New Castle County, DE Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- PMC § 308.2, as amended
- Container standard
- Leakproof, covered, outdoor-rated containers
- Who supplies containers
- Dwelling owner must provide them
- Hauler container pickup
- Retrieved within 14 business days after service ends
- Scope
- Unincorporated county plus opt-in municipalities
Summary
New Castle County requires dwelling occupants to store rubbish, garbage and recycling in leakproof, covered containers, with owners supplying the containers and landlords ensuring tenants get regular removal service under the county's Property Maintenance Code.
Every occupant of a dwelling shall dispose of rubbish, garbage and recycling in a clean and sanitary manner by placing the rubbish, garbage and recycling in approved containers that are leakproof, covered, and designed for outside garbage storage and disposal. The owner of the dwelling shall be responsible for providing the requisite rubbish, garbage and recycling containers.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5).
Full Breakdown
Section 308.2 of the county's Property Maintenance Code (adopted as an amendment to the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code) requires every dwelling occupant to dispose of rubbish, garbage and recycling in a clean, sanitary manner using approved leakproof, covered containers designed for outside storage; the dwelling owner must provide those containers. Landlords of residential rental property must ensure tenants have regular removal service, verified in writing under Chapter 19's rental licensing program. Haulers must retrieve containers they issued within 14 business days after a service agreement ends, or face escalating fines. The code applies in unincorporated New Castle County and in any incorporated municipality that opts to have the county provide property maintenance enforcement; Wilmington and Newark run their own separate municipal codes and are not covered by this chapter.
Violations & Fines
Failing to use approved containers or provide regular removal service is a Property Maintenance Code violation, enforceable under the county's general penalty provisions; a hauler that fails to retrieve its containers on time faces a $50 fine, rising to $50 per day after 30 days of continued noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rule apply inside Wilmington or Newark?
Who has to provide the trash and recycling containers?
What happens if a hauler doesn't pick up its containers after service ends?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in New Castle County
Compare New Castle County to another location·View the Delaware trash & recycling overview
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