Mesa County, CO Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Mesa County Public Health adopted the Rubbish, Refuse, and Garbage Rule (No. 2018-01-02) under its nuisance-abatement authority in C.R.S. § 25-1-506 and § 25-1-518 to keep waste from feeding rodents and insects and spreading disease. Section IV, 'Responsibility of Owners and Occupants of Dwellings,' puts the duty on every occupant, not just the property owner: Rule 4.01 requires rubbish, garbage and other organic waste be stored and disposed of in a clean, sanitary and safe manner, and makes the occupant responsible for the cleanliness of the cans and containers themselves.

Rule 4.02 sets the physical standard for the containers: rodent-proof, insect-proof, water-tight, structurally sound enough to withstand normal handling, easy to fill, empty and clean, and fitted with tight-fitting covers or similar closures, maintained clean and sanitary at all times. The rule also addresses a common workaround: plastic bags may line a can or container, but a plastic bag cannot be used by itself, without a rigid container, to store garbage or rubbish on the property. Rule 4.03 further requires that the total capacity of all cans and containers on a property be enough to hold everyone's waste from one scheduled collection until the next.

Violations are investigated by Code Compliance Services or Mesa County Public Health under Section V following a complaint or staff observation, and the county Board of Public Health can pursue civil or criminal enforcement and nuisance-abatement costs under Section VI.