DC regulates trash container storage and placement under the DC Municipal Regulations and DPW guidelines. Trash bins must be stored out of public view when not set out for collection and placed curbside only during designated collection hours.
The Department of Public Works (DPW) provides trash and recycling bins to residential properties. Bins must be placed at the curb by 6:30 PM the evening before collection or by 6:30 AM on collection day and must be removed from the curb by 8:00 PM on collection day. Between collections, bins must be stored on private property, ideally in rear yards or alleys, and not visible from the public right-of-way. Commercial properties must use private haulers and store dumpsters in screened enclosures per zoning requirements. Overflowing bins and loose trash are violations of DC's property maintenance code.
Failure to store bins properly can result in citations from DPW or the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. Fines typically range from $75 to $500 depending on the violation and repeat offenses.
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See how Washington's trash bin storage rules stack up against other locations.
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