Trash & Recycling in Littleton, CO (2026)
7 verified trash & recycling rules for Littleton, Colorado, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Littleton City Code Section 7-2-4(A) through (C) requires garbage, refuse and rubbish to go into a trash container, drained of liquid, with the lid closed and the load fitting securely inside before it is set out for collection, giving a resident three concrete steps to follow before pickup.
Littleton Trash Container Prep Rules
Some RestrictionsLittleton City Code § 7-2-4(A)-(C)
A. The responsible party of any premise within the City from which garbage, refuse, or rubbish is produced or accumulated shall place said garbage, refuse, or rubbish in a trash container. B. Prior to being deposited for collection, all garbage, refuse, and rubbish must be drained of liquid. C. All trash must fit securely into the container with the lid closed for collection.
Bin Placement Rules
Littleton City Code Section 7-2-4(E) bars placing trash or recycling containers where they impair or obstruct pedestrian, bicycle or vehicle traffic at any time, and it flatly prohibits permanently storing any collection container in the public right-of-way, a rule the City enforces through its nuisance and civil penalty process.
Littleton Bans Bins Blocking Right-of-Way
Some RestrictionsLittleton City Code § 7-2-4(E)
E. Containers and recyclable materials may not, at any time, be placed in such a manner as to impair or obstruct pedestrian, bicycle, or vehicular traffic. No container shall be permanently stored in the public right-of-way.
Recycling Requirements
Littleton City Code Section 7-2-4(D) requires trash and recycling containers to be kept so materials do not scatter, and makes the property owner or occupant immediately responsible for cleaning up any spillage of recyclables or trash that does escape the container.
Littleton Recycling Container Scattering Rule
Some RestrictionsLittleton City Code § 7-2-4(D)
D. Trash and recycling containers shall always be kept in such a manner as to preclude the scattering of trash and recyclable materials. If such spilling or scattering does occur, it shall be the immediate responsibility of the owner or occupant to remove and properly dispose of such spillage.
Illegal Dumping
Littleton City Code Section 7-1-3(E) makes it unlawful to throw or deposit garbage, trash, rubbish, junk or hazardous material anywhere in the City unless the spot is a properly marked dump or container. The prohibition covers hazardous material as defined by federal law and is enforced as a nuisance with written notice and civil fines.
Littleton Bans Illegal Dumping and Littering
Some RestrictionsLittleton City Code § 7-1-3(E)
E. Littering and Dumping. It is unlawful and constitutes a nuisance for any person to throw or deposit, or cause or permit to be thrown or deposited anywhere within the City, any garbage, trash, rubbish or junk as defined in Chapter 2 of this title, or hazardous material as defined by 40 CFR Part 261, or other offensive matter unless such is clearly marked and designated as a proper dump or con...
Dumpster Rules
Littleton requires every outdoor dumpster, trash receptacle, recycling receptacle and grease collection container on commercial and mixed-use property to sit inside a permanent screening enclosure built of masonry, stone or matching composite fencing, with a gated pedestrian entry and separate opaque gates for the collection truck. The rule sits in the city's Unified Land Use Code design standards, effective October 13, 2023.
Littleton Dumpster Enclosure Screening Rule
Some RestrictionsLittleton City Code § 10-1-3.1.D, Item E (Trash Enclosures)
iii. All trash and recycling containers shall be covered with a tight-fitting solid lid. ... ... E. Trash Enclosures. As shown by Figure 10-1-3.1.D.1, Trash Enclosure Detail, all private outdoor trash and recycling receptacles, dumpsters, and grease collection containers shall be screened on all sides by a permanent enclosure, with gated pedestrian entry and opaque gates for truck access. The e...
Collection Schedule
When the City is not providing trash collection under Section 7-2-1, Littleton City Code Section 7-2-3(B) requires the responsible party of every property producing garbage, refuse or rubbish to arrange collection and removal service sufficient to keep the premises clean, or to self-haul waste to a State-approved landfill.
Littleton Mandatory Trash Collection Duty
Some RestrictionsLittleton City Code § 7-2-3(B)
B. In the absence of City-provided collection services pursuant to Section 7-2-1 herein, the responsible party of any premises wherein garbage, refuse, or rubbish is produced or accumulated shall provide for collection service and removal of said garbage, refuse, and rubbish to the degree of service necessary to maintain the premises in a clean and orderly condition. A responsible party may dis...
Recycling Rules
Littleton City Code Section 7-2-3(A) authorizes the City to run a residential recycling collection and disposal service alongside its trash service, but only when the City Council decides it is more advantageous to taxpayers or competitive bidding under Title 1, Chapter 15 does not produce a workable private contract.
Littleton's Recycling Collection Service Rule
Light RestrictionsLittleton City Code § 7-2-3(A)
A. The City may provide trash collection and disposal service available to all residential and commercial users and recycling collection and disposal service available to all residential users within the City, if in the opinion of the Council it is more advantageous to the taxpayer, or where competitive bidding, in accordance with Title 1, Chapter 15 of this code, is unsuccessful.
Looking for Arapahoe County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Littleton city rules.
Trash & Recycling in Arapahoe County →