New Castle County requires trash and recycling containers to be screened from street view between collection days per UDC 40.04.110. Bins may be at curb 12 hours before pickup and must be returned within 12 hours after. Wilmington has similar rules.
New Castle County UDC 40.04.110 property maintenance provisions require residential trash and recycling containers to be stored out of public view between collection days — behind the front building line, inside a garage, or screened by a fence or planting. Containers may be placed at the curb no earlier than 12 hours before scheduled collection and must be removed from the curb within 12 hours after pickup. Lids must remain closed to prevent odor, litter, and wildlife attraction. Overflowing containers constitute a violation. Wilmington City Code Chapter 42 imposes similar rules with enforcement by Public Works and L&I. Single-family residents receive wheeled carts from Republic Services or Waste Industries depending on contract area. Commercial dumpsters must be screened per UDC landscape buffer requirements with opaque enclosures.
First occurrence: verbal warning from code enforcement or trash crew. Second: Notice of Violation, $25 to $100 civil penalty. Repeated violations: escalating fines up to $500, potential loss of curbside service. Overflowing/improperly closed bins attracting pests: citable as nuisance.
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See how Wilmington's trash bin storage rules stack up against other locations.
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