Johnson County, KS Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Art. 4, § 5(a), Solid Waste Management Code
- Effective
- January 1, 2012
- Frequency
- Unlimited curbside recycling, bi-weekly minimum
- Cost
- Bundled into basic hauling service
- Accepted materials
- Plastics, cardboard, paper, cans, etc.
- Scavenging ban
- Art. 8, § 1(a)(4)
- Penalty
- Class I Infraction, $100-$500 fine
Summary
Every hauler licensed to collect residential trash in unincorporated Johnson County has had to offer unlimited curbside recycling at least every two weeks since January 1, 2012, and Art. 4, Sec. 5(a) of the county's Solid Waste Management Code folds that service into the regular trash bill instead of charging for it separately.
(a)Unlimited recycling.(1)On or before January 1, 2012, every hauler licensed under this Code shall provide unlimited curbside recycling at least bi-weekly to its residential customers as a part of its basic residential hauling service, and the charge for such recycling services shall be included in the hauler's basic service charges and not as an optional service. A licensed hauler shall be deemed in compliance with this requirement if another hauler licensed under this Code is already contracted to provide unlimited curbside recycling services to all residential customers within the service area....(3)As a part of their basic residential service, haulers licensed under this Code shall accept common recyclables for which a readily identifiable market exists, such as food-grade plastics, cardboard, office paper, newspaper, chip board, phone books, junk mail, magazines, and aluminum and steel cans when they are properly prepared for recycling by the customer.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Resolutions: Supplement 14).
Full Breakdown
Article 4, Sec. " A hauler counts as compliant if another licensed hauler already provides unlimited curbside recycling to every residential customer in that service area. Sec. 5(a)(2) requires haulers to deliver recyclables only to a facility the environmental department has approved, and Sec. 5(a)(3) requires haulers to accept, as part of the basic service, "common recyclables for which a readily identifiable market exists, such as food-grade plastics, cardboard, office paper, newspaper, chip board, phone books, junk mail, magazines, and aluminum and steel cans," so long as customers prepare them properly; the department can add to or subtract from that list.
Article 8, Sec. 1(a)(4) separately makes it a Code violation to "remove recyclables placed at the curbside of residential property within Johnson County for pickup without the property owner's consent," so curbside scavenging is unlawful even though the bin sits outside. Haulers themselves must hold a county hauler license under Article 5, and the Code is administered by the Johnson County Environmental Department under Appendix G, adopted by Res. No. 068-10.
Violations & Fines
A licensed hauler that fails to provide the required unlimited bi-weekly curbside recycling, or that charges for it as an optional add-on, violates Article 4, Sec. 5(a) and risks license suspension, modification, or revocation by the environmental department director under Article 9, Sