01The short answer
The North Central Landfill no longer takes residents. It is for commercial haulers now. If you live in Polk County and want to drop off junk yourself, go to the North Central Transfer Station next door in Auburndale, which charges by the ton with a $10 minimum, or to the county's Northeast convenience center in Haines City, which charges a flat $10 a car or pickup. Paint, chemicals and electronics go free to the county's household hazardous waste facility in Winter Haven.
Everything below is from Polk County Solid Waste's own pages, checked on 2 October 2026, the day after this year's fee increase took effect. Polk County Solid Waste answers on (863) 284-4319.
02Where to take it
| Site | Hours | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| North Central Transfer Station 3131 K-Ville Ave, Auburndale | Mon to Fri 8 AM to 4 PM Sat 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM | Polk County residents in cars, small trucks and utility or enclosed trailers |
| Northeast Landfill Customer Convenience Center 4001 Bannon Island Rd, Haines City | Mon to Fri 9 AM to 3 PM Sat 9 AM to 1 PM | Polk County residents, with proof of residency. No commercial use |
| Household Hazardous Waste Facility 5 Environmental Loop S., Winter Haven | Fri 8 AM to noon Sat 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM | Polk County households only |
| North Central Landfill De Castro Road | Mon to Fri 7 AM to 5 PM Sat 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM | Commercial haulers carrying Polk County waste. Residents are sent to the transfer station |
The Northeast center opened on 1 June 2026 as a pilot program. The county has not published an end date, so check it is still open before you drive out.
03What it costs at the transfer station
The transfer station and the landfill share one rate table, charged by the ton, and every load pays at least $10. The rates for garbage, construction debris and yard waste went up on 1 October 2026, and the county has set a further 5% rise every 1 October through 2030.
| Material | From 1 October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Household garbage and junk (Class 1) | $48.30 a ton |
| Construction and demolition debris | $48.30 a ton |
| Yard trash | $38.33 a ton |
| Refrigerators, freezers and AC units, Freon removed | $27.50 |
| The same, Freon still in | $50 |
| Scrap metal | $27.50 |
| Passenger tires, with or without rims | $300, 24 a visit at most, residents only |
| Minimum charge, any load | $10 |
The transfer station and landfill take cash, checks, debit and credit cards. At $48.30 a ton the $10 minimum covers about 400 lb. A pickup bed of household junk, at the weights in our weight guide, runs roughly 450 to 1,200 lb, which works out at about $11 to $29 a trip.
The Northeast center: flat fees
| Vehicle | Fee |
|---|---|
| Car, SUV or pickup | $10 |
| With a utility or enclosed trailer under 6 ft | $18 |
| With a 6 to 16 ft trailer | $27 |
| Tires | $5 each |
04What each site takes and turns away
Transfer station and landfill
They take household junk, construction debris, yard trash, appliances, scrap metal and tires, and recycle the concrete, yard trash, appliances and metal. They refuse bulk liquids, 55-gallon drums, pressurized tanks, ammunition and explosives, biological waste, asbestos and radioactive waste. No smoking, and no salvaging.
The Northeast center
It takes household, yard and bulk waste, residential construction debris, tires and scrap metal. It refuses refrigerators and freezers, household chemicals, electronics, batteries of any kind, oversized tires, motor oil and filters, pressurized cylinders, biomedical waste, firearms and explosives. A fridge has to go to the transfer station.
Cover the load
Every load entering the landfill must be covered and secured, a rule the county ties to Florida's load-securing statute. An uncovered load on the road is a traffic infraction in its own right.
05Paint, chemicals and electronics
The Household Hazardous Waste Facility at the landfill takes these from Polk County households at no charge: car and boat batteries, rechargeable batteries, gas cans up to 5 gallons, propane, motor oil, filters and antifreeze, pesticides, fluorescent tubes and CFL bulbs, flares, cooking oil, paint up to 20 gallons a year, and electronics such as computers, monitors, printers and TVs, five pieces a visit. It refuses needles, biohazardous waste and medication, and it is not open to businesses, which have a separate paid program.
Mobile collection days
| Date | Where |
|---|---|
| Saturday 10 October 2026 | Bartow High School |
| Saturday 5 December 2026 | Rueben Williams Sports Complex, Winter Haven |
| Saturday 23 January 2027 | Davenport High School |
| Saturday 6 February 2027 | Lakeland Solid Waste, Evelyn Ave |
| Saturday 6 March 2027 | Haines City Public Works |
06Holidays and city drop-offs
The landfill and transfer station still close for Veterans Day (Wednesday 11 November), Thanksgiving (Thursday 26 November) and Christmas Day this year.
The cities mostly collect at the curb rather than run drop-off sites. Lakeland has no resident drop-off and gives four free bulk pickups a year instead. Auburndale's Public Works takes motor oil, antifreeze and car batteries from residents on weekdays. Bartow's drop-off is for cardboard only. Every city's pickup rules are in Polk County bulk trash pickup, city by city.
07Before you load the truck
Self-hauling is cheapest when the load is small, light and fits in one trip. It stops being cheap when the pile takes three trips, includes a fridge the Northeast center will not take, or comes from a remodel the transfer station will weigh by the ton.
- Junk removal. We load it, haul it and sweep up. No trailer, no scale line. How it works.
- A roll-off. From $425 with disposal and a weight allowance included, for a project you will fill over a few days. Every size and price.
08Questions people ask
Can residents use the Polk County landfill?
Not the North Central Landfill itself, which is for commercial haulers. Residents use the North Central Transfer Station next door, at 3131 K-Ville Ave in Auburndale, or the Northeast convenience center in Haines City.
What are the Polk County dump hours?
The North Central Transfer Station is open Monday to Friday 8 AM to 4 PM and Saturday 7:30 AM to 12:30 PM. The Northeast center in Haines City is open Monday to Friday 9 AM to 3 PM and Saturday 9 AM to 1 PM. Both are closed on Sunday.
How much does it cost to dump in Polk County?
At the transfer station, $48.30 a ton for household junk and construction debris from 1 October 2026, with a $10 minimum per load. The Northeast center charges a flat $10 for a car or pickup, $18 or $27 with a trailer.
Is there free dumping in Polk County?
Only for household hazardous waste and electronics, which the county takes free from residents. Everything else pays at least the $10 minimum.
Where can I take an old refrigerator in Polk County?
To the North Central Transfer Station, emptied. The county charges more if the Freon is still in it. The Northeast center does not take refrigerators or freezers.
Do I need proof that I live in Polk County?
Yes at the Northeast center, where the county asks for proof of residency. The transfer station is open to Polk County residents only, and out-of-county waste is turned away.
More reading: the Hillsborough and Tampa dump guide, what can't go in a dumpster, construction debris and all our guides.