Las Cruces, NM Trash & Recycling: Bulk Item Disposal (2026)
Key Facts
- Service
- regular Grappler for bulky items
- Earliest set-out
- evening before scheduled pickup
- Latest set-out
- no later than 6:00 a.m.
- Buffer required
- 5 feet from meters, wires, vehicles
- Over allotment
- owner must remove and dispose
Summary
Las Cruces residents can set oversized items too big for their trash cart at the curb for the regular Grappler service on their designated pickup day under Code of Ordinances Sec. 25-40. Items must clear a five-foot buffer from meters, wires, and obstacles and cannot go out earlier than the night before, no later than 6:00 a.m.
(7)Residential customers may utilize the regular Grappler service to pick up bulky items too large to fit in the city-issued trash container. Items shall be placed on the street, at the curb, in front of their property, for collection by the regular Grappler on their designated pick up day. Commercial customers may utilize this service for an additional fee as designated in the solid waste tariff.(8)Bulky trash items shall not be placed within five feet of city-owned containers, water meters, vehicles, telephone boxes, or other obstructions, under trees or wires, on top of landscaped areas, or in any other manner that interferes with or poses a safety hazard to pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, or city personnel or property.... (11)No owner or occupant of a residential property shall place bulky trash or green waste out for collection earlier than the night before the scheduled pick up day, but no later than 6:00 a.m. on the scheduled pick up day.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33 | Land Development Code: Supplement 28).
Full Breakdown
Section 25-40, covering special handling of items placed for collection, gives residential customers access to the regular Grappler service for bulky trash, items too large to fit in the city-issued container. Under subsection (7), items go on the street at the curb in front of the property for pickup on the resident's designated Grappler day, while commercial customers can use the same service for an additional tariff fee. Subsection (8) requires bulky items to clear a five-foot buffer from city-owned containers, water meters, vehicles, telephone boxes, and other obstructions, and bars placing them under trees or wires, on landscaped areas, or anywhere that creates a hazard for pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, or city crews; the city disclaims liability if items placed in violation of that buffer get damaged during servicing.
The allotted volume for the regular Grappler service is set in the solid waste tariff under subsection (9), and anything left behind above that allotment is the property owner's responsibility to remove and dispose of, typically at the regional landfill or transfer station. cutoff that applies to regular solid waste containers under Sec. 25-59.
Violations & Fines
A violation of the Grappler placement rules in Sec. 25-40, such as setting bulky items out too early, too close to an obstruction, or beyond the tariff-allotted amount, falls under the general penalty in Sec. 1-10: a petty misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to 90 days in jail, or both. Practically, items placed improperly or left over the allotted amount will not be collected by the Grappler crew and become the property owner's disposal responsibility, and the city is not liable for damage to misplaced items during a servicing attempt.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an old couch or appliance picked up in Las Cruces?
How far from my water meter does bulky trash need to be?
How early can I set out bulky trash before Grappler day?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Las Cruces
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