Hartford, CT Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)

Hartford Municipal Code § 15-13 sets when and where solid waste can be put out for collection. Under subsection (a), all solid waste must be kept in some accessible part of the premises for pickup, and the Department of Public Works has authority to designate exactly where on a property that placement has to be. Subsection (b) lets small businesses jointly sponsor a shared drop-off area for their recyclables instead of each maintaining separate storage. on the day before a regular collection, whether the pickup is by the city or by a private solid waste hauler the property has hired.

Section 15-22 cross-references two related duties for anyone setting waste at the curb: Chapter 31, Article V covers snow and ice removal, and Chapter 31, Article I covers removal of unlawful obstructions, both of which can affect where and how containers may sit at the curb. Enforcement of the set-out timing rule runs through § 15-21: an inspecting director may issue a violation notice giving the property owner a reasonable period to correct the problem before issuing a citation, and a property owner who is cited is subject to a $99 fine, with each day the violation continues counting as a separate offense.

The city can also bill the property owner for the added cost of a city pickup and disposal made necessary by improper set-out, and may refer the violation to the Division of Blight Remediation under Chapter 9, Article V. Citations may be appealed in writing to a citation hearing officer within 10 days under § 1-5.