Cleveland, OH Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Garbage collection
- At least weekly, § 551.051
- Bulk/solid waste collection
- At least monthly, § 551.051
- Monthly residential fee
- $8.75 per unit, § 551.022
- Homestead discount
- 50% off per-unit fee
- Vacancy discount
- 50% off after 60+ days vacant
- Missed set-out fine
- $100 civil infraction, § 551.991
Summary
Cleveland requires garbage collection at least once a week and solid-waste (bulk) collection at least once a month under Codified Ordinances § 551.051, with the Director of Public Service reporting to City Council if either interval is missed; residential service is billed at $8.75 per unit per month on the water bill under § 551.022.
The Director of Public Service, within the limitation of funds appropriated and available for such purposes, shall make provision for the collection of garbage and solid wastes at regular intervals so that garbage will be collected at least once each week and so that solid wastes will be collected at least once each month. If the collection of garbage cannot take place at least once each week or if the collection of solid wastes cannot take place at least once each month, the Director shall report the same to Council without delay.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-28: Current through legislation passed September 1, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Cleveland's Division of Waste Collection and Disposal operates under Codified Ordinances Chapter 551, which sets minimum service intervals rather than a fixed weekly calendar for every material. 051 requires the Director of Public Service to arrange for garbage collection at least once every week and for solid waste (bulk material) collection at least once every month, within the limits of the funds Council appropriates for the service. If the Division cannot keep to either interval, a weekly garbage run or a monthly bulk run, the Director must report the shortfall to City Council without delay, making the interval a standing legal floor rather than an internal target.
75 per-unit monthly solid waste collection fee for residential properties with one to four dwelling units, added to the same account as water charges and due on the same schedule. Owners who qualify for the Chapter 535 homestead water-rate reduction receive a 50 percent discount on the per-unit fee, and an owner who occupies their own property that has sat vacant for 60 or more consecutive days may request a 50 percent discount for that period. Multi-unit owners can also request an exemption for units left vacant and not rented. 991.
Violations & Fines
Section 551.051 itself creates a Council-reporting duty for the Director rather than a fine for residents, but the pickup windows it schedules are enforced through Section 551.04 and the Section 551.991 civil infraction system: setting waste out before noon the day before collection, or failing to pull the empty container by noon the following day, draws a $100 civil penalty per ticket, mailed to the parcel owner and payable within 20 days before late penalties of $20 to $60 apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Cleveland
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Collection Schedule in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cuyahoga County handle collection schedule.