Annapolis's Trash & Recycling: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles trash & recycling a little differently. In Annapolis, Maryland, there are 9 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Collection Schedule

Annapolis requires approved refuse containers at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on collection day, out no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the evening before, and removed by midnight after pickup.

Key details: Curbside by: 6:00 a.m. collection day. Earliest set-out: 6:00 p.m. day before. Container removal deadline: Midnight after pickup. Historic district rule: Containers hidden from public view. Max fine: $1,000 per day, per violation.

Refuse placed for collection that doesn't meet chapter requirements may go uncollected at the Director of Public Works' discretion (§ 10.16.017); general chapter violations are a municipal infraction fined up to $1,000 per day under § 10.16.280.

Yard Waste Collection

Annapolis runs a weekly curbside yard trimmings program: bagged clippings and leaves under 50 lbs, brush bundled to 2x4 feet, never mixed into trash.

Key details: Collection frequency: Weekly. Bag/container weight limit: 50 lbs. Bundle size limit: 2 ft x 4 ft, 50 lbs. Branch size covered: Up to 4 in. dia., 4 ft long. Enforcing office: Director of Public Works.

Noncompliant yard trimmings may go uncollected under the chapter's general placement-compliance rule (§ 10.16.017), leaving the resident to re-bag, re-bundle, or arrange separate disposal before the next collection day.

Pickup Rules & Schedules

Annapolis sets exact curbside windows for refuse containers: out by 6:00 a.m. on collection day, no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the prior evening, and removed by midnight after pickup.

Key details: Out by: 6:00 a.m. on collection day. No earlier than: 6:00 p.m. prior evening. Removed by: Midnight after pickup. Historic district: Containers out of public view. Repeat violation fine: Up to $1,000/day.

Refuse placed outside the allowed window is not collected under § 10.16.017. A written notice of violation issues first; a repeat violation within 90 days becomes a municipal infraction under § 10.16.280, fined up to $1,000, with each additional day a separate infraction.

Dumpster Rules

Annapolis requires restaurants, delis, and other food-and-beverage businesses to keep trash inside the building or in a properly screened, maintained dumpster on the same property, and bars curbside trash carts outside a 30-minute window around pickup, under Zoning Code § 21.64.300(G).

Key details: Governing section: Annapolis City Code § 21.64.300(G). Applies to: food and beverage-related businesses. Storage rule: in-building or screened, maintained dumpster. Curbside window: 30 min before to 30 min after pickup. Enforced by: Director of Planning and Zoning.

Violating the trash-storage standard is a Zoning Code misdemeanor under § 21.36.030, and the Director of Planning and Zoning can issue a stop-work or corrective-measures order, or revoke permits, under § 21.36.010.

Recycling Rules

Annapolis requires every resident whose solid waste the City collects to also participate in mandatory weekly curbside recycling, sorting materials into a City-approved container under Chapter 10.16 of the Annapolis City Code.

Key details: Participation: Mandatory for curbside solid-waste customers. Collection: Weekly, per published City schedule. Bundle limit: Paper/cardboard: 35 lbs, 1 ft thick. Ownership: Recyclables become City property once curbed. Max fine: $1,000 per day (§ 10.16.280).

Violating any Chapter 10.16 requirement, including the recycling-participation rules, is a municipal infraction under § 10.16.280 punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 per day, with each day of continued violation counted separately.

Bulk Item Disposal

Annapolis Code Section 10.16.005.C spells out exactly which large household items count as bulk trash, furniture, appliances, and metal objects over 3.5 feet or 35 pounds, while excluding recyclables and construction debris from collection.

Key details: Covered items: Furniture, appliances, mattresses, large TVs. Metal item threshold: Over 3.5 ft or 35 lbs. Excluded: Recyclables and construction/demolition debris. Placement rule: Non-compliant items may not be collected. Governing law: Annapolis City Code § 10.16.005.C.

Bulk items set out incorrectly may be left uncollected at the Director of Public Works' discretion under Section 10.16.017; unresolved refuse accumulations can also draw a removal notice under Section 10.16.100 requiring compliance within seven days.

Recycling Requirements

Annapolis runs a mandatory weekly curbside recycling program for every residence on City solid waste collection, with materials placed in a City-approved container at the curb.

Key details: Program: Mandatory, not opt-in. Collection frequency: Once weekly, curbside. Container: City-approved recycling bin. Bundled paper/cardboard limit: 35 lbs, 1 ft thick.

Removing recyclables set at the curb without City authorization, or interfering with a collection route or drop-off site, is a municipal infraction under § 10.16.190/200 with a fine set by City Council resolution; general chapter violations under § 10.16.280 carry up to $1,000 per day.

Illegal Dumping

Dumping litter on public or private property without an approved disposal site is a municipal infraction in Annapolis, punishable by a $250 daily fine under City Code § 11.36.030.

Key details: Fine: $250 per day. Repeat violation fine: $250 per day. Violation type: Municipal infraction. Unpaid cleanup cost: Becomes lien on property. Covers: Public and private property.

Municipal infraction under § 11.36.030(D): $250 per day for the initial offense and $250 per day for repeat or continuous violations, per the City's fine schedule.

Bin Placement Rules

Annapolis requires refuse containers curbside by 6:00 a.m. on collection day, out no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before, and removed by midnight after pickup.

Key details: Earliest set-out: 6:00 p.m. night before. Must be curbside by: 6:00 a.m. collection day. Must be removed by: Midnight after collection. Historic district extra rule: Out of public view.

Non-compliant placement can be left uncollected at the Director of Public Works' discretion under § 10.16.017, and containers set out or left at the curb outside the permitted window violate § 10.16.030. Historic district properties face the added public-view removal requirement.

The Bottom Line

Annapolis's trash & recycling rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Annapolis is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Annapolis can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.