Fort Lauderdale vs Broward Commercial Recycling: What the City Requires, What the County Is Drafting, and a Setup That Works Either Way

The short answer, as of October 11, 2026: in the City of Fort Lauderdale, recycling is mandatory for apartment and condominium properties but not for businesses. The City’s own pages say “commercial recycling is voluntary in Fort Lauderdale” and that “there is no ordinance in place requiring businesses to contract with a recycling hauler.” Multi-family buildings are different: City Code Section 24-8 has required owners to run a recycling program since the 1990s, and properties without a recycling contract can get warnings and citations. Broward County has no adopted business mandate either, though one is being drafted. A Fort Lauderdale shop, office or restaurant recycles by choice today; an apartment or condo association has no choice.

Fort Lauderdale vs Broward, side by side

The county side is covered in our Broward vs Palm Beach commercial recycling guide.

Businesses: voluntary, but the City sets the hauler and container rules

The City’s “Commercial Waste Requirements” page makes three points that matter to any business owner or manager:

• The City does not collect your trash. “The City of Fort Lauderdale does not provide waste collection service for the commercial sector.” You contract directly with a hauler the City has licensed. Fort Lauderdale runs an open market: haulers apply for a license, and agreements run for three years. The City won’t recommend a hauler, and it says checking that yours is still authorized is your job, so ask for its Licensed Haulers list before you sign.
• Dumpsters need lids and must stay off the public right of way. That covers recycling containers too.
• Hazardous waste is your problem. City drop-off events don’t take business chemicals, solvents, motor oil, lamps or batteries; you need a licensed hazardous waste hauler.

Recycling itself is optional. The City says it “could reduce your waste disposal costs by up to 40%,” because haulers are paid for recyclables but pay to tip garbage. Treat 40% as an upper bound, not a promise; the worksheet below gives your own figure.

Apartments and condos: mandatory since 1999

Section 24-8 of the City Code, printed in full on the City’s “Multi-Family Recycling Ordinance” sheet, says:

• The owner of each multifamily residence “shall implement a recycling program and encourage the participation of each living unit.”
• Every unit must have access to a suitable recycling container, collected at least once a week unless the director approves otherwise.
• A contract with the City or a licensed private collector, or receipts from a licensed recycling facility, is the evidence that you comply.
• Failure to comply “shall result in a fine” under Section 1-6 of the City Code. The sheet doesn’t state the amount, and neither do we.

Who arranges the service depends on size. The City collects from small buildings itself. For apartments and condominiums with more than three units, and for some gated and townhome communities, the owner or association negotiates directly with a licensed private hauler. The City’s multi-family page says the rule has been mandatory since 1999 under Ordinance C-95-36 and that properties without recycling contracts “may receive warnings and citations.”

If you manage buildings, see our property manager supply page for what we deliver to multi-building portfolios.

What goes in: the City’s “Take 5” list

The City’s recycling card says “We only take 5”:

1. Paper
2. Cardboard
3. Metal food cans
4. Glass containers
5. Plastic containers #1–7

What stays out: food and liquid, bagged items, yard waste, household items and tools, and “tanglers” such as cords, hoses, chains and textiles. The City names plastic bags as contamination. Carts with non-recyclables get tagged and skipped until they are cleaned out. The City says the same guidelines apply in multi-family buildings. On a private contract, ask your hauler for its list; Take 5 is a safe default.

The liner question: line the bin, don’t bag the recycling

“No bagged items” doesn’t mean unlined bins. Desk-side, breakroom and lobby bins still get a liner. Staff tip the contents loose into the recycling container and put the liner back in the bin. Use clear liners for recycling stations so a porter can spot trash before it reaches the container (see black vs clear vs white liners). Keep black liners for garbage.

Worksheet: liners and bill, in your own numbers.

1. Recycling liners a month: stations × emptyings a week × 4.33 ÷ emptyings a liner survives. Count the last figure for one week rather than guessing. Example: 10 stations × 5 × 4.33 ≈ 217 emptyings; if a liner lasts 4, that’s about 54 liners a month.
2. Garbage you can remove: for one week, count the bags that are mostly cardboard, paper, or bottles and cans. That share is what could move out of your garbage container.
3. Does it pay? Ask your hauler for two quotes: current garbage service, and smaller or less frequent garbage service plus recycling. Add the recycling liners from step 1. If cardboard alone lets you drop a pickup or a container size, recycling usually pays for itself.

Size liners to each can with our can liner sizing guide.

Why set it up now if it’s voluntary

The Solid Waste Authority of Broward County is still drafting a mandatory commercial recycling ordinance. Its August 21, 2026 board agenda listed only a subcommittee update, and the next board meetings are set for October 16, November 20 and December 18. The January 2026 draft would make non-residential properties recycle at least one material they produce at more than 96 gallons a month, and would exempt businesses producing 70 gallons or less of waste a week. It doesn’t say how a county rule would sit alongside city codes like Fort Lauderdale’s. A business that already separates its cardboard would have nothing to change. Under Florida Statutes section 403.7046, a local rule can require you to separate recyclables, but it can’t stop you choosing a certified recovered-materials dealer.

Setup checklist for a Fort Lauderdale site

1. Find the contract. Tenants ask the landlord; at condos and apartments the association or owner holds it.
2. Check the hauler is on the City’s licensed list. Then ask for its accepted list and whether recyclables go in loose.
3. Put stations where waste is made: the dock for cardboard, the breakroom for cans and bottles, copiers for paper.
4. Post the Take 5 list in English and Spanish, and keep the contract on file. For multi-family properties it’s your Section 24-8 evidence.

What to stock

Per station: a 23-gallon recycling bin with cutout lid and clear can liners sized to it. At the dock, add a 55-gallon container for cardboard overflow. The rest is under trash liners and bags. We deliver across Fort Lauderdale and the rest of Broward, and business accounts get case pricing. If you also run sites in Miami-Dade, recycling there is mandatory: see the Miami-Dade standard vs modified program guide.

FAQ

Is commercial recycling mandatory in Fort Lauderdale?
No. As of October 2026 the City of Fort Lauderdale says commercial recycling is voluntary and no ordinance requires businesses to contract with a recycling hauler. Apartments and condominiums are different: City Code Section 24-8 requires them to provide recycling.

Do Fort Lauderdale condos and apartments have to recycle?
Yes. Section 24-8 requires the owner of each multifamily residence to run a recycling program, give every unit access to a container and have recyclables collected at least weekly. Properties without a recycling contract can get warnings and citations.

Does the City of Fort Lauderdale pick up business trash?
No. Businesses contract directly with a hauler licensed by the City. The City keeps a list of licensed haulers but doesn’t recommend one. Dumpsters must have lids and stay out of the public right of way.

Can I bag recyclables in Fort Lauderdale?
The City’s Take 5 card says no bagged items and names plastic bags as contamination. Line your indoor bins with clear liners, tip the contents in loose and reuse the liner. Confirm with your hauler if you are on a private contract.