Miami-Dade Commercial Recycling: Standard vs Modified Program, What the County Requires, and the Bin-and-Liner Setup That Passes
The short answer: if your business is in Miami-Dade County, recycling is not optional, and the cheapest way to comply is usually the standard program: three materials, picked up by a County-permitted hauler, who also does your reporting. A modified program exists for businesses whose waste does not fit the standard list, but it moves the paperwork onto you, including waste surveys, receipts and County review. Pick the program first, then size the bins and liners to the materials you actually throw away, which a one-week count tells you.
What the County code actually requires
Miami-Dade County Code section 15-2.3 says that every commercial establishment “shall provide for a recycling program which shall be serviced by a permitted hauler or the appropriate governmental agency and shall include a minimum of three (3) materials of its choice selected from the list provided.” The County Commission restated that wording in a 2025 resolution and confirmed the requirement applies in both incorporated and unincorporated areas, so being inside a city such as Miami, Hialeah or Doral does not exempt you. The Code defines a commercial establishment as any structure used for business operations and counts hotels and motels as commercial. The County’s application form puts the duty on property owners and on the owners or operators of the business, so a tenant cannot simply assume the landlord has it covered.
The list you choose three from: high-grade office paper, mixed paper, corrugated cardboard, glass, aluminum (cans and scrap), steel (cans and scrap), other metals and scrap production materials, plastics (the form specifies HDPE and PET), textiles and wood. Multifamily buildings with four or more units have a different rule: all five of newspaper, glass, plastic, aluminum cans and tin cans. If you manage a mixed-use property, you may be running both.
The County’s business brochure lists fines of $300 to $950, based on the establishment’s square footage, which can be assessed daily until you comply; the 2025 resolution cites Code section 8CC-10 as the civil-penalty section. The County says it offers technical help first; call 3-1-1.
Standard vs modified program, side by side
| Standard program | Modified program | |
|---|---|---|
| Who collects | A Miami-Dade permitted hauler or recycler | You, a recycler you sell to, or a hauler that sorts after collection |
| Materials | Any 3 from the County list | Substitutes, fewer than 3, or post-collection sorting (options below) |
| Reporting to the County | Done by your hauler or recycler | Done by you, semi-annually |
| Paperwork up front | A recycling service agreement | Application, Waste Survey, receipts or contracts; Option A also needs a notarized affidavit |
| County review | No routine review in the code today | May be reviewed semi-annually |
| Start date | When service starts | Within 30 days of County approval |
The four modified options, in the County’s own terms: A, self-haul your recyclables and sell them directly to a recycler; B, contract with a hauler that collects mixed waste and separates the recyclables at a permitted materials recovery facility; C, substitute materials not on the list, if your Waste Survey shows they make up a bigger share of your waste than any listed material (commercial only); D, recycle fewer than three, if each listed material you skip is under 5% of your waste. Applications go to Solid Waste Management’s Permits and Commercial Recycling Section.
Modified wins for a warehouse that bales and sells its own cardboard (A) or a business whose biggest stream is not on the list (C). For most offices, restaurants, clinics and shops, standard is less work: the hauler that already empties your dumpster usually offers recycling, and their reports cover you.
Picking your three materials from what you actually throw away
A business buying janitorial and restroom supplies by the case already produces at least two listed streams without trying:
- Corrugated cardboard. Every case of towels, tissue and liners arrives in one. The County defines it as unwaxed paper with a ruffled inner liner and excludes cereal-box-style pressed board.
- Plastics #1 and #2. The County’s HDPE definition includes laundry detergent and similar jugs, and PET covers clear bottles. Empty gallon refill jugs are often HDPE, but check the resin code on the bottom and ask your hauler whether emptied cleaning-chemical jugs are accepted.
- Mixed or office paper. Offices, schools and clinics generate it daily.
- Textiles. The County lists used and scrap cloth and fabrics, which is where worn-out cotton rags and towels can go once they are clean. Oily or solvent rags follow different rules; see our oil pads vs shop rags guide.
- Wood. Broken pallets count, which matters for warehouses taking pallet deliveries.
The worksheet: a one-week count, then bins and liners
- Count for five working days. At each emptying, note how many bags or bins came out and roughly what share was cardboard, paper, bottles and cans, or other. This is the same Waste Survey a modified program has to file, so it is useful either way.
- Choose your three streams from the largest shares.
- Place collection points where the material is made: cardboard at receiving, paper at copiers and desks, bottles and cans in the breakroom.
- Size the liners. Recycling liners per month = recycling stations × times emptied per week × 4.33. Ten stations emptied five times a week works out to 10 × 5 × 4.33 ≈ 217 liners a month. Size each liner to its can with our can liner sizing guide.
- Use clear liners for recycling. Clear lets the porter, the hauler and an inspector see contamination without opening the bag; our black vs clear vs white liner guide explains why. Break cardboard down and ask your hauler whether it goes in loose.
Then compare: a month of clear liners for ten stations is a small line on an invoice, while a single day at the bottom of the County’s fine range is $300. Treat the liner count as your example; your own count from step 1 replaces it.
What may change next
On September 3, 2025, the County Commission adopted Resolution R-878-25. It directs the Mayor to recommend annual recycling reports from multifamily, commercial and mixed-use properties, quarterly reports from haulers, random site inspections, and fines that escalate with continued non-participation, and to report back within 180 days. We have not confirmed which recommendations have been adopted since, so check with Solid Waste Management (3-1-1) before you rely on “nobody checks.” A standard program run through a permitted hauler, with a one-week count on file, is the safest position either way.
Broward and Palm Beach County businesses: this guide covers Miami-Dade’s ordinance only. Recycling requirements north of the county line come from different county and city rules and hauler contracts, so ask your hauler or city what applies at your address.
What to stock
For each station: a 23-gallon recycling bin with cutout lid (the cutout keeps trash out of the bottles-and-cans bin), clear can liners sized to it, and a 55-gallon container at receiving or the loading dock for the bigger stream. Everything else is under trash liners and bags, and our office supply page covers the rest of the closet.
FAQ
Is commercial recycling mandatory in Miami-Dade County?
Yes. Code section 15-2.3 requires every commercial establishment to provide a recycling program serviced by a permitted hauler or government agency, covering at least three materials from the County list. It applies in both incorporated cities and unincorporated areas.
What is the difference between a standard and a modified recycling program?
A standard program recycles three listed materials through a permitted hauler, which also reports to the County. A modified program (self-hauling, post-collection sorting, substitute materials, or fewer than three materials) needs a County application and Waste Survey, and you report semi-annually yourself.
What is the fine for not recycling in Miami-Dade?
The County’s business brochure lists fines from $300 to $950 based on the establishment’s square footage, which can be assessed daily until the business complies.
Do recycling bins need clear bags?
The County code does not set a bag color. Clear liners are the practical choice because the porter, the hauler and an inspector can see contamination without opening the bag. Ask your hauler whether cardboard should go in loose.