Bowling Green, KY Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Cart placement in Bowling Green is governed by Code Section 20-1.03 (Removal of Outside Yard Solid Waste; Location of Normal Deposits) and by the operational rules of franchise hauler Scott Waste Services. Place carts at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. Because the trucks use automated mechanical side-arms, carts need clearance: keep at least 3 feet of space between the cart and any vehicle, mailbox, fire hydrant, utility pole, fence, or another cart; place the cart in the street or driveway apron (not on the sidewalk and not blocking the sidewalk); orient the cart with the wheels toward the house and the lid hinge toward the house, so the lid opens toward the street; and keep the lid able to close fully. Brush and limbs go BESIDE the cart, not in it: pieces must be 4 feet or shorter, weighing 50 pounds or less, cut and bundled or in a receptacle, with a 3-cubic-yard-per-week service cap; larger volumes require a separate arrangement with Scott Waste at (270) 783-4016. Loose leaves are collected by City Public Works on a 10-zone schedule (Zones 1-10 approximately mid-November through mid-December); rake leaves to the street edge for the scheduled date, but NOT on sidewalks, in gutters, near hydrants, mailboxes, or parked cars, and not mixed with branches, rocks, tires, or trash. Carts must be returned out of the right-of-way the same day after collection — leaving carts at the curb is enforceable under Code Enforcement (Chapter 2-21) as a nuisance condition.