Idaho Falls, ID Trash & Recycling: Bin Placement Rules (2026)

Because Idaho Falls uses automated (autoload) collection trucks with mechanical arms, City Code Section 8-6-14 sets precise placement requirements so the truck can lift each cart safely. Under Section 8-6-14(D), City-provided solid waste containers must be placed by the occupant at curbside, as close to the curb as possible, and at least three feet (3') from any obstruction, including mailboxes, trees, shrubs, building overhangs, and utility poles. The container must also be in a location with unobstructed overhead clearance of at least fourteen feet (14'). Section 8-6-14(A) requires the cart to be at the street curb or the inside edge of an adjacent sidewalk before 7 a.m. on the collection day, and empty carts must be pulled back as soon as practical afterward. Section 8-6-14(E) provides that at no time may a City-provided container block or interfere with safe pedestrian, bicycle, or vehicle access to a street, alley, bike or pedestrian path, or sidewalk, regardless of the collection schedule. Each residential cart must remain at the address to which it was assigned (8-6-14C). Following the 3-foot spacing and 14-foot overhead clearance rules helps ensure the automated arm can grab and empty the cart without snagging on nearby objects.