Lehigh Acres, Bonita Springs and Estero return to a 6:30 a.m. trash set-out time October 26
Lehigh Acres, Bonita Springs, Estero and Fort Myers Beach residents must have trash, recycling and yard waste at the curb by 6:30 a.m. starting October 26, 2026. Lee County says the change ends the 5 a.m. seasonal set-out time. Collection days stay the same, and other unincorporated Lee County communities are included.
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The 5 a.m. summer trash set-out time ends October 26 in unincorporated Lee County, Bonita Springs, Estero and Fort Myers Beach, according to Lee County's October 12 notice, also reported by WGCU Staff.
Trash, recycling and yard waste must instead be at the curb by 6:30 a.m. Collection weekdays remain unchanged. The earlier seasonal start allowed haulers to finish routes earlier during hot months.
Which Lee County communities are included
The county explicitly lists Lehigh Acres, North Fort Myers, Fort Myers Shores, Alva, Captiva, Pine Island, Matlacha, South Fort Myers and Iona, alongside the three municipalities. The announcement is not a countywide change covering every city's collection system.
Residents can look up their collection schedule through the county's Recycle Coach service. More local service coverage appears on the Lee County news page.
Questions readers are asking
Does my Lee County trash collection day change October 26?
Does the 6:30 a.m. set-out time include recycling and yard waste?
Where we read it: WGCU Staff at WGCU. Read their story.
The document: Lee County, standard solid-waste collection schedule release, October 12, 2026.
