Trash & Recycling in Adams County, CO (2026)
6 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 2 cities in Adams County, Colorado.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Ordinance No. 17 requires every unincorporated Adams County trash hauler to run leak-proof, tarped vehicles labeled with the company name and phone number, carry at least $150,000 per person and $400,000 aggregate liability coverage, dump only at state-approved facilities, and keep customer and weight-ticket records for two years.
Solid Waste Hauler Operating Rules in Adams County
Some RestrictionsAdams County Ordinance No. 17 § 6.A-C (Operating Standards and Regulations)
All compaction and roll-off vehicles designed and used for hauling putrescible (liquid-containing) wastes, are leak proof at all times during operation. ... Any vehicle or container transporting solid waste, other than by an individual who transports solid waste that he or she has generated, shall have a label containing the name and telephone number of the Solid Waste Hauler printed on both th...
Bin Placement Rules
In unincorporated Adams County, waste containers may be set in the front-yard area or at the street only for 24 hours to allow pickup, and every container must be covered. Store bins out of front-yard view the rest of the week.
Where to Place Trash & Recycling Bins
Some RestrictionsAdams County Code Compliance FAQ — Trash Containers
Trash containers are only allowed in the front-yard area or street for 24 hours to allow for pickup.
Recycling Requirements
Adams County requires every licensed Solid Waste Hauler serving unincorporated residents, multi-family buildings and businesses to offer curbside recycling of at least the county's Minimum Recyclables List alongside trash pickup, and to notify every customer of that option annually. Ordinance No. 17 licenses and enforces haulers; it does not set recycling rates or force resident participation.
Curbside Recycling Rules in Unincorporated Adams County
Some RestrictionsAdams County Ordinance No. 17 (Solid Waste Hauler Ordinance) § 6.E
All Solid Waste Haulers providing regular collection of landfill materials from residential, multi-family or commercial customers shall offer curbside recycling collection services, to include at a minimum the materials designated in the Minimum Recyclables List, on a regular and recurring schedule. Solid Waste Haulers must also provide annual notification of the recycling collection service of...
Illegal Dumping
Depositing trash on any public or private property in Colorado is illegal littering under CRS 18-4-511, carrying a mandatory fine of $20-$500 for a first offense. In unincorporated Adams County, report dumping in a street or alley to Public Works at 720.523.6875.
Illegal Dumping & Littering Rules
Some RestrictionsCRS 18-4-511(1)
Any person who deposits, throws, or leaves any litter on any public or private property or in any waters commits littering.
Yard Waste Collection
Adams County does not run its own yard waste collection program. Under Ordinance No. 17, licensed Solid Waste Haulers may include grass clippings, branches, leaves and shrub trimmings, defined as 'yard trimmings,' in their routes, but the County only requires that haulers who choose to collect them handle the material under the same recycling-diversion duties that apply to recyclables and food scraps.
Yard Waste Collection Rules in Unincorporated Adams County
Light RestrictionsAdams County Ordinance No. 17 (Solid Waste Hauler Ordinance) §§ 2, 6.G.4
Yard trimmings shall mean grass, grass clippings, bushes, branches, leaves, twigs, shrubs, and clippings from bushes and shrubs. They may come from residential, commercial/retail, institutional, or industrial sources as part of maintaining yards or other private or public lands. ... All licensed Solid Waste Haulers that collect recyclable materials, food scraps, and/or yard trimmings operating ...
Collection Schedule
Every solid waste hauler licensed to work in unincorporated Adams County must collect trash and offer curbside recycling at least once a month under Ordinance No. 17. The county sets no fixed pickup day: each licensed hauler schedules its own route, and rates are entirely the hauler's call.
Adams County Minimum Waste Collection Frequency
Some RestrictionsAdams County Ordinance No. 17 § 2 (Definitions), § 6.E.1
Recycling collection service shall mean the regular collection of recyclable materials from residential, commercial, or multi-family customers at least once per month. Regular landfill materials collection shall mean the regular collection of landfill materials from residential, commercial, or multi-family customers at least once per month. ... All Solid Waste Haulers providing regular collecti...
Trash & Recycling by City in Adams County
2 cities in Adams County have their own trash & recycling rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
All Adams County ordinances
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