Trash & Recycling in New Orleans, LA (2026)
9 verified trash & recycling rules for New Orleans, Louisiana, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Section 138-39 spells out what New Orleans residents can't do with a cart once it's out for pickup: no loose, uncontained trash, no vandalizing or removing cart lids, no overfilling past the rim, and no digging through or disturbing contents after set-out. Owners and occupants stay responsible for keeping their premises and adjoining alleys clean.
New Orleans Rules on Placing Garbage for Pickup
Some RestrictionsNew Orleans Code of Ordinances § 138-39
It shall be unlawful to place out for collection garbage or trash that is not properly contained within a city provided roll-off cart; to remove cart covers or otherwise vandalize carts; to overfill a cart such that the lid does not close to where it is in contact with the rim; or to disturb the contents of carts after they have been placed for collection. All owners and occupants of any buildi...
Bin Placement Rules
New Orleans requires every eligible home and small business to use a city-owned roll cart under Code of Ordinances § 138-38: 35-gallon carts inside the French Quarter and Downtown Development District, 96-gallon carts everywhere else. The cart stays city property; using it is mandatory unless the Department of Sanitation grants a written exemption.
New Orleans Garbage Cart Rules for Property Owners
Some RestrictionsNew Orleans Code of Ordinances § 138-38
The city's service provider shall provide to each eligible and occupied service location a roll cart container for storage of garbage and trash in a sanitary manner. Roll cart containers shall remain the property of the city at all times and are not to be removed from the associated service location. ... Locations in the French Quarter or the Downtown Development District will be issued 35-gall...
Bulk Item Disposal
New Orleans collects normal residential bulky waste once a week, on the second regular collection day, or by on-call request through 311 for larger loads, under § 138-43. Eligible items include furniture, appliances, white goods, up to four tires, and bundled tree limbs, but loads over ten cubic yards or unbundled/oversized items are a violation.
New Orleans Bulky Waste Placement and Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsNew Orleans Code of Ordinances § 138-43
Outside of the French Quarter and the Downtown Development District, the city will collect normal bulky waste a maximum of once per week on the second regularly scheduled day for pick-up of solid waste or on an "on-call" basis for larger pick-ups. ... Items eligible for bulky waste collection for residential service locations include:(1)Tree limbs and branches less than four feet in length and ...
Recycling Requirements
New Orleans bills a monthly recycling service charge on the water bill, $1.00 for residences and offices, $2.00 for commercial/industrial sites, with exemptions for seniors, low-income households and verified private recycling contracts.
New Orleans Curbside Recycling Fee Rules
Some RestrictionsNew Orleans Code of Ordinances § 138-63(a), (e)
The fees for recycling shall be as follows for services rendered:(1)Each residential unit... $1.00 per month.(2)Business, professional, or service office or institution... $1.00 per month.(3)Commercial, industrial and manufacturing establishments... $2.00 per month... All private recycling programs must have a waste reductions goal of 25 percent, consistent with applicable state law, and must p...
Illegal Dumping
New Orleans treats illegal dumping as a vehicle-forfeiture offense: any motor vehicle used to dump or haul illegally dumped material is impounded and subject to forfeiture, with a $5,000 fine for dumping into the drainage system alone.
New Orleans Illegal Dumping Vehicle Forfeiture
Heavy RestrictionsNew Orleans Code of Ordinances § 66-283.5(b)
All motor vehicles which are used, or intended to be used, to transport, or in any manner to facilitate a violation of 66-282(b) through (c) of this chapter, shall be impounded and subject to forfeiture, except that: (1) No motor vehicle used by any person as a common carrier... is subject to forfeiture... (7) No motor vehicle is subject to forfeiture under this section if the illegal dumping i...
Yard Waste Collection
New Orleans bans yard waste, tree branches and shrubbery from roll carts under § 138-44, routing it instead through the bulky-waste program in § 138-43: bundled limbs under four feet long and 12 inches thick, and bagged leaves, weeds or grass, each capped at 50 pounds, with a six-bundle/bag limit per regular pickup or 15 on an on-call collection.
New Orleans Yard Waste and Tree Limb Collection
Some RestrictionsNew Orleans Code of Ordinances §§ 138-44, 138-43(g)
Yard waste, tree branches, and shrubbery shall not be placed in roll carts and shall be collected in accordance with section 138-43. ... Items eligible for bulky waste collection for residential service locations include:(1)Tree limbs and branches less than four feet in length and 12 inches in diameter, neatly bundled, with each bundle weighing 50 pounds or less; maximum of six bundles per regu...
Dumpster Rules
City Code § 146-584 requires a Department of Public Works permit before placing a dumpster or trash container in the public right-of-way, with a $40 application fee, $10/day curb-space charge, and a 45-day renewable permit term.
New Orleans Right-of-Way Dumpster Permit
Some RestrictionsNew Orleans Code of Ordinances § 146-584
The placement of trash containers, receptacles, other similar containers, and dumpsters, hereafter referred to as dumpsters for purposes of this section, in the public right-of-way by contractors, builders, owners, or others requiring the temporary use of curb space to facilitate work conducted by them in the immediate vicinity shall be allowed only after the issuance of a permit by the departm...
Collection Schedule
New Orleans bills mandatory monthly sanitation service through the Sewerage & Water Board under § 138-57: $24.00 for each residential unit, $24.00 for a business/professional office, and $48.00 for a commercial, industrial or manufacturing establishment. Nonpayment can lead to water service being shut off at the city's direction.
New Orleans Mandatory Sanitation Service and Fees
Significant RestrictionsNew Orleans Code of Ordinances § 138-57
The fees for the collection and disposal of refuse, garbage, trash and other sanitation services shall be as follows for services rendered during the periods indicated below:(1)Each residential unit, including each residential unit in multi-residential structures, per month: $24.00.(2)Business, professional or service office and institution, per month, per unit: $24.00.(3)Commercial, industrial...
Recycling Rules
Recycling service in New Orleans carries its own charge under § 138-63, $1.00 a month for residential units and offices, $2.00 for commercial/industrial/manufacturing accounts, billed with the sanitation fee, though the ordinance itself has suspended collection of that charge since September 1, 2005 until recycling collection resumes.
New Orleans Recycling Service Charges and Exemptions
Some RestrictionsNew Orleans Code of Ordinances § 138-63
The fees for recycling shall be as follows for services rendered:(1)Each residential unit, except residential units in multi-residential structures that show proof of exemption from payment of city service fees as provided in this section below, $1.00 per month.(2)Business, professional, or service office or institution, except those that show proof of exemption from payment of city service fee...