Bowling Green, KY Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

Sec. 20-1.01 of the Bowling Green Code of Ordinances sets the ground rules for what the City treats as recyclable in its solid waste chapter. "Recoverable" or "Recyclable Material" is defined as material with a current use, reuse or recycling potential that has been diverted or removed from the solid waste stream for sale, use, reuse or recycling, whether or not it needs further separation and processing; the definition specifically excludes material pulled out only for energy recovery or combustion, other than refuse-derived fuel, and excludes any container that held or may have held a hazardous substance.

Building on that, "Residential Recyclable Material" is recoverable or recyclable material that the resident has separated from the waste stream and placed either at the curb for collection or in an unstaffed drop-off container; material left mixed in with household trash, or set out in the wrong location, does not meet this definition and is not entitled to recycling collection. Because Sec. 20-1.02.b confines residential recycling collection to Warren County's designated recycling Franchisee, a resident's only path to have material picked up as recycling is to follow this separation-and-placement definition and wait for the Franchisee's scheduled collection or use an unstaffed drop-off container; the Chapter offers no separate curbside sign-up or enrollment procedure beyond the Franchisee's own service area and schedule.

A general violation of the Chapter, including a resident who improperly commingles waste, exposes the property to the Sec. 20-1.05 penalty of a fine up to the maximum authorized by law, escalating daily until corrected.