Trash and recycling pickup in Panama City: schedule, holidays, bulk

Last checked Oct. 9, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of Panama City’s Environmental Services Division (Solid Waste) page and frequently asked questions, and Bay County’s Solid Waste pages.

The City of Panama City picks up garbage and yard trash itself, through the Public Works Environmental Services Division at 731 Massalina Drive. Every home on city service gets one blue 96-gallon roll-out cart for garbage. Garbage trucks start at 5 a.m. and yard trash crews at 6 a.m., so set everything out the night before or early that morning.

Who to call

• Missed pickup, broken or stolen cart, extra cart, cost estimates: Environmental Services Division, 850-872-3172
• Start or stop service, billing: Utility Billing and Customer Service, 850-872-3166
• Bay County landfill and household hazardous waste: Solid Waste Division, 850-236-2212
• Official page: Environmental Services Division (Solid Waste)

After Hurricane Isaias. Regular trash pickup was due to resume Monday, Oct. 12, starting where Friday’s routes stopped. The city said in its recovery update that pickup will run late for the next couple of weeks because nearly every household has storm debris. Bag leaves and small debris, stack larger limbs neatly at the roadside, and keep piles off storm drains. Bay County’s Steelfield Landfill takes storm debris free from Bay County residents through Sunday, Oct. 25. Full details are in our Isaias debris and trash pickup story.

What day is my pickup?

The city posts collection days for every address on its garbage and yard trash collection map. Type in your address to see both your garbage day and your weekly yard trash day. The city notes the yard trash schedule depends on the volume collected each week and can vary.

To hear about schedule changes, text PCgarbage to 38276 or sign up for Notify Me alerts on the city website.

Garbage cart rules

• Put the cart at the curb before 5 a.m. on collection day, or the night before.
• Lid closed, opening facing the street, handle toward the curb, within 2 feet of the road.
• Keep it clear of mailboxes, parked cars, utility poles, wires and tree limbs.
• Bag your garbage. Bags must fit inside the cart; anything stacked on or around it stays.
• Small amounts of grass clippings and leaves can go in the cart.
• No hot ashes, fireworks, rocks, dirt, paint, building materials, hazardous waste or unprotected needles.
• Carts can stay at the curb only the night before and the day of collection.

The cart belongs to the city and stays with the house when you move. Carts broken by normal wear and tear are repaired or replaced free; call 850-872-3172. Extra carts are available for a monthly charge.

Holiday schedule

The city skips garbage pickup on five holidays and skips yard trash on 13. If your service day falls on a holiday, you are served on your next scheduled day, unless the city says otherwise. The holidays coming up:

Garbage also stops on Juneteenth and Independence Day. Yard trash stops on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day and Labor Day, while garbage runs as normal.

Yard trash and bulk pickup

Every home gets yard trash and bulk pickup once a week, starting at 6 a.m. The city’s rules:

• The weekly limit is a pile 4 feet by 6 feet by 6 feet. Bigger piles are still collected, but the city charges a special fee to your utility account without notice.
• Limbs no longer than 4 feet and no thicker than 4 inches. Bag leaves and clippings.
• Keep appliances and furniture apart from yard waste. Put mattresses, couches, cushions and carpet in their own pile. The trucks collect yard debris first and come back for appliances and furniture.
• Place items within 10 feet of the curb, not in the street, not under wires and not on a vacant lot, a storm drain or a water meter.
• The city does not take dirt, concrete, tires or hazardous materials, and does not collect debris left by landscapers, tree services or contractors.

For construction or remodeling debris, roofing shingles, felled trees or large loads of junk, the city charges for removal; call 850-872-3172 for an estimate.

Recycling

The city’s solid waste page lists no curbside recycling service. Bay County says its conventional recycling program closed after Hurricane Michael and points residents to its list of recycling outlets in Bay County instead. Appliances taken to the county landfill are processed for scrap and recycled.

Do not put lithium-ion batteries from phones, laptops, e-bikes or scooters in the garbage. The county takes them free at its hazardous waste facility.

Landfill, drop-off and hazardous waste

Bay County runs the disposal sites; it does not collect trash.

• Steelfield Road Landfill, 11411 Landfill Road, off State Road 79 in West Bay. Takes household garbage, furniture, construction debris, yard debris, appliances and tires, each in its own area. Scale house: 850-233-5062.
• Household Hazardous Waste Facility, at the landfill next to the scale house. Paint, cleaners, pesticides, gasoline, used oil and batteries from Bay County homes, free in the original container. 850-236-2211.
• Bayline Drive Public Drop-off Center, 6510 Bayline Drive. Small loads of household garbage and trash from Bay County residents with ID, $5 a load. 850-248-5141.

Waste Amnesty Days: Friday, Oct. 16, and Saturday, Oct. 17, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Steelfield Road Landfill. Bay County residents with proof of residency can drop off yard debris, garbage, appliances, up to 25 tires and household hazardous waste at no charge, according to the county’s Waste Amnesty Days page. Commercial loads still pay.

Related: who to call at City Hall, hurricane prep for Bay County and moving to Panama City.

Frequently asked questions

What day is trash pickup in Panama City?

It depends on your street. The city publishes every address’s garbage and yard trash days on its online collection map. Carts must be at the curb before 5 a.m. on your collection day.

Does Panama City have curbside recycling?

No. The city’s garbage page offers only garbage and yard trash pickup, and Bay County says its conventional recycling program closed after Hurricane Michael. The county publishes a list of recycling outlets instead.

Is trash picked up on Thanksgiving in Panama City?

No. There is no garbage or yard trash collection on Thanksgiving Day. Customers whose pickup falls on the holiday are served on their next scheduled day.

How do I get rid of bulky items in Panama City?

Put furniture, appliances and yard debris at the curb on your yard trash day, kept in separate piles. The weekly limit is a pile 4 feet by 6 feet by 6 feet; larger piles are collected and charged to your utility account.

Where can I take household hazardous waste in Bay County?

To the Household Hazardous Waste Facility at the Steelfield Road Landfill, 11411 Landfill Road. It is free for Bay County residents with household products in the original container. Call 850-236-2211.