Harford County, MD Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Section 109-3B of the Environmental Control chapter tells homeowners exactly what a garbage can may be: a commercially available container with a tight-fitting cover, 32 gallons or less, and never heavier than 60 pounds when full. There is no cap on how many regulation containers a single residence can put out, but plastic bags are only allowed if the resident takes precautions so the bags don't become a health hazard for the neighborhood, since torn bags spilling garbage on the curb are the classic complaint that draws a Health Department inspector.

Cardboard boxes, wicker baskets and oil or chemical drums never qualify, no matter how they're covered. Commercial properties are handled differently: Section 109-3C lets the Health Department set container size, type and number case by case for stores, restaurants, apartment complexes and other multifamily buildings, and any dumpster, compactor or similar dump-type unit needs Health Department approval before it goes into service. If a mixed-trash dumpster needs cleaning or repair, the hauler's contractor is on the hook to swap in a clean unit once a Health Department inspector flags it.

Section 109-3A backstops all of this with a general duty: every property owner must keep the premises free of any accumulation of improperly stored refuse that could threaten the health or safety of any person or the community. Bulky items that won't fit in a regulation can, such as furniture or appliances, go through the Department of Public Works under a separate collection arrangement rather than the curb container rules in Section 109-3.