Trash & Recycling in Salt Lake City, UT (2026)
10 verified trash & recycling rules for Salt Lake City, Utah, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Salt Lake City limits when you can set automated refuse and recycling containers out and requires empty carts pulled back same day.
Salt Lake City Trash Pickup Rules
Some Restrictions§ 9.08.090
Such containers may not be set out upon the street for collection prior to the evening of the day before collection, and shall be set out on the day of collection by seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. and spaced three feet (3') (where possible) from the curb, any parked vehicle, other container, and any other obstruction, as designated by the department of sustainability. B. The property owner, man...
Bin Placement Rules
City-issued carts can hit the curb only the evening before pickup and must be out by 7:00 AM on collection day, spaced 3 feet from obstructions.
Salt Lake City Trash Cart Set-Out Rules
Some RestrictionsSalt Lake City Code § 9.08.090
Automated refuse, green waste, recyclable glass, and recycling containers containing refuse, green waste, recyclable glass or recyclable items to be collected and hauled by the service provider shall be set out for collection on a city street adjacent to the property, or at the place and at such times as may be designated by the order of the department of sustainability. Such containers may not...
Bulk Item Disposal
Salt Lake City runs bulky item pickup only through occasional special collection events the city schedules at its own discretion, not on a fixed calendar.
Salt Lake City Bulky Waste Pickup
Some RestrictionsSalt Lake City Code § 9.08.030(G)
The city may, at its discretion, also provide for the periodic collection and disposal of bulky waste. If the city elects to conduct one of these periodic collection and disposal events, all residences that receive refuse collection service from the city will be notified of the event and given instructions regarding the allowable dates and other rules governing the type and placement of allowab...
Recycling Requirements
Every Salt Lake City residence with city refuse service is automatically issued at least one recycling container at no added charge, and opting out still requires following the city's material-sorting rules.
Salt Lake City Curbside Recycling Rules
Some RestrictionsSalt Lake City Code § 9.08.030(A)(4)(a)-(b)
Each residence with at least one city issued refuse container shall be issued at least one recycling container. One additional recycling container may be provided at no additional charge upon approval of the director of sustainability or designee. Owners or property managers of residences receiving city refuse collection service will not be charged for recycling collection service in addition t...
Mandatory Organics Recycling
Every Salt Lake City residence with a refuse container is automatically issued a green waste bin for yard trimmings and fruit or vegetable scraps at no extra charge, though owners can opt out in writing under Chapter 9.08.
Salt Lake City Auto-Enrolls Homes In Food-Scrap Bins
Some RestrictionsSalt Lake City Code § 9.08.030(A)(3)
Each residence with at least one city issued refuse container shall be issued at least one green waste container. ... Owners or property managers of residences may opt out of green waste collection service, but shall comply with section 9.08.095 of this chapter.
Illegal Dumping
Dumping solid or liquid waste on any street, alley, lot, or premises in Salt Lake City without Salt Lake Valley Health Department permission is unlawful under City Code § 9.08.145, and unspecified-penalty violations default to a class B misdemeanor with real fines and jail exposure.
Salt Lake City Illegal Dumping Penalties
Heavy RestrictionsSalt Lake City Code § 9.08.145
It is unlawful for any person to place or deposit, or for an owner, occupant, lessor, or lessee of any premises or vacant property to place or deposit or cause or permit to be placed or deposited, or to allow to remain placed or deposited thereon, any solid or liquid waste or recyclable items in or upon any street or alley, or lot, whether occupied or vacant, or upon any premises in the city, w...
Yard Waste Collection
Every residence with city refuse service gets at least one automated green waste container for yard trimmings and grass clippings, collected free alongside regular refuse pickup, with special bulky yard-waste collection events run periodically by the city.
Salt Lake City Yard Waste Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsSalt Lake City Code § 9.08.030(A)(3)(a)
Each residence with at least one city issued refuse container shall be issued at least one green waste container. One additional green waste container may be provided at no additional charge upon approval of the director of sustainability or designee. Owners or property managers of residences receiving city refuse collection service will not be charged for green waste collection service in addi...
Dumpster Rules
Placing a dumpster, roll-off box, or other obstruction in the public way in Salt Lake City requires a City Engineer permit, with a narrow exemption for short-term placement tied to city cleanup campaigns.
Salt Lake City Dumpster Placement Permit
Significant RestrictionsSalt Lake City Code § 14.32.200(A)
Except for a period of ten (10) days prior to scheduled city sponsored cleanup campaigns, the terms and conditions of which shall be described in flyers or mailings produced and distributed by the city, it is unlawful for any person to place, cast, deposit, permit, erect, or suffer to remain in or upon any public way in the city any "obstruction" as defined in this chapter, without obtaining fr...
Collection Schedule
Salt Lake City automatically bills every residence for weekly refuse collection unless the owner cancels water/sewer/refuse service or notifies the sustainability director in writing that a private hauler will haul the trash instead.
Salt Lake City Mandatory Residential Trash Service
Some RestrictionsSalt Lake City Code § 9.08.030.A.1
Except where water, sewer, and refuse service to a residence is properly terminated, or the owner of that residence notifies in writing the director of sustainability that the owner's refuse will be picked up and disposed of by a private hauler, the owner of every residence shall be responsible and liable for the below enumerated monthly charges for refuse service. The charge for such service s...
Recycling Rules
Salt Lake City requires recyclables to be separated from refuse and green waste, with only city-approved items allowed in blue recycling carts.
Salt Lake City Recycling Sorting Rules
Some Restrictions§ 9.08.095
Recyclable items shall be separated from refuse and green waste. Only those items deemed to be recyclable items by the city shall be placed in an automated recycling container. If materials other than the allowable materials listed below are placed in an automated refuse, green waste, glass recycling or recycling container, the service provider may refuse to empty the container until the unallo...
Looking for Salt Lake County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Salt Lake City city rules.
Trash & Recycling in Salt Lake County →