Trash & Recycling in St. Louis County, MO (2026)
8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in St. Louis County, Missouri.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
St. Louis County Code §607.181 defines a minimum level of service with three components: once-per-week trash collection, once-per-week recycling collection, and twice-yearly bulky waste pickup. Every residential hauler licensed by the St. Louis County Department of Health must provide all three whenever it provides basic trash service to a one- or two-family residence anywhere in St. Louis County.
Minimum Trash Service Standard
Heavy RestrictionsSt. Louis County Code §607.181
Sec. 607.181. — The minimum level of service includes three (3) components: 1) once-per-week trash collection; 2) once-per-week recycling collection; and 3) twice-yearly bulky waste pickup. All residential haulers licensed by St. Louis County Department of Health are required to provide these three (3) components whenever they provide basic trash service to any one- and two-family residence in ...
Bin Placement Rules
St. Louis County treats a trash container as something that lives behind the house. SLCRO §607.120 requires containers to be stored on the premises where the trash was generated and at least 3 feet behind the main residential structure. For pickup they may go to the curb no earlier than dusk on the day before the regularly scheduled collection day, and they must be returned to their storage place on the same day as collection.
Trash & Recycling Bin Placement
Some RestrictionsSt. Louis County Code §607.120
Sec. 607.120. — Trash containers must be stored on the premises where trash was generated and be stored at least three (3) feet behind the main residential structure. For pick-up, containers must be placed at the curb no earlier than dusk of the day prior to the regularly scheduled trash collection day. Containers must be returned to their appropriate storage places on the same day as collection.
Bulk Item Disposal
Bulky household items in St. Louis County fall under SLCRO §607.120, which requires them to be stored at least 3 feet behind the main residential structure while they wait for collection. Two bulky waste collections per year are part of the minimum level of service owed to all residential 1 and 2 family dwellings. Scrap tires and appliances such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, and hot water heaters are excluded from that service.
Bulky Waste & Demolition Debris
Some RestrictionsSt. Louis County Code §607.120 / §607.040.6
Sec. 607.120. — Bulky waste must be stored at least three (3) feet behind the main residential structure. Two bulky waste collections per year are to be provided to all residential 1 & 2 family dwellings as part of minimum level of service … with the exception of scrap tires and appliances such as refrigerators, washers, dryers, hot water heaters, etc.
Recycling Requirements
Before St. Louis County will license a hauler under Section 607.170, Section 607.183 requires the company to file a written recovered-materials collection plan with the Director naming its accepted materials, any pre-sorting rules, its container policy and its household fee. The Director approves the plan only if the fee and conditions are reasonable and the material list matches what actually has a recycling market.
Curbside Recycling Plan Rule, St. Louis County
Some RestrictionsSt. Louis County Code § 607.183
607.183 - Plan for Recovered Materials Collection Services to be Made Available by Person Providing Hauling Services. 1. As of January 1, 2008, prior to the issuance of any license pursuant to Section 607.170, the applicant shall submit a plan to the Director for the provision of recovered materials collection services to the one and two family dwelling residential customer served or to be serv...
Illegal Dumping
St. Louis County writes its dumping ban around a licensing test rather than a list of banned materials. Under SLCRO §607.310 it is illegal to deposit waste, or to allow waste to be deposited, on any real estate that does not hold a valid license to operate a landfill, waste processing facility, trash transfer station, or composting facility. The section reaches two people at once: the person committing the illegal dumping and the person allowing it are both held responsible for violating county ordinance. Dumping into creeks and other waterways is prohibited separately under §607.810.
Illegal Dumping & Hazardous Waste
Heavy RestrictionsSt. Louis County Code §607.310 / §607.810
Sec. 607.310. — It is illegal to deposit waste, or allow waste to be deposited, on any real estate for which there is not valid license for the operation of a landfill, waste processing facility, trash transfer station, or composting facility. The person committing the illegal dumping and the person allowing the illegal dumping will both be held responsible for violating St. Louis County ordina...
Yard Waste Collection
St. Louis County Code Section 607.182 has required every hauler licensed to collect residential municipal waste in the county to also make curbside yard by-product collection available since January 1, 2008. That covers leaves, grass clippings, garden vegetation and tree limbs six inches or less across, plus Christmas trees, and a hauler that skips the service risks a citation from the Department of Public Health.
Yard Waste Collection Mandate, St. Louis County
Some RestrictionsSt. Louis County Code § 607.182
607.182 - Provision for Collection of Yard By-Products. As of January 1, 2008, each person providing collection services for municipal waste shall make available collection services for yard by-products.
Collection Schedule
St. Louis County requires waste haulers to collect residential municipal waste and recyclables from every serviced property at least once a week, year-round.
Weekly Trash Pickup Requirement
Some RestrictionsSLCRO § 607.145
Waste collection service shall provide for the collection of all solid municipal waste (other than demolition and construction waste and bulky residential waste) from the premises not less often than once per week. ... a. Municipal Waste: Not less often than once per week b. Residential Recovered Materials: Not less often than once per week
Recycling Rules
Trash haulers licensed to serve one- and two-family homes in unincorporated St. Louis County must file a recovered materials (recycling) plan with the Director of Public Health before getting a license, and must provide weekly recycling pickup alongside weekly trash collection.
Recycling Plan Requirements in St. Louis County
Some RestrictionsSt. Louis County Code of Ordinances § 607.183
607.183 - Plan for Recovered Materials Collection Services to be Made Available by Person Providing Hauling Services. 1. As of January 1, 2008, prior to the issuance of any license pursuant to Section 607.170, the applicant shall submit a plan to the Director for the provision of recovered materials collection services to the one and two family dwelling residential customer served or to be serv...
Trash & Recycling by City in St. Louis County
1 cities in St. Louis County have their own trash & recycling rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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