Collection rules

• Bag your garbage – Garbage must be bagged and must fit inside the garbage cart with the lid closed.
• Weight limits:
  • Large carts – No more than 200 pounds
  • Small carts – No more than 150 pounds
• Pickup time – Your garbage may be picked up anytime between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on your collection day. Make sure your cart is at your designated collection point (the alley or curb line) by 6 a.m. on your pickup day. The City decides your collection day and pickup location, and it cannot be changed.
• Curb collection - If you have curbside pickup, you must move your carts away from the curb line by 7 a.m. the day after collection. Carts cannot be stored in areas of the front yard visible from the curb line.

Find your collection day

Missed pickup

Please call our office after 3:30 p.m. on your pickup day or within 24 hours of your pickup day to report a miss. Missed pickups reported by email may not be received in time to send the crew back before your next pickup day.

If your cart was not out when the crew was at your house, we will not send them back. 

Street address numbers 

If you have a public alley, your street address must be visible in the back of your property by City ordinance. If your street address cannot be readily seen by collection crews, we'll install easily visible numbers and add a fee to your utility bill.

About carts

Add or change garbage carts

Large (96 gallon) and small (32 gallon) garbage carts are available. Contact our office to change the number or size of your garbage carts.

Damaged or missing carts

There's no cost to have damaged carts repaired. Call or email our office to report damaged or lost carts. 

Clean your carts

Keep your carts clean so the bags dump out easily and you don't attract animals like squirrels and raccoons. Tips for cleaning:

• Put the cart on its side.
• Add some baking soda or soap and spray the cart out with a hose.
• Use natural cleaning products to protect the environment.
• If you don't have a hose, put a couple of buckets of soapy water in the cart and swish it with a mop.

Extra garbage

Too much garbage for your cart

On occasion, you may set up to two extra bags of garbage next to your cart for pickup. If you do this often, we'll deliver another garbage cart and add the fee to your utility bill.

Extra garbage may not be set out in personal containers. If garbage is set out in a personal container:

• The container itself may be thrown away
• You may receive an educational tag and your extra container may not be emptied
• You will not be able to get the container back or be reimbursed

Large items

You may set out up to two large items that are not recyclable for pickup on your collection day.

See large item collection

Drop-off and cleanup options

The City will not pick up garbage from a large cleanup or move-out. If you have more garbage than can be handled by normal service, you can:

• Request a special cleanup
• Get a voucher to bring excess garbage to the South Transfer Station
• Use the disposal guide to find out how to get rid of specific extra items

Pickup issues

If your materials are not set out properly, crews will attach an educational tag that describes the issue and how to fix it. If you don't fix the problem, we may add a fee to the property's utility bill.

Learn how to fix an issue to avoid a fee

Learn about utility bill add-on fees

Educational tags may be left on City-serviced or privately serviced properties. For more information about educational tags left by Solid Waste & Recycling contact our office.

Contact Solid Waste & Recycling

Seasonal reminders

Shovel out your carts to avoid a fee

When it snows, you must clear a path so we can empty your carts. If City crews have to shovel out your carts for you, we'll charge a fee.

Learn more about clearing snow around carts

Holiday delays

If your collection day falls on or after a major holiday, your collection will be delayed by one day.

Holiday garbage and recycling collection