How Billings Handles Trash & Recycling: A Practical Guide

Billings maintains 114 local ordinances across all categories, and 7 of those deal specifically with trash & recycling. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Billings falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Bulk Item Disposal

Billings collects bulky items like furniture, TVs, and mattresses from residential customers only on an on-call basis, with an added charge under the city's annual rate resolution.

Key details: Extra item size: 32-gal container / 2x2 ft. Bulky item threshold: over 75 lbs. Pickup method: on-call, fee applies. Runs through: Public Works Department. Citation: Sec. 21-218.

Setting bulky items out without scheduling an on-call pickup, or dumping them on city right-of-way or another owner's property, falls under the outdoor-dumping ban (Sec. 21-219) and is a municipal infraction carrying civil penalties; extra/bulky items are billed under the rate resolution regardless of who collects them.

Dumpster Rules

Only the City of Billings Public Works Department collects commercial dumpsters and carts. Section 21-214 makes it unlawful for any private person to run a solid waste collection business inside city limits, with three exceptions: special permits, drop-box service for construction and demolition debris under a council-approved written agreement, and annexed areas whose existing service is preserved under MCA 7-2-4736.

Key details: Who collects: City of Billings Public Works only, per § 21-214(a). Drop-box exception: Construction and demolition debris, under a council-approved written agreement. Annexed areas: Existing service preserved as provided by MCA 7-2-4736. Competitive bids: City administrator, with city council consent, § 21-214(b). Container capacity: Enough to hold all waste between scheduled collections.

A violation of Article 21-200 is a municipal infraction punishable by civil penalties as specified in section 18-1304 of the Billings code. A company that hauls waste for hire without fitting a section 21-214 exception is in violation, and so is anyone who places waste at the collection point outside a container (section 21-207(c)) or dumps into someone else's container (section 21-212). Public Works can clean up spills on public property immediately and bill the customer the reasonable cleanup and disposal cost when the spill came from the customer's noncompliance (section 21-211(h)). Litter violations under section 21-202 start with a written notice and a ten day period to fix the problem, after which the city can do the work and bill administrative, labor, equipment, disposal and contractor costs.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Billings actively enforces its dumpster rules requirements.

Illegal Dumping

Billings bans depositing solid waste on city right-of-way, city property, or anyone else's land without the express consent of the city, owner, or occupant. The ban also reaches material that escapes from an unsecured load while a vehicle is driven inside the city limits. A violation is a municipal infraction punished by civil penalties set in section 18-1304.

Key details: Governing section: Sec. 21-219, Outdoor dumping of solid waste prohibited. Classification: Municipal infraction with civil penalties under section 18-1304. Only defense in the text: Express permission or consent of the city, owner, or occupant. Notice before premises complaint: Written notice and 10 days to correct (Sec. 21-202(b)). Landfill suspension appeal: Written notice to city clerk within 10 business days.

Dumping under Sec. 21-219 is a municipal infraction, punishable by the civil penalties in section 18-1304, and Sec. 21-223 applies the same designation to every violation of the solid waste article. Public works can clean up and bill the responsible owner or occupant for administrative, labor, equipment, disposal, and contractor costs. A driver with an unsecured load pays the uncovered load fee in the rate resolution under Sec. 21-217, and a loaded vehicle on a public highway with an unsecured load also faces a misdemeanor under MCA 61-8-370.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Billings actively enforces its illegal dumping requirements.

Bin Placement Rules

In Billings, solid waste and yard waste carts go out to the sidewalk, street right-of-way, or alley the night before collection and on collection day only, and they cannot obstruct any of those spaces. Carts must come off the street right-of-way by the end of the collection day, and public works will not pick up a cart that lacks four feet of clearance.

Key details: Set-out window: The night before collection and collection day only. Removal deadline: End of the designated collection day. Required clearance: 4 feet around each cart or container. Underground storage: Not permitted. Alley carts: Adjacent to owner's property, collection side.

Under Sec. 21-223, a violation of anything in Article 21-200 is a municipal infraction punishable by civil penalties set in section 18-1304 of the Billings code. The day-to-day consequences are operational: public works will not pick up a cart without four feet of clearance, and a cart left out past the collection day can be damaged at the customer's expense. Under Sec. 21-211(h), public works can immediately remove waste spilled onto a public street, and when the spill results from a customer's failure to comply, the customer can be billed the reasonable costs of cleanup and disposal.

Yard Waste Collection

Billings lets residents put yard waste in either a solid waste cart or a yard waste cart, with two conditions. Yard waste carts take only yard waste and no plastic bags, and yard waste in a solid waste cart must be bagged and tied. Contractors haul their own yard waste at their own expense, and commercial customers get no yard waste service. Public Works runs the program under Sec. 21-205.

Key details: Yard waste carts per household: Up to two, supplied by Public Works. Plastic bags in yard waste cart: Prohibited. Yard waste in solid waste cart: Must be bagged and tied. Branch size limit: 3 feet long, 6 inches across at largest end. Commercial customers: No yard waste service available.

A violation of Article 21-200 is a municipal infraction punishable by civil penalties under Sec. 18-1304 (Sec. 21-223). At the curb, the practical consequences come first. A yard waste cart whose lid will not close completely is not collected until the next regularly scheduled service day (Sec. 21-211(f)), and carts without four feet of clearance are skipped (Sec. 21-211(d)). Customers can be billed for carts lost, stolen, or damaged through misuse, negligence, or intentional acts (Sec. 21-208), and for cleanup of spills they cause (Sec. 21-211(h)).

Pickup Rules & Schedules

Billings residents can set solid waste and yard waste carts out the night before collection and on collection day only, and must clear them off the street right-of-way by the end of that day. Every cart needs four feet of clearance and a fully closing lid, or public works skips it until the next regular service day.

Key details: Set-out window: Night before collection and collection day only. Removal deadline: End of the designated collection day. Clearance around each cart: Minimum of four (4) feet. Lid rule: Lid must close completely or no pickup. Ashes: Cold ashes only, bagged or contained.

A violation of Article 21-200 is designated a municipal infraction under Section 21-223 and is punishable by civil penalties as specified in Section 18-1304 of the Billings code. The most common consequence at the curb is simpler: public works leaves overfilled, unbagged or obstructed carts uncollected until the next regularly scheduled service day. Carts left out past the designated collection day risk damage charged to the customer, and spills caused by non-compliance can be billed back as cleanup costs.

Collection Schedule

Billings Public Works picks up residential solid waste carts once a week by automated truck, and runs a seasonal yard waste service whose dates it sets in consultation with city council. Under Sec. 21-214 only the city collects solid waste inside city limits, with three narrow exceptions.

Key details: Residential frequency: Once-a-week automated cart collection by Public Works. Yard waste service: Seasonal; period set by Public Works with city council. Set-out window: Night before and day of collection only. Cart removal deadline: End of the designated collection day. Cart clearance: Four feet around each cart or container.

Under Sec. 21-223, a violation of Article 21-200 is a municipal infraction punishable by civil penalties set in Sec. 18-1304. An overfilled cart, or a cart with required bagging missing, is not collected until the next regularly scheduled service day. A cart left out past the end of the collection day can be damaged at the customer's expense, and spills that trace back to a customer can be billed for cleanup. Anyone other than the city who collects solid waste for hire breaks Sec. 21-214 unless an exception applies.

The Bottom Line

Billings is tougher than many cities when it comes to trash & recycling. Out of the 7 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Billings, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

These rules come from Billings's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.