Recycling works best when the cart holds the right materials and nothing else. This guide pulls together the Orange County Solid Waste Division's rules for the blue lid recycling cart, along with the set-out window and the Thanksgiving week change. It applies to residents whose addresses are served by Orange County curbside collection. For other neighborhood information, visit the residents page.
What goes in the blue lid cart
The county's recycling page says the blue lid cart accepts plastic bottles, jugs, tubs and clear to-go cups. The county adds a note in parentheses: no straws or lids. So a clear to-go cup can go in the cart, but the straw and the lid that came with it should not.
- Plastic bottles
- Plastic jugs
- Plastic tubs
- Clear to-go cups (no straws or lids)
The page covers more than plastics, so it is worth reading the full county list before deciding about other materials. This guide sticks to the items that have been verified.
Keep recyclables loose and dry
The county asks for empty, dry recyclables. They go into the blue lid cart loose, not in bags. The county's wording is "loose, NOT bagged," and it is one of the most common points to get wrong. A bag of recyclables tied shut may look tidy, but the county wants the items placed in the cart on their own.
Bags stay out
Plastic garbage bags and shopping bags also stay out of the blue lid recycling cart. That covers both the bag used to carry recyclables to the curb and any loose shopping bags. If a bag has been collecting in the kitchen, empty the contents into the cart and put the bag in the trash instead.
A quick checklist before pickup
- Empty each container so nothing is left inside.
- Make sure the items are dry.
- Remove straws and lids from clear to-go cups.
- Place items in the blue lid cart loose, not bagged.
- Keep plastic garbage bags and shopping bags out of the cart.
When to set out the cart
Orange County residential carts may be set out no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before and no later than 6 a.m. on the scheduled collection day. In plain terms, the cart can go to the curb the evening before pickup, starting at 6 p.m., and it needs to be there by 6 a.m. on collection day. Setting it out too early or too late can mean a missed pickup or a cart left at the curb longer than the county allows.
Thanksgiving week collection
In Thanksgiving week, the county shifts curbside collection for some customers, according to its holiday collection page:
- Customers with Thursday service are collected on Friday.
- Customers with Friday service are collected on Saturday.
The county's wording is that Thursday customers will be serviced on Friday, and Friday customers will be serviced on Saturday. The change applies to that week. The verified information does not describe a change for customers whose regular day falls earlier in the week, so check the county's page if there is any doubt about a particular address.
Because the set-out window is tied to the scheduled collection day, a shifted day likely means the cart should go out relative to the new day. Confirm that with the county before relying on it.
Why the rules matter
The county's rules are simple, and they are short enough to remember: loose, empty, dry, and no bags. Plastic bags are called out twice, once as a way not to package recyclables and once as an item that does not belong in the cart. Straws and lids are called out in the cup rule. Keeping those items out helps the blue lid cart do its job.
It is also worth keeping the timing in mind. The 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. times are the edges of the window, so aiming for the evening before gives some breathing room without going too early.
Who to contact
For questions about recycling or collection, call the county's Solid Waste Hotline at 407-836-6601. The county's recycling page and holiday collection page have the full details.
Sources
Compiled from the official sources below.