Trash & Recycling in Lakewood, WA (2026)
10 verified trash & recycling rules for Lakewood, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington sets the ground rules for how residential garbage must be presented for pickup: it has to go out in a can, container or cart under LMC 13.06.070(A), and residents never have to separate garbage from trash. Most customers get standard curb service, but walk-in service beyond five feet of the curb costs extra under LMC 13.06.090(B).
Lakewood, WA Garbage Pickup Service Rules
Some RestrictionsLMC 13.06.070(A)-(B), 13.06.090(A)-(B)
A. Cans, containers or carts as defined in this chapter shall be deemed to be acceptable refuse containers in residential areas. No employee for a contractor may remove or cause to be removed from any premises any refuse which is not so contained, except as otherwise provided in this section. B. The separation of garbage and trash shall not be required. ... ... A. Curb Service. Customers shall ...
Bin Placement Rules
Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington requires residents on automated routes to set carts at the curb or alley edge by 6:00 a.m. on collection day and pull them back in the same day, under LMC 13.06.080. Containers also have to stay clean, sealed and in good repair under LMC 13.06.180, or the contractor will tag and refuse to empty them.
Lakewood, WA Trash Cart Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsLMC 13.06.080, 13.06.180(A),(C)
In those areas of the City where automated services are available, the customers and residents shall be provided garbage carts by the licensed contractor, which carts shall remain the property of the contractor. ... It shall be the responsibility of the customers or residents to place the carts at the curb or edge of the street or alley in front of or adjacent to the property being serviced not...
Bulk Item Disposal
Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington does not include bulky items such as furniture, appliances, tires, concrete or tree limbs and stumps over four inches in diameter in regular curbside garbage pickup. LMC 13.06.090(D) bars the contractor from collecting these 'nonconforming items' left at the curb, so residents must arrange a special pickup, which carries an added dispatch charge.
Lakewood, WA Bulk & Large-Item Trash Rules
Some RestrictionsLMC 13.06.023, 13.06.028, 13.06.090(D)
“Nonconforming items” means all refuse items placed out for collection which do not constitute regular residential or commercial garbage and which by size, weight or unwieldiness pose increased difficulty for garbage collection services. Examples of such nonconforming items are large bulky items, including tree limbs and stumps over four inches in diameter, furniture and appliances, concrete, b...
Recycling Requirements
Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington requires the City's licensed contractor to provide curbside commingled recycling to residential customers under LMC 13.06.110(A). Single-family homes and buildings up to five units get pickup every other week; buildings with six or more units can get weekly service, and the recycling cart stays the contractor's property.
Lakewood, WA Curbside Recycling Requirements
Some RestrictionsLMC 13.06.110(A)
Recycling Services. Commingled recycling services shall be available to residential customers of the City, with the collection of recycle materials occurring curbside and in a manner compatible with the collection for regular garbage collection. ... ... 2. Commingled recycling services for single-family and multifamily residential units up to five units shall be provided every other week collec...
Holiday Pickup Schedule
When a Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington collection day falls on a holiday, LMC 13.06.130 pushes the pickup to the very next day, including Sundays, at no extra cost. The ordinance recognizes six holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Lakewood, WA Holiday Trash Pickup Schedule
Light RestrictionsLMC 13.06.130
For the purposes of this chapter and the scheduling of the services provided hereby, the following days shall constitute holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. For regularly scheduled service, when pickup or collection is missed due to the contractors observance of a holiday, the contractor shall provide service on an alternate d...
Illegal Dumping
Dumping or allowing materials to remain on Lakewood streets, rights-of-way or adjoining property is a civil infraction under LMC 12.06.040. Violators must remove the material within 48 hours of written notice or pay the City's removal costs, and each day, location and incident is a separate offense carrying up to a $500 fine.
Lakewood, WA Illegal Dumping Penalties
Some RestrictionsLMC 12.06.040
12.06.040 Illegal dumping. ... B. Dumping. It is unlawful for any person to deposit any materials, or allow any materials to be deposited or to remain upon any public right-of-way of the City or upon private or public property adjoining the highway on either side of the right-of-way, except at duly designated dumping places as set out and so marked and authorized by the City Council. ... D. Rem...
Yard Waste Collection
Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington provides residential yard waste collection under LMC 13.06.110(B) every other week, year-round, on the same days as regular garbage service. Accepted material is limited to leaves, brush, grass, weeds and other compostable yard debris, with branches and roots capped at four inches in diameter.
Lakewood, WA Yard Waste Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsLMC 13.06.110(B)
Yard Waste Services. The collection of yard waste shall be available for residential properties within the City. ... Yard waste ... includes materials which consist of leaves, brush, tree trimmings, grass clippings, weeds, shrubs, garden waste from vegetable gardens, and other compostable organic materials resulting from landscaping, pruning and yard maintenance generated from residents. Branch...
Dumpster Rules
A commercial dumpster, recycling area or small storage yard under 200 square feet in Lakewood must sit behind a 5-foot landscaped strip, a 6-foot fence or wall, and a row of 6-foot Arborvitae under LMC 18A.70.150(A)(6), Type VI Area Screening.
Dumpster Screening Rules for Lakewood, Washington Businesses
Some RestrictionsLMC 18A.70.150(A)(6)
6. Type VI, Area Screening. A combination of fencing/wall and landscaping that provides visual relief from dumpsters, recycling areas, or small storage yards, of less than two hundred (200) square feet in size. The following standards shall be applied: a. Landscaping strip minimum five (5) feet in width around the area, excluding access points. b. A fence or wall six (6) feet in height located ...
Collection Schedule
In Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington, every dwelling, apartment house and business that generates garbage or trash must pay for collection service from the City's licensed contractor under LMC 13.06.050. The contractor is required to offer weekly, every-other-week or monthly refuse pickup, and recyclables go out every other week unless the code sets a different schedule for that account.
Lakewood, WA Residential Trash Collection Schedule
Some RestrictionsLMC 13.06.050, 13.06.070(C)
All dwellings, apartment houses, and places of business in which garbage or trash accumulates or may be generated within the City shall be required to pay for refuse collection services of the contractor licensed by the City. ... ... C. The contractor shall offer weekly, every other week or monthly refuse collection service. Recyclables will be picked up every other week except as otherwise pro...
Recycling Rules
Lakewood, Pierce County, Washington bars anyone other than the City's licensed garbage contractor from collecting recyclables from generators in the City without a transporter permit under LMC 13.06.300. Unpermitted collection of recyclables carries a civil penalty of up to $500.00 per day.
Lakewood, WA Recyclables Transporter Permit Rule
Significant RestrictionsLMC 13.06.300(A),(E)
A. Unless specifically and statutorily exempted from compliance, no transporter other than the City’s contractor shall collect recyclables from generators within the City without having obtained a permit from the City of Lakewood. ... ... E. Any transporter who collects recyclables within the City without a permit shall be subject to a civil penalty of up to $500.00 per day.
Looking for Pierce County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Lakewood city rules.
Trash & Recycling in Pierce County →