Trash & Recycling in Westminster, CO (2026)
6 verified trash & recycling rules for Westminster, Colorado, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Bin Placement Rules
Westminster caps outdoor household trash cart storage at eight containers and bars keeping them in a front yard or any side or back yard facing the street, under Section 8-1-11(B). Carts may only go to the curb up to 24 hours before pickup and must return to storage within 24 hours after the scheduled collection.
Westminster Trash Cart Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsWestminster Municipal Code § 8-1-11(B)
(B)Household Trash Containers: It shall be unlawful for a person to maintain household trash at a premises except in compliance with the following requirements:(1)All household trash shall be stored wholly-contained and enclosed in a liquid-tight container having a tight-fitting cover.(2)Household trash containers stored outside prior to trash removal service shall be limited to eight in number...
Recycling Requirements
Every licensed solid waste collector in Westminster must offer curbside recycling to residential customers who want it, and must provide recycling collection to all multifamily and commercial customers, at least monthly and on the same day as trash pickup.
Westminster Curbside Recycling Requirement
Some RestrictionsWestminster Municipal Code Sec. 5-7-8
(A)All collectors providing solid waste collection services to residential customers shall offer and provide curbside recycling collection services to all such customers who desire such services for such materials as are designated from time to time by the City Manager as provided in Section 5-7-9, W.M.C.(B)Collection of recyclable materials shall be offered by a collector to all multifamily an...
Illegal Dumping
Depositing, throwing or leaving litter on any public or private property, or in City waters, is unlawful in Westminster under Section 6-18-1, and courts can suspend a violator's fine on condition they personally clean up the property instead. Litter dumped from a moving vehicle is presumed to be the driver's doing.
Westminster Illegal Dumping and Littering Law
Some RestrictionsWestminster Municipal Code § 6-18-1
(A)It Shall be Unlawful to Commit Littering. Any person who deposits, throws, or leaves any litter on any public or private property, or in any waters commits littering.(B)It Shall be an Affirmative Defense That:(1)Such property is an area designated by law for the disposal of such material, and the person is authorized by the proper public authority to so use the property; or(2)The litter is p...
Yard Waste Collection
Composting yard waste in Westminster is only lawful inside an approved holding unit under Section 8-1-4(B): no bigger than five feet in any dimension, built of wood, wire, metal or plastic excluding plastic bags, kept in the backyard screened from the right-of-way, and set back at least three feet from property lines. Composting household trash itself is banned outright.
Westminster Yard Waste Composting Rules
Some RestrictionsWestminster Municipal Code § 8-1-4
8-1-4. - Compost Piles.(A)Household Trash: It shall be unlawful for a person to compost household trash.(B)Yard Waste: It shall be unlawful for a person to compost yard wastes, except in a compost holding unit that:(1)Shall not exceed five feet in any dimension;(2)Shall be constructed of wood, wire, metal, or plastic, excluding plastic bags;(3)May be a stationary or rotating unit;(4)Shall be lo...
Dumpster Rules
A one- or two-family home in Westminster cannot keep a trash dumpster or roll-off of one cubic yard or larger without written authorization from a code enforcement officer, per Section 8-1-5(A). Homes with an active building permit are exempt, and anyone using a dumpster must keep trash from being strewn or scattered.
Westminster Commercial Dumpster Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsWestminster Municipal Code § 8-1-5
8-1-5. - Containers:(A)Dumpsters/Roll-Offs: It shall be unlawful for a person in a one- or two-family dwelling to maintain trash dumpsters one cubic yard or larger without prior written authorization from a code enforcement officer. Persons storing or placing trash in a dumpster or roll-off shall do so in such a manner as to prevent the trash from being strewn or scattered. This section shall n...
Collection Schedule
Westminster assigns each residential area a specific weekly collection day set by the City Manager, and licensed haulers may operate in a neighborhood only on that designated day, with limited exceptions for holidays, severe weather, or missed pickups.
Westminster Designated Trash Collection Days
Some RestrictionsWestminster Municipal Code Sec. 5-7-10
5-7-10. - Designated Collection Days. (A)No collector shall operate in a residential area except on the days of the week designated by the City Manager for each area of the City.(B)The City Manager may provide for exceptions, based on holidays, severe weather, or inadvertently missed customers.
Looking for Adams County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Westminster city rules.
Trash & Recycling in Adams County →