Salem encourages home composting and offers curbside yard-debris collection. SRC Chapter 47 governs solid waste and yard debris. No permit is required for backyard compost bins; residents must not allow composting to create odor or pest nuisances.
SRC Chapter 47 (Solid Waste Management) addresses yard debris and organic waste collection. Curbside yard-debris pickup is provided as part of Salem's contracted refuse service. Home composting is permitted without a permit, but bins must not attract pests or create noxious odors that violate SRC Chapter 50 (Property Maintenance) nuisance provisions. SRC 76.015 separately prohibits raking or blowing leaves into streets or storm drains. Salem and Marion County partner with Valley Recycling and Disposal for curbside food-scraps and yard-debris service. State composting facility rules are administered by Oregon DEQ under OAR 340-096.
Composting that creates a nuisance (odors, pests) may be cited under SRC Chapter 50 property-maintenance provisions; civil penalties apply per notice of violation.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Salem, OR
Salem designates public parking spaces for electric vehicle charging. Those spaces are reserved exclusively for vehicles that are actively charging. Paying t...
Salem, OR
Salem Revised Code Chapter 102 prohibits vehicles from remaining parked on the same public street block for more than 24 consecutive hours. Overnight parking...
Salem, OR
Salem has no city ordinance setting a specific defensible-space distance (e.g., 30 or 100 feet). Tall grass, brush, and dead vegetation can be abated as a pu...
Salem, OR
Salem adopts the Oregon Fire Code (OFC) in SRC Chapter 58, which incorporates OFC Chapter 61 and NFPA 58 standards governing LP-gas and propane storage, hand...
Salem, OR
Salem does not have a general ordinance restricting lawn ornaments, garden statues, religious displays, or seasonal yard decorations on private residential p...
Salem, OR
Salem has no city ordinance regulating inflatable holiday displays on private residential property. Inflatables must stay within the property line and may no...
See how Salem's composting rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.