Monroe County Schedules Mobile Hazardous Waste Drop-Offs in November
Monroe County Solid Waste Department will operate mobile Household Hazardous Waste collections at Cudjoe Key Transfer Station on Nov. 5 and Long Key Transfer Station on Nov. 7, providing residents safe disposal options for paints, solvents, pesticides and electronics. Additional organics and HHW events are scheduled later in November, offering expanded waste-management access for island communities and helping protect local ecosystems.
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Monroe County’s Solid Waste Department is deploying mobile Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection units to two Keys transfer stations in early November, aiming to give residents a safe, convenient option to dispose of toxic, flammable and electronic materials that should not enter regular trash streams.
The mobile HHW collections will be held at the Cudjoe Key Transfer Station on Nov. 5 and the Long Key Transfer Station on Nov. 7, each running from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents may bring items such as paints, solvents, pesticides and electronics for proper handling and disposal. Normal household trash will not be accepted at these events. The county has also scheduled a Food Scrap Collection on Nov. 15 and announced additional HHW dates later in the month.
Providing mobile HHW services is a practical response to the geography and infrastructure constraints of the Florida Keys. Permanent hazardous-waste facilities are costly to build and operate, and islands with dispersed populations can face barriers to safe disposal. By bringing collection services to transfer stations across the county, the Solid Waste Department increases access for residents who might otherwise dispose of hazardous materials improperly or store them in unsafe conditions.
Proper HHW disposal has multiple local impacts. It reduces the risk of hazardous substances entering the landfill stream, lowers potential exposure for sanitation workers, and minimizes chances of runoff or leaching that could affect groundwater and sensitive coastal environments. In a county where natural resources and marine ecosystems are central to both quality of life and the local economy, managing hazardous waste responsibly is a public-health and environmental priority.
The Nov. 15 Food Scrap Collection illustrates another policy emphasis: diverting organic material from the waste stream. Organics collection can reduce landfill volume and greenhouse gas emissions associated with decomposition in anaerobic conditions. For Monroe County, expanding organics programs can also intersect with local resilience goals and waste-reduction commitments at the municipal and county levels.
Residents planning to use the mobile HHW events should note the time windows and locations are limited and normal trash is not accepted. For full lists of accepted materials, updates to the schedule, or questions about eligibility and documentation, residents are advised to consult Monroe County Solid Waste Department resources online or contact the department directly.
These mobile collections reflect county efforts to balance operational costs with equitable service delivery across island communities. Continued participation by residents and attention from local officials will shape how Monroe County expands hazardous- and organic-waste services in coming years to protect public health and the region’s coastal environment.
