, when the needs of the customer require more capacity than an 8 cubic yard dumpster. Sub-contractors (Waste Management), collect recyclable materials for disposal.

Operations & Maintenance: Standard Northern and Southern collection routes exist throughout the City with Okeechobee Boulevard serving as the dividing line. Refuse is picked up on Northern routes on Mondays and Thursdays and on Southern routes on Tuesdays and Fridays. Communities West of I-95 are serviced on Mondays and Thursdays or Tuesdays and Fridays with the exception of Ironhorse, Ibis, and Baywinds which are serviced on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Bulk items, to include furniture and appliances; freezers, AC units and refrigerators, etc, are picked up once a week, on the same day as yard waste. Leaves and small branches are collected and the collection points are left neat and clean.

The Sanitation Department is placing a renewed, heavy emphasis on cleaning up those neighborhoods that require special attention as a result of having deteriorated over time. Statistics are showing that crime rate is closely correlated with neighborhood appearance. Better appearance leads to better communities. Now, with fourteen Code Enforcement Officers on staff, neighborhood clean up efforts are producing enduring results.

Structure: The Sanitation Department operates three sanitation collection functions.

The Utilities Operations & Maintenance Superintendent, supported by a secretary and an accounting clerk, is responsible for the day-to-day operation of Sanitation Department, budgeting and long range planning. The Department is structured in the following manner:.

Residential Refuse Collection: operating collection vehicles collect refuse on both Northern and Southern routes. There is a once a week bulk pick-up on your yard waste day.

Commercial Refuse Collection: two person teams operating front loading collection vehicles collect commercial refuse on both Northern and Southern routes. These teams normally collect between 5 A.M. and 1 P.M.

Yard Waste Collection: crane collection trucks are operated by a single Sanitation Operator on both Northern and Southern routes. These trucks are operated between 6 A.M. and 2 P.M.

All residential and commercial refuse collected throughout the city is transported to the Solid Wasted Authority for reclamation. These materials are incinerated and the heat generated is used to produce electricity, which is consumed in our community.

Yard waste is mixed with sludge from the Waste Water Plant to produce mulch which is available free of cost to our citizens at the Solid Waste Authority. A commercial grade of mulch produce at the Solid Waste Authority is also available for a nominal fee.

Sanitation Department teams take a great deal of pride in the contribution they make to the aesthetic appeal of the City and the cleanliness of our environment.

Recycling:
Paper products go in your yellow bin.
* Newspapers
* Magazines/Catalogs
* Unwanted Mail
* School/Office Papers
* Phone Books
* Paper Bags
* ALL Cardboard Boxes - (includes beverage cartons, tissue boxes, dry food boxes, corrugated cardboard. Boxes must be flattened and cut to 3’ x 3’ maximum.)



Recyclable containers go in your blue bin.
* Plastic Containers #1 - #7
* Steel Cans
* Aluminum Cans, Foil and Pie Plates
* Drink Boxes
* Milk and Juice Cartons
* Glass Bottles and Jars