Test Driving the County's New "Big Bin"

BRADENTON — Changes to trash service in unincorporated Manatee County will take effect in less than ten weeks, and one change that’s drawn significant public attention is the switch from twice-a-week solid waste collection to one day per week. Manatee County Government will soon begin delivering its highly advertised 96-gallon “Big Bins” to customers.

Perhaps you’ve seen the signs placed in public right-of-ways around the county, or maybe you’ve seen one of the numerous social media posts shared by Manatee County Government. You would almost have to be trying not to have heard about the “Big Bins” and the big changes coming to trash services.



The larger trash receptacles are designed to hold more trash to accommodate a once-per-week collection schedule, and, like the currently issued blue recycling bins, they will be emptied by automated trucks.

The one day a week schedule will accomplish multiple things, says the county; it will streamline solid waste collection, improve efficiency, enhance worker safety, maintain current rates, and reduce the number of truck-trips on already congested roadways. 

The county’s current solid waste collection schedule has household garbage, yard waste, and recycling collected on separate days, resulting in multiple truck-trips per week. Fewer trips means fewer of the large, frequently stopping garbage trucks in the path of your morning commute.

Manatee County Communications Coordinator Tina Moutoux Saldana tells TBT that the new schedule will save approximately 150,000 truck trips per week. 

"Reducing collection frequency," Saldana explained, "will help ease road congestion, reduce wear and tear on infrastructure, and lower environmental impacts." 

Despite the touted benefits, many members of the public remain skeptical—particularly about the size of the bin and the one day a week pick up.

Browse the comment section of almost any of the social media posts shared by the county government in recent months, and you will find hundreds of comments expressing concerns.

“Imagine the smell from our trash sitting around for so long!”

“I won’t be able to move (or store) a bin of that size!”

“The bin won’t be big enough for a week’s worth of our household’s trash,” or conversely, “I don’t need a bin that large!”

As an almost 36-year resident, I've also wondered how well the new schedule and bins would work as compared to the current service.

Last month, I reached out to the county’s communications team and pitched an idea: “Let me test drive one of the big bins before they roll out to the community, and I will provide an honest review of how it worked for our household.”

Not only did the county graciously accept my proposal, but the communications staff liked my pitch so well that they created a "beta brigade," offering the same opportunity to conduct a test drive to other local reporters.

On Thursday, July 31, a 96-gallon bin was delivered to our home, and the test drive began.

As part of the test, I agreed to use the current issue recycle bin and the new big bin for all household waste. In addition, we would forfeit one of our regular collection days and place the bins for pickup (together) only one day each week.

We reside in western Manatee County’s District 3. We are a four-person household: my husband, myself, and our two daughters.

Having nearly grown children means we’re well past the diaper years, but we are a family that only occasionally dines out, instead choosing to cook and eat meals at home together.

We share our home with two rescue cats and one large dog weighing over 100 pounds. This means additional trash from pet food containers, litter boxes, and other pet things.

Our trash cans are stored on the side of our house, along the driveway. For a portion of the day, they are exposed to direct sun, with only the shade of the house covering them for the remainder of the day.

They are positioned roughly 10 feet from where we park our cars. On any given day, and at various times throughout the day, we come and go, walking past the cans. I placed the new bin nearest to our cars for this two-week test.

The Smell

During the first week with the new bin, the National Weather Service issued multiple heat advisories for Bradenton, where the "feels-like" temperatures exceeded 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

Despite the intense heat, no smell was noted on any day outside of the bin, even when standing beside it.

That being said, lifting the lid to place more garbage inside was unpleasant and steamy, but it also did not seem any worse than lifting the lid of any other trash can. Surprisingly, that held even toward the end of the week. Of course, the level of stink in a trash can will vary depending on what has been disposed of.

When I agreed to take on the test drive, I anticipated that a once-per-week collection schedule of bigger cans holding more trash, in the Florida summer heat, would probably mean more trash smell outside my home. 

Both weeks delivered similar results; however, the second week was slightly less unpleasant when opening the lid. Overall, my concern about the smell emanating from outside the bin and wafting across my property did not materialize.

Size, Capacity, and Mobility  

It’s called a “big” bin for a reason, and quoting my 76-year-young mother, this bin is “Really frickin’ big!” 

The 96-gallon bin is four inches taller than the blue recycling bins. It is notably not much wider, only about an inch. I was surprised to find that the base “footprint” of the big bin is about the same as the recycling bin from side to side, and it is only five inches deeper from the back edge of the wheels to the front of the cart.

As for its capacity, our family of four was unable to fill it to the brim either week we had it, despite our attempts.

During the first week, we scoured the house for everything we could discard. We emptied the fridge, turned the litter boxes, and grabbed every bag from each trash can in the laundry room, bathrooms, etc. It held all of it, and it still wasn’t full.

Full disclosure, we utilize our recycling bin as prescribed. We’re diligent about disposing of cans, jars, cardboard, and plastics; anything that is permitted in the recycling bin goes in there. I would imagine that households that do not currently utilize their recycling bin may find it necessary to do so to preserve space in the big bin for all non-recyclable trash items. And that's not a bad thing. 

At the end of the second week, there was enough room remaining in the big bin to add another three to four kitchen trash bags. Possibly more if we compacted the contents.

Once it was filled, it was time for the real test! Who could move this thing to the road, and how difficult would that be? At the end of the first week, the bin was a bit heavier due to several pounds of spent cat litter. Though it took some effort on my part, I was able to drag it away from the wall to access the handles. Once tilted onto its wheels, the bin was easy to move despite its weight.

Our home has a somewhat lengthy driveway, roughly 155 feet long, and I had no trouble wheeling the bin the entire length of it. For reference, I am 49 years old and five and a half feet tall, with average fitness.

