Public records show that thousands of tons of garbage are coming to the Heart of Florida Landfill.
More than 5,300 tons of garbage were billed to Pinellas County for deliveries to the Heart of Florida Landfill in Sumter County during September 2026. OurSumter obtained the records from Pinellas County.
Who Arranged the Disposal?
Pinellas County’s September 4, 2026 emergency purchase order, 478155 (contract 26-0844-E), names the City of Clearwater’s transfer station and Heart of Florida Landfill. A supporting memorandum says Pinellas County would pay the contractor first and Clearwater would reimburse the county for the costs.
The September invoices list Pinellas County Solid Waste as the billed customer. They document the tonnage and charges, but do not independently prove the origin of every truckload. We are seeking records to confirm those details.
Why Is This Happening?
In December 2025, a major piece of equipment broke at Pinellas County’s waste-to-energy plant. The county needed another place to send its garbage.
At first, Clearwater sent garbage to a landfill in Manatee County. But heavy rain made the ground too soft for its large trucks.
Pinellas County then made a deal to send the garbage to Heart of Florida, near Lake Panasoffkee.
A Big Difference in Price
The records show a large price difference:
- Manatee County arrangement: $148 per ton
- Heart of Florida arrangement: $55 per ton
That is $93 less for every ton of garbage. The lower price could save money, although the records do not show whether both prices covered exactly the same services.
How Much Garbage Came Here?
Two September invoices billed to Pinellas County show 5,394 tons delivered and $304,044 in new charges. The full emergency deal was estimated at $1.94 million, but that is not the amount proven to have been spent.
The county planned to send about 1,600 to 2,000 tons each week. The arrangement could continue into February 2027.
Why Should Sumter County Care?
Heart of Florida already takes garbage from other counties, including Miami-Dade. Pinellas County arranged for waste from Clearwater’s transfer station to be sent here, too.
More garbage means more landfill space is used. It can also mean more trucks on local roads.
The records do not show that the landfill broke any rules. But they raise an important question:
How much of Sumter County’s landfill space is being used for garbage from other counties, and how long will that space last?
OurSumter will keep reviewing public records to find answers.
Sources: Pinellas County public records request R030213-100226, including September 4 emergency purchase records and Heart of Florida invoices dated September 15 and 30, 2026.
Download the Public Records
Additional supporting documents: Pinellas County’s September 4, 2026 emergency procurement memorandum and purchase order 478155 (contract 26-0844-E) identify Clearwater’s transfer station, explain the diversion, and describe the county’s payment and reimbursement arrangement. We are preparing direct download links to these two records.
Read the original invoices supplied by Pinellas County:
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