Longmont Waste Services is a city-operated utility regulated by LMC Chapter 14.12 (Solid Waste). Service is structured as Pay-As-You-Throw: a small 48-gallon yellow-lid cart on every-other-week pickup runs $7.10/month, a medium 48-gallon weekly cart is $14.10/month, and a large 96-gallon weekly cart is $26.30/month. Recycling (blue lid) is included at no extra cost and picked up every other week; composting (green lid) is optional at $9.90/month. A $2.96/month Waste Management Fee appears on every utility bill.
Longmont's solid-waste utility is governed by LMC Chapter 14.12, which sets service definitions, rates, regulations, violations, and enforcement. The city adopted Pay-As-You-Throw pricing in 2017 to incentivize waste reduction. Subscription options are: Small — 48-gallon yellow lid, collected every other week, $7.10/month; Medium — 48-gallon, collected weekly, $14.10/month; Large — 96-gallon, collected weekly, $26.30/month. All trash subscriptions require a minimum 6-month commitment. Recycling service comes bundled with every trash subscription at no additional cost in a blue-lid cart picked up every other week. Optional composting is available in a green-lid cart at $9.90/month with a 12-month minimum commitment and a $40 early-cancellation fee. Every Longmont utility account pays a flat $2.96/month Waste Management Fee that funds special collections and events. Collection day varies by service area; the city publishes separate East and West zone calendars annually and offers a free Longmont Waste Services mobile app with reminders. Holiday weeks shift collection one day later starting on the observed holiday; Thanksgiving week shifts collections one day earlier. The city observes 10 holidays. Effective in 2026 the city is enforcing a 'cart lids must close completely' rule for curbside service — overstuffed carts will not be emptied. Report missed pickups to Waste Services at (303) 651-8416 by Wednesday at 4 p.m. of the collection week.
Service violations are enforced under LMC Chapter 14.12. Setting out a cart with the lid open will (effective 2026) result in skipped collection. Repeated illegal dumping or non-payment can result in service termination, lien-based collection against the property's utility account, and Municipal Court prosecution at up to $999 and/or 180 days under LMC Title 1 general penalty. Mandatory recycling means a customer cannot decline recycling service while keeping trash service. Use of unauthorized private haulers in residential areas where city service is provided is prohibited.
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