Trash & Recycling in St. Joseph County, IN (2026)
5 rules for unincorporated St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
St. Joseph County's Solid Waste Management District, empowered by IC 13-21-3-12, runs countywide recycling but not garbage. South Bend's city Solid Waste division collects trash weekly in a 48- or 96-gallon cart; Mishawaka contracts Waste Management; unincorporated residents hire a private hauler.
St. Joseph County Trash Pickup Schedules & Rules
Some RestrictionsIC 13-21-3-12
Except as provided in section 14.5 of this chapter and subject to subsection (b), the powers of a district include the following: ... The power to plan, design, construct, finance, manage, own, lease, operate, and maintain facilities for solid waste management.
Bin Placement Rules
Unincorporated St. Joseph County requires any trash container larger than 36 cubic feet to be screened on three sides by a wall or solid enclosure six to ten feet tall with an opaque gate. The container cannot sit between the house's front wall and the street, or inside any required front, side, or rear yard. Zoning staff enforce the rule under the accessory-use standards of Chapter 154.
St. Joseph County Trash Container Screening Rules
Some RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Zoning Ordinance § 154.070(C)(2)(i)
(i)Trash containers. Any trash container exceeding 36 cubic feet in capacity shall:1.Be screened on at least three sides by a building wall or a solid-walled enclosure, not less than six feet in height nor more than ten feet in height above grade, equipped with an opaque screen gate;2.Not be located between the front facade of the primary building and the front lot line; and3.Not be located in ...
Bulk Item Disposal
Bulk items go through your city, not the county. South Bend schedules large-item pickup and Mishawaka collects up to two bulk items each week. Dumping instead is littering under IC 35-45-3-2, a Class B infraction with a judgment up to $1,000.
St. Joseph County Bulk Item Disposal & Pickup
Some RestrictionsIC 35-45-3-2
A person who recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally places or leaves refuse on property of another person, except in a container provided for refuse, commits littering, a Class B infraction.
Illegal Dumping
St. Joseph County's code flatly declares uncontrolled dumping of refuse on the ground a nuisance hazardous to public health. Violators face misdemeanor prosecution under § 50.99(C), escalating fines set by the county's schedule of fines and fees, and a separate offense charged for every day an ordered cleanup goes uncorrected.
St. Joseph County Illegal Dumping Penalties
Significant RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Code of Ordinances §§ 50.46, 50.99(C)
§ 50.46. - Uncontrolled dumping of refuse declared nuisance. The uncontrolled dumping or placing of refuse on the ground is declared a nuisance hazardous to the health and well-being of the residents of the county. ... § 50.99. - Penalty. ... (C) Any person violating any provisions of sections 50.45 through 50.75 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, the violator shall be punishe...
Dumpster Rules
Commercial and industrial properties in unincorporated St. Joseph County must screen any dumpster or trash container larger than 36 cubic feet on at least three sides with a wall or solid enclosure six to ten feet tall and an opaque gate. The dumpster cannot sit between the building's front wall and the street or inside any required yard setback.
St. Joseph County Commercial Dumpster Screening
Some RestrictionsSt. Joseph County, Ind., Zoning Ordinance § 154.070(C)(3)(b)
(b)Trash containers. Trash containers exceeding 36 cubic feet shall:1.Be screened on at least three sides by a building wall or a solid-walled enclosure, not less than six feet in height nor more than ten feet in height above grade, equipped with an opaque screen gate;2.Not be located between the front facade of the primary building and the front lot line; and3.Not be located in any minimum fro...
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