At the end of the second week, I decided to recruit my 16-year-old daughter and my mother to haul the can to the road.  Neither had any issues with it. My daughter is of a petite frame, and my mother had a knee replacement last year and has another in her future. Both moved the bin away from the wall of the house and down to the road without assistance or struggle.

For good measure, I requested that my mom wheel the bin more than half the length of our driveway, just to be certain she could. Thankfully, she’s a good sport! My daughter is 5’3” and my mom is 5’1”.


Storage

While we opt to keep our bins alongside our house and closer to the road, many residents store their trash receptacles in their garage or carport. Some HOAs require it. To get an idea of how much space would need to be available for storage in a garage, I placed the big bin and recycling bin side by side in our garage and took some measurements.

To store the bins together, both forward-facing, will require approximately four feet across and two and a half feet in depth. Because the big bin is much deeper (front-to-back) than it is wide, some homeowners may find that parking it sideways, rather than forward-facing, leaves more clearance for parking vehicles.


Our garage is an oversized two-car garage, so I was unable to test how the bins would fit together in a smaller one-car garage with a vehicle. 

Beyond the Big Bin

Along with each household receiving a new county-issued 96-gallon bin and the collection days being reduced to one day per week, other changes also become effective in October.

Yard waste in plastic bags will no longer be accepted for curbside disposal or at the county’s landfill. Beginning in October, yard waste must be bundled or placed in compostable paper bags. It can also be placed at the curb in regular garbage cans or bins—but not in the new big bin.

Another change will impact bulk item disposal. Currently, the county offers unlimited bulk item removal. However, beginning in October, any item not placed in the large bin with the lid closed will incur a $59 charge for curbside removal. This means that if you need to dispose of an old couch, appliance, or bicycle, there will be a charge per item collected curbside. Residents will also need to call ahead to schedule the pickup.

Alternatively, residents can drive bulk items to the landfill for disposal; fees apply. The Lena Road Landfill will offer a new residential drop-off site to help streamline the disposal of bulk items. Loads hauled by car or SUV will be charged a $5 tipping fee. Pickup trucks will cost $20.

Click here to view a larger version of the Big Bin Advantage info-sheet.

Options and Accommodations

After completing the two-week test drive, I’m feeling more confident that the switch to the larger bin and a once-a-week pickup will probably work out okay for our household. Still, not all areas of the county are alike, and all households are not the same. 

Recent reporting by the East County Observer took a closer look at the possible challenges that residents of HOAs and rural areas of the county may face with these changes.

Communications Coordinator Saldana says the county hears resident concerns, and some accommodations will be offered with the updated service, while additional options are being explored by staff.

For households, like my parents’, that may not need a 96-gallon bin, a smaller option is available.

Beginning in January, residents can request to trade out the big bin for a smaller 64-gallon bin—a matching size to the blue recycling bin. Requests will be submitted through the county’s utilities website, and the trade is free.

For households requiring additional capacity, an extra bin can be requested; however, the extra collection will incur a monthly charge of $13.65.

There is also an accommodation available for residents who are unable to bring the bin to the curb or who simply don't want to. A truck worker will retrieve the bin for you, for a fee of $44.09 per month. A fee waiver is available for customers with physician-verified medical restrictions.  

The county-issued bins are warrantied, and if your bin is damaged due to wear and tear or an accident, the county will replace it at no cost.

The county is currently exploring options to better accommodate the collection of residential bulk items. One possible solution includes “Community Cleanup Days,” where temporary dumpsters would be placed periodically during the year at various central locations throughout the county. The temporary communal collection sites could offer residents improved accessibility for the disposal of bulk items and, potentially, cost savings. 

Why is Service Changing?

Once-a-week trash collection and automated pickup are becoming increasingly common in Florida. Neighboring Sarasota County’s collection service changed from two days to one earlier this year.

Like Manatee, Sarasota County’s long-standing contract for waste hauling services expired, and a new contract had to be secured. These contracts had been in place for decades, and hauling contractors have experienced rising costs of operation, meaning service and rates offered decades ago are no longer sustainable.

Manatee’s original contract, including terms and rates, was executed in 2008. In 2014, the parties entered into the first of two extension provisions. The initial seven-year extension saw customer rates increase in 2015. In 2023, the county negotiated terms for the last extension provided under the original contract’s terms, and again, rates rose for customers in 2024, this time by 65%. 

In a presentation before commissioners in 2023, the county’s former Director of Utilities, Evan Pilachowski, explained that changes to rates and service days were inevitable, as the program would otherwise face financial failure in less than a few years. When the county's updated trash services become effective on  Oct.  6, the rates as negotiated in 2023—$23.65 a month for garbage, recycling, and yard waste collection—will not change. The county’s Utilities Department will need to negotiate for new waste hauler contracts in 2033 when the terms of the current and final 10-year extension expire.

Final Thoughts

Based on my two-week trial with the big bin, I suspect most residents won't find too many issues with using the larger receptacle and reducing to a one-day collection schedule. 

While I found the new bin's capacity better than anticipated, at certain times of the year (November and December, for example), it could be tight, squeezing increased holiday trash into the bins.  Remember, any items (even plastic bags and boxes) placed outside of the bin will not be collected. 

Of course, overflow trash can always be driven to the landfill, and possibly to a strategically placed communal dumpster in the future, but my advice is to try out the big bin for a while before opting to switch to the smaller size. You may find it isn't too cumbersome after all, and you might appreciate the extra disposal space come Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

For more information, including details on all the upcoming changes and FAQs, visit mymanatee.org/BigBin.

Dawn Kitterman is a staff reporter and investigative journalist for The Bradenton Times, covering local government news. She can be reached at dawn.kitterman@thebradentontimes.com.