Carrollton, TX Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 50.19
- Weight cap
- 85 lbs per 95-gal cart
- Extra container minimum term
- 6 months
- Lids
- Closed except while loading
- Adopted
- Ordinance 4272, 8/19/2025
- Max fine
- $2,000 per offense (§10.99)
Summary
Carrollton collects recycling only from the plastic cart the city issues, and § 50.19 of the General Code caps every 95-gallon residential or recycling container at 85 pounds. Anything set outside or balanced on top of the cart gets left behind, and lids must stay closed except while the truck is loading, under the rule adopted with Ordinance 4272 on August 19, 2025.
(A) The city will collect refuse from residences only in city-approved containers. (B) All residential refuse must be securely tied and bagged inside a residential container. (C) Lids to all residential containers shall be kept closed at all times unless being loaded or unloaded. (D) Waste placed outside or on top of a residential or recycling container will not be collected. (E) Maximum weight per each 95-gallon residential or recycling container shall be 85 pounds. (F) Residential customers may order additional residential containers for a minimum retention period of six months. (G) Exception: Brush and bulk waste are not required to be placed in an approved container.
Full Breakdown
19, 'Collection only from approved containers; automated and recycling,' governs both the residential trash cart and the recycling cart the same way. 01 defines a 'container, recycling' as 'a plastic receptacle owned and furnished by the city for a resident to place recyclable materials for collection,' meaning residents cannot substitute their own bin. ' Subsection (C) requires the lid stay closed except while being loaded or unloaded. Residents who need more capacity can order an extra container under subsection (F), but the customer must arrange to end that extra service after the six-month minimum retention period and pay all costs tied to the larger service level. 21. The whole chapter took effect under Ordinance 4272, adopted August 19, 2025, which rewrote Carrollton's solid waste and recycling code.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 50 carries a general misdemeanor penalty under § 50.99, punishable under § 10.99 at up to $2,000.00 per offense, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense because chapter 50 is classified as a public health and sanitation chapter. Recycling and trash placed in an unapproved container, left uncapped, or overweight simply is not collected under § 50.19(D) and (E), leaving the resident to correct and reset it for the next cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my own bin instead of the city recycling cart in Carrollton?
How much can I put in my Carrollton recycling cart?
Can I get a second recycling or trash cart in Carrollton?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carrollton
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Carrollton to another location·View the Texas trash & recycling overview
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Recycling Requirements in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Dallas County handle recycling requirements.