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Colorado Springs, CO Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Container capacity
8 to 96 gallons, tight-fitting lid
Ground dumping
Unlawful to scatter waste on the ground
Hauler rule
Only licensed waste collectors may remove it
Section
City Code § 6.4.104(A), (C)
Max penalty
$2,500 fine / 189 days jail

Summary

Colorado Springs City Code Sec. 6.4.104 requires every household to place waste in an approved waste container before collection. Scattering trash on the ground, using anything but a waste container, or hiring anyone other than a licensed waste collector to haul it away is a Code violation on its own.

A. All waste shall be placed in a waste container. ... C. It shall be unlawful for any person or any producer of waste to place or deposit the waste in any container except a waste container or for any person or producer of the waste to place or scatter the waste on the ground, or to contract or arrange for the collection and removal of the waste except by waste collectors.

Source: Colorado Springs City Code §6.4.104View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 26-23, passed June 9, 2026).

Full Breakdown

Sec. ' Sec. ' Sec. 104(C) backs that up with a direct ban on workarounds, it is unlawful 'to place or deposit the waste in any container except a waste container,' unlawful 'to place or scatter the waste on the ground,' and unlawful 'to contract or arrange for the collection and removal of the waste except by waste collectors,' meaning only licensed haulers, not an unlicensed neighbor with a truck, may remove it. WASTE itself is defined broadly in Sec. 101 to cover 'rubbish; unused, rejected and/or discarded material(s); feces; garbage; trash; debris or other foreign substances,' but it explicitly excludes yard rubbish, which is governed by its own container rule under Sec.

104(B). Together these subsections mean a resident cannot bag household trash and set it loose beside the container, cannot use an old barrel with no lid, and cannot pay a friend instead of a licensed collector to make it disappear.

Violations & Fines

Placing waste outside a proper container, dumping it on the ground, or using an unlicensed hauler is unlawful under Sec. 6.4.104(C); left uncorrected it becomes an improper accumulation Sec. 6.4.105 lets the Administrator abate under Article 5: notice and order, a correction deadline, and a ten-day appeal to the Municipal Court Referee. Prosecution defaults to Sec. 1.1.201's general penalty: up to $2,500 in fines, 189 days in jail, or both.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I put my trash out in any container?
No. Sec. 6.4.104(A) requires waste to go in an approved waste container, galvanized metal or similar, with a tight-fitting lid and an 8-to-96-gallon capacity under Sec. 6.4.101, not a loose bag or an old drum.
Can I have a neighbor or day laborer haul away my trash?
No. Sec. 6.4.104(C) makes it unlawful to 'contract or arrange for the collection and removal of the waste except by waste collectors,' so only a licensed hauler may take it, not an informal arrangement with someone driving a truck.
What if trash spills on the ground before pickup?
Scattering waste on the ground is separately unlawful under Sec. 6.4.104(C), regardless of intent. Code Enforcement can order it cleaned up as an improper accumulation under Sec. 6.4.105, with prosecution capped at a $2,500 fine or 189 days in jail under Sec. 1.1.201 if it isn't.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Colorado Springs

Collection ScheduleSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Dog Leash LawsSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Height LimitsLight RestrictionsIllegal DumpingSome RestrictionsYard Waste CollectionSome RestrictionsDumpster RulesSome RestrictionsBin Placement RulesSome RestrictionsRecycling RequirementsSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Driveway RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Curb Color RulesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSignificant Restrictions

All Colorado Springs rules

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