Trash & Recycling in Lexington, KY (2026)
9 verified trash & recycling rules for Lexington, Kentucky, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Lexington-Fayette residents can fill a roll cart as long as the lid still latches shut, but the container's recommended weight limit is two hundred pounds and everything inside has to be bagged in leak-proof, securely tied plastic bags, per Code of Ordinances § 16-8(b). Hazardous waste, hot ashes, bricks, and heavy debris are barred from the cart entirely.
Lexington Roll Cart Preparation Rules
Some RestrictionsLexington-Fayette Code of Ordinances § 16-8(b)
The roll cart container may be filled to capacity as long as the lid can be closed and latched. The recommended weight capacity of two hundred (200) pounds shall not be exceeded. Within a cart, garbage and trash shall be contained in disposable plastic bags. The bags shall be leak proof, of sufficient strength to resist tearing under normal handling, and shall be securely tied. No special handl...
Bin Placement Rules
Lexington-Fayette households must not put roll carts at the curb before 4:00 p.m. the evening before collection, and containers must be out no later than 5:00 a.m. on collection day. Carts have to come back off the curb by 7:00 p.m. that same evening and be stored in the side or rear yard the rest of the week, per Code of Ordinances § 16-10(b).
Lexington Roll Cart Set-Out and Removal Times
Some RestrictionsLexington-Fayette Code of Ordinances § 16-10(b)
Urban county government containers, other receptacles for trash and ashes and any other waste subject to collection by LFUCG shall be placed at the curb no sooner than 4:00 p.m. on the evening prior to collection and no later than 5:00 a.m. on the day of collection. Urban county government containers and other receptacles shall be removed from the curb no later than 7:00 p.m. in the evening on ...
Recycling Requirements
Curbside recycling in Lexington-Fayette runs on the same weekly clock as trash: once a resident has a recycling roll cart, section 16-10(a) collects it once each week on the same day as garbage service, and section 16-10(b) requires the recycling cart to be set at the curb line in front of the residence like any other container subject to LFUCG collection.
Lexington Curbside Recycling Collection Frequency
Some RestrictionsLexington-Fayette Code of Ordinances § 16-10(a)-(b)
Collection of recyclable materials and yard waste in approved yard waste containers will be provided once each week on the same day as garbage service. [...] Roll cart containers, receptacles for properly prepared trash, roll cart containers for recyclable materials, approved yard waste containers and any other waste subject to collection by LFUCG be placed at the curb line in front of the resi...
Holiday Pickup Schedule
When a regular Lexington-Fayette collection day lands on an urban county government holiday, Code of Ordinances § 16-10(a) shifts pickup to a makeup collection day rather than skipping the week, and the commissioner of environmental quality can also adjust the schedule for emergencies or severe weather.
Lexington Holiday Collection Makeup Day
Light RestrictionsLexington-Fayette Code of Ordinances §§ 16-10(a), 16-13(a)
When a scheduled refuse collection day falls on an urban county government holiday, refuse will be collected on a makeup collection day. The commissioner of environmental quality retains the right to adjust schedules in response to emergencies or severe weather. [...] Garbage and trash collection shall be made during an a.m. cycle between 2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. and a p.m. cycle between 2:00 p...
Illegal Dumping
Lexington-Fayette enforces the state littering and illegal-dumping offense under KRS 512.070 as a civil violation of its own, with fines that climb from $100 for a first offense to $250 for a second and $500 for a third or later offense within twenty-four months, under Code of Ordinances § 14-105.
Lexington Illegal Dumping and Littering Fines
Heavy RestrictionsLexington-Fayette Code of Ordinances § 14-105
Littering. The offense of littering as defined by KRS 512.070. [...] Civil penalty. A person found to have committed a littering violation proscribed by KRS 512.070(1) and enforced pursuant to KRS 512.070(4) and this section shall be subject to the following civil fines: First Violation $100.00 Second Violation 250.00 Third or Subsequent Violation 500.00 Time period for subsequent violations. I...
Yard Waste Collection
Lexington-Fayette splits yard waste into two streams: woody debris like tree limbs must be cut to no more than six inches in diameter, bundled in four-foot lengths, and tied into bundles under sixty pounds, while grass clippings and other nonwoody material must go in an approved yard waste container and nothing else, per Code of Ordinances §§ 16-9 and 16-10(b).
Lexington Yard Waste Bundling Rules
Some RestrictionsLexington-Fayette Code of Ordinances §§ 16-9, 16-10(b)
Woody landscape waste shall not exceed six (6) inches in diameter and shall be cut into lengths not exceeding four (4) feet and tied into bundles not to exceed sixty (60) pounds which can be readily handled by an individual collector. [...] Nonwoody yard waste must be contained in approved yard waste containers and must not be placed in any other type container. Approved yard waste containers m...
Dumpster Rules
Lexington-Fayette requires a $25 permit from the division of waste management before any dumpster or its screening enclosure is placed, under Code § 16-4.1. Dumpsters need three-sided screening at 80% opacity, must sit at least 10 feet from any residential property line, and can't be visible from the public right-of-way.
Lexington Dumpster Screening & Permit Rule
Significant RestrictionsLexington-Fayette Code of Ordinances § 16-4.1
No dumpster or screening as required above, regardless of whether collection service will be provided by the urban county government or by private hauler, shall be permanently placed or constructed upon any site without first obtaining a permit from the director of the division of waste management... A fee in the amount of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) shall be paid to the Division of Waste Mana...
Collection Schedule
Every dwelling, office, and commercial or industrial building in the Lexington-Fayette urban county must place its garbage and trash in the roll cart containers the urban county government provides, and residential garbage service runs once a week on the same day every week, under Code of Ordinances §§ 16-6(a) and 16-10(a).
Lexington Mandatory Weekly Trash Collection
Some RestrictionsLexington-Fayette Code of Ordinances §§ 16-6(a), 16-10(a)
It shall be the duty of owners, proprietors, occupants or persons in charge of every dwelling house, office, commercial and industrial unit or other building in the urban county to place or cause to be placed all garbage and trash accumulating on the premises in regulation roll cart containers provided by the urban county government. [...] In all areas of residential urban county government col...
Recycling Rules
Lexington-Fayette doesn't automatically deliver a recycling cart with every trash cart: residents on roll cart service have to request one under Code of Ordinances § 16-3, while properties on dumpster service can add recycling collection but must buy and furnish the recycling dumpster themselves under § 16-4(e).
Lexington Recycling Container Rules
Light RestrictionsLexington-Fayette Code of Ordinances §§ 16-3, 16-4(e)
Roll cart containers for recyclable materials will be provided to the above-noted properties upon request. [...] The urban county government may provide an additional dumpster collection service for the separate collection of recyclable materials to any property receiving dumpster collection service. Recycling dumpster containers must be furnished at the expense of the owner in accordance with ...