01The short answer
A 10 to 20 yard roll-off, delivered anywhere in Thonotosassa from $425 with no distance charge, seven days a week between 9 AM and 6 PM. Thonotosassa is unincorporated Hillsborough County, so every rule here is the county's. The can goes on your property, not the road.
Thonotosassa had 15,238 people across 26.48 square miles at the 2020 Census, about 575 to the square mile. That is a lot more room per house than in town, and it changes how a drop works.
02Your land, not the road
Hillsborough County's rules for commercial containers say they cannot be placed on the public right-of-way, and the county's right-of-way permit is written for construction, development and utility work. So in Thonotosassa the can goes on your land: the driveway, a pad, or a firm spot near the house.
If the driveway is long, shell or unpaved, send a photo of it from the road. The truck has to get in, set the can down and get out again, and a soft or narrow drive decides where that can happen.
Two big road projects are worth knowing about: US 301 is being rebuilt from Tom Folsom Road up to the Pasco line, and I-75 is being widened up to Fowler Avenue. If your road comes off either, allow for it when you pick a delivery window.
03Septic tanks and drainfields
If your home is on septic, this is the part that matters most. Florida's guidance for septic owners is to keep vehicles from driving or parking over the tank or the drainfield, and not to cover any part of the drainfield. A roll-off truck is heavy, and a full can sitting in one spot for a week is heavier.
- Know where the tank and drainfield are before the day. The Department of Health in Hillsborough handles septic permits and wells: 813.307.8059.
- Mark them. A couple of stakes or a cone on the tank lid is enough for the driver to steer round.
- The can goes on the driveway or on firm ground well away from the drainfield.
- Same for a private well. Keep the can and the truck clear of the wellhead.
04The lake, the river and wet ground
Lake Thonotosassa is the largest natural lake in Hillsborough County, at more than 800 acres, and it drains into the Hillsborough River, which supplies Tampa's drinking water. After Hurricane Milton in October 2024, the control structure on Flint Creek, which carries the lake to the river, was completely under water.
Ground near the water, and anywhere that holds rain, stays soft for days after a storm. The truck stays on the hard surface, the can goes where it will not sink, and if the spot you want is too wet we will tell you rather than leave ruts across your yard.
If part of your land is wetland, keep the can and the truck well away from it. The Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County prohibits development in wetlands without its written authorization.
05What the county pickup will and will not do
County addresses get garbage collected twice a week, recycling once and yard waste once. Yard waste is capped at 2 cubic yards a week, 3 from February to April, in containers up to 50 pounds, with limbs under 4 feet long and 6 inches across and no painted or treated wood. Bulky items are a paid special pickup at $30 to $50 an item, booked on 813.272.5680.
Your assessment also covers taking 10 cubic yards of bulky waste a year to a county collection center yourself. The nearest is Hillsborough Heights, 6209 County Road 579, Seffner, open Monday to Saturday 7:30 AM to 5 PM. It takes bulky items, appliances, tires (12 a year), scrap metal, electronics, paint and batteries. Bring photo ID and your tax bill. No commercial waste and no dump trailers. Alderman's Ford, on County Road 39 near Plant City, takes the same things if you can unload by hand.
A sofa and a fridge fit the county system. A roof, a gutted kitchen or a shed and barn clear-out do not, and that is where a roll-off earns its place.
06Where your load actually goes
Hillsborough's household garbage goes to the Southeast County Landfill, 15960 County Road 672 in Lithia. It will not take construction and demolition debris, concrete, asphalt, or yard and wood waste, so building and roofing loads from Thonotosassa go to private processors instead.
| Material | County gate rate |
|---|---|
| Commercial, processable | $141 a ton |
| Commercial, non-processable | $104 a ton |
| Yard and wood waste | $65 a ton |
| Mixed loads | Double the posted rate |
On a big lot the tempting thing is to throw the brush in with everything else. Do not. Mixed loads are charged at double, and clean yard waste is the cheapest thing on the list, so on a clearing job it is often worth a second can just for the brush.
07What cannot go in the can
Hillsborough's landfill refuses liquid waste, hazardous materials, biohazardous waste, PCBs and radioactive material, and asbestos needs approval before it arrives.
Household hazardous waste goes to the county's Saturday drop-off. The closest is at Hillsborough Heights on the third Saturday of the month, 8 AM to 2 PM. Sheldon Road hosts it on the first Saturday and South County on the second.
If a clear-out turns up fuel cans, old oil or chemicals, keep them out of the can and tell us when you book. The full list is on what can’t go in the can.
More towns we cover: Auburndale, Davenport and Bradenton.
Not sure which size you need? Drag the handle on the size guide and the can grows with you. Also worth two minutes: do you need a permit? and what can’t go in the can. More reading: what a dumpster costs, roofing dumpsters, junk removal, hurricane debris pickup and all our guides.