Trash & Recycling in Boise, ID (2026)
10 verified trash & recycling rules for Boise, Idaho, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Boise sets carts out by 7 AM on collection day, no earlier than the evening before, and pulls them back within 24 hours.
Boise Trash and Recycling Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsBoise City Code § 10-4-2-1
Time Of Placement: Solid waste carts and cans shall be placed for collection by seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. on the regularly scheduled collection day, but no sooner than the evening prior to collection. The containers may not remain at the curbside for a period greater than twenty-four (24) hours. C. Collection Days: Regularly scheduled collection days will be determined by the franchise hau...
Bin Placement Rules
Boise requires wheeled trash carts curbside by 7 AM on collection day, out no more than 24 hours, with 3-foot clearance.
Boise Trash Cart Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsBoise City Code § 10-4-2-1; § 10-4-2-2
Time Of Placement: Solid waste carts and cans shall be placed for collection by seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. on the regularly scheduled collection day, but no sooner than the evening prior to collection. The containers may not remain at the curbside for a period greater than twenty-four (24) hours. ... Carts and cans shall be at least three feet (3') from other carts and obstructions, including ma...
Bulk Item Disposal
Boise residents must schedule bulky item pickup with the city's franchise hauler rather than setting items at the curb unannounced.
Boise Bulky Waste Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsBoise City Code § 10-4-2-6(E)
Bulky Waste Collection: Bulky wastes shall be collected and hauled by the City's franchise hauler. Customers are responsible for contacting the franchise hauler to schedule the pick-up. The customer shall convey the waste to the regular collection location. The Public Works Department may set limits on the number of items that may be collected from a household. F. Seasonal Or Special Colle...
Recycling Requirements
Boise's residential recycling program is opt-in, not mandatory. Sign up and Public Works issues a blue wheeled cart for commingled materials excluding glass; skip the cart and the city collects trash-only, no fine for non-participation.
Boise Curbside Recycling Program Requirements
Light RestrictionsBoise City Code § 10-4-2-4
A. Voluntary Service: Residential recycling is a voluntary service available to all residential customers. Customers who choose to participate in the recycling program shall be provided with a blue wheeled recycling cart. B. Accepted Materials: Recyclable materials, excluding glass, can be commingled into the blue recycling cart or commercial recycling container. A list of acceptable materials ...
Mandatory Organics Recycling
Boise runs a curbside compost program, but the city code makes participation voluntary for residents rather than mandatory.
Boise Organics Recycling Is Voluntary
Few RestrictionsBoise City Code § 10-4-2-5
Voluntary Service: Residential curbside composting is a voluntary service available to all residential properties. Residential customers who choose to participate in the composting program shall be provided with a gray wheeled cart with a green lid. B. Accepted Materials: Only compostable materials are accepted in the composting program. The items listed as compostable materials for collec...
Illegal Dumping
Dumping solid waste anywhere in Boise so it can wash or blow onto a street, sidewalk, waterway, sewer, vacant lot, or other property violates the City's Solid Waste Ordinance and is prosecuted as a misdemeanor.
Boise Illegal Dumping Penalties
Some RestrictionsBoise City Code § 10-4-4-1
Littering: No person shall cast, place, sweep or otherwise deposit solid waste anywhere in the City in such a manner that it may be carried or deposited by the elements upon any street, sidewalk, parkway, waterway, stormwater sewer system, sanitary sewer, vacant land, public place or any other premises. B. Prohibited Waste: No person may deposit or relinquish for collection or disposal thr...
Yard Waste Collection
Boise collects leaves, branches, and yard waste through its voluntary curbside compost cart program, with specific size and bundling limits on branches.
Boise Yard Waste Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsBoise City Code § 10-4-2-5
Branches and tree trimmings up to eight inches (8") in diameter may be set out for collection next to the compost cart. Branches and trimmings must be four feet (4') or less in length, less than sixty (60) pounds, and bundled with string. Christmas trees placed for composting shall be clear of all ornaments, lights, tinsel and tree stands and placed for collection in or next to the composting c...
Dumpster Rules
Commercial dumpsters and roll-off containers in Boise must stay off public streets and can't block the right-of-way or sidewalks without Ada County Highway District approval.
Boise Dumpster and Roll-Off Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsBoise City Code § 10-4-3-2(B)(4)
Roll-off containers, dumpsters, and temporary project-specific containers shall not be placed on a public street or be placed in a manner that may obstruct the public right-of-way or pedestrian traffic without prior approval from the Ada County Highway District. 5. Site plans for permanent commercial service shall be submitted to the City for the review and inspection for all new constr...
Collection Schedule
Boise requires every residential property to have trash service, collected weekly, with recycling picked up every other week.
Boise Weekly Trash Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsBoise City Code §§ 10-4-2-1, 10-4-2-3
A. Regular Collection Service: Collection of trash and compostable materials shall be one time per week and collection of recyclable materials shall be every other week. B. Time Of Placement: Solid waste carts and cans shall be placed for collection by seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. on the regularly scheduled collection day... The containers may not remain at the curbside for a period greater than t...
Recycling Rules
Boise bars glass, plastic bags, oversized containers and motor oil fluids from the blue recycling cart. Mixing them in counts as contamination: the load gets dumped as trash, you can be billed extra, and repeat offenders lose recycling service.
Boise Recycling Cart Contamination and Glass Rules
Some RestrictionsBoise City Code § 10-4-2-4
D. Special Recyclable Material: 1. Used motor oil shall be placed in a leakproof, transparent or translucent, sturdy plastic container with a screw on lid, and placed near, but not in, the compost, recycling or trash carts. No other fluids may be included. Containers must be one-gallon size and there is a limit of two (2) gallons of used motor oil per week set out for collection. Containers wil...
Looking for Ada County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Boise city rules.
Trash & Recycling in Ada County →