Trash & Recycling in Colorado Springs, CO: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in Colorado Springs or are thinking about moving there, trash & recycling are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Colorado Springs has 7 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of trash & recycling, and some of them might surprise you.

Illegal Dumping

City Code § 9.6.202 makes it unlawful to litter, dump, drop, throw or deposit trash, waste, debris or 'any foreign substance', on any public or private property or waterway in the City, unless it's an authorized disposal site or a provided receptacle.

Key details: Governing section: City Code § 9.6.202. Covers: Public and private property, plus City waterways. Vehicle dumping minimum fine: $100 per offense (§ 9.6.205.B.1). General maximum penalty: Up to $2,500 fine, 189 days jail (§ 1.1.201). Adopted: Ord. 4004; recodified Ord. 01-42.

A standard littering or dumping violation under § 9.6.202 is punished through the City's general penalty, § 1.1.201: up to a $2,500 fine, up to 189 days in jail, probation, or a combination. Dumping from a vehicle used to transport material, including licensed trash-hauler trucks, carries its own mandatory minimum fine of $100 per offense under § 9.6.205.B.1, on top of whatever the Municipal Court imposes for the underlying littering charge.

Collection Schedule

Colorado Springs City Code Sec. 6.4.103 makes every property owner responsible for removing waste and yard rubbish weekly at the point of collection. The City does not run its own trash trucks: owners must arrange private hauling or prove self-disposal is sanitary and at least weekly, or the Administrator can order more frequent pickup.

Key details: Minimum service: Weekly removal at point of collection. Section: City Code § 6.4.103. City collection: None: private haulers only (§6.4.102). Enforcement: Notice & order; 10-day appeal to Municipal Court Referee. Max penalty: $2,500 fine / 189 days jail (§1.1.201).

Ignoring the weekly-service requirement is prosecuted as a Code violation: absent a more specific penalty, Sec. 1.1.201 authorizes a fine up to $2,500, up to 189 days in jail, probation, or a combination, imposed by Municipal Court. Code Enforcement issues a written notice and order under Article 5 identifying the accumulation; owners who miss the correction deadline face City-directed abatement by private contractor, with costs assessed against the property.

Yard Waste Collection

Colorado Springs City Code defines yard rubbish, branches, grass, weed and leaf clippings, separately from household waste, and Sec. 6.4.104(B) caps any piece placed for pickup at three feet in length. Yard rubbish that isn't attractant waste can go in a regular garbage or refuse container.

Key details: Length limit: 3 feet max per piece (§6.4.104(B)). Covers: Branches, twigs, grass, weeds, leaves. Container: May share a regular garbage/refuse container. Pickup frequency: At least weekly, same as household waste. Max penalty: $2,500 fine / 189 days jail.

Setting out branches longer than three feet, or letting yard rubbish accumulate past the weekly service standard, is an improper accumulation under Sec. 6.4.105. Code Enforcement issues a notice and order, and unresolved violations default to Sec. 1.1.201's general penalty: up to $2,500 in fines, up to 189 days in jail, or a combination, on top of any contractor abatement costs billed to the property.

Dumpster Rules

Colorado Springs City Code Sec. 6.4.104(F) lets dumpsters sit in the front or side yard only when the rear yard is too small or inaccessible, and any dumpster kept on a property permanently must be fully enclosed on every side, with the enclosure kept in good repair and clear of the right-of-way.

Key details: Default location: Rear yard, unless too small or inaccessible. Permanent dumpsters: Must sit inside a fully enclosing enclosure. Enclosure upkeep: Good condition, can't block traffic or pedestrians. Section: City Code § 6.4.104(F). Max penalty: $2,500 fine / 189 days jail (§1.1.201).

A permanently sited dumpster without a full enclosure, or one placed in the front or side yard when the rear yard could accommodate it, violates Sec. 6.4.104(F) and can draw a Sec. 6.4.105 notice and order: a deadline to build or repair the enclosure, and a ten-day window to appeal to the Municipal Court Referee. Unresolved violations fall under Sec. 1.1.201's general penalty: up to $2,500 in fines, 189 days in jail, or both.

Pickup Rules & Schedules

Colorado Springs City Code Sec. 6.4.104 requires every household to place waste in an approved waste container before collection. Scattering trash on the ground, using anything but a waste container, or hiring anyone other than a licensed waste collector to haul it away is a Code violation on its own.

Key details: Container capacity: 8 to 96 gallons, tight-fitting lid. Ground dumping: Unlawful to scatter waste on the ground. Hauler rule: Only licensed waste collectors may remove it. Section: City Code § 6.4.104(A), (C). Max penalty: $2,500 fine / 189 days jail.

Placing waste outside a proper container, dumping it on the ground, or using an unlicensed hauler is unlawful under Sec. 6.4.104(C); left uncorrected it becomes an improper accumulation Sec. 6.4.105 lets the Administrator abate under Article 5: notice and order, a correction deadline, and a ten-day appeal to the Municipal Court Referee. Prosecution defaults to Sec. 1.1.201's general penalty: up to $2,500 in fines, 189 days in jail, or both.

Bin Placement Rules

Colorado Springs City Code Sec. 6.4.104(F) confines trash and recycling carts to the rear or side yard, or inside a secured structure, between collection days. Rolling a container to the curb the night before is fine for the pickup itself, but it can't live in the front yard the rest of the week.

Key details: Allowed location: Rear or side yard, or a secured structure. Front yard: Prohibited except on collection day. Secured structure: Garage, shed or building that blocks bear access. Section: City Code § 6.4.104(F). Max penalty: $2,500 fine / 189 days jail (§1.1.201).

A waste container left in the front yard outside collection hours violates Sec. 6.4.104(F) and can draw a Sec. 6.4.105 notice and order under the Article 5 abatement process: a deadline to move it, and a ten-day window to appeal to the Municipal Court Referee. Because Article 4 sets no separate fine for this offense, prosecution defaults to Sec. 1.1.201's general penalty: up to $2,500 in fines, 189 days in jail, or both, on top of any contractor abatement costs.

Recycling Requirements

Colorado Springs offers voluntary curbside recycling through its recycling program, but residential recycling is not mandatory. The city encourages recycling through education and convenient drop-off locations. Accepted curbside recyclables typically include paper, cardboard, glass, metal cans, and plastics #1-7. Commercial properties generating large amounts of recyclable material may be subject to additional requirements. The city also operates recycling drop-off centers for materials not accepted in curbside programs.

Key details: Mandatory: No: residential recycling is voluntary. Curbside Program: Available through city recycling program. Accepted Materials: Paper, cardboard, glass, metals, plastics #1-7. Drop-Off Centers: Available for additional materials. Commercial: Additional requirements may apply.

The Bottom Line

Colorado Springs'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 Colorado Springs is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Colorado Springs's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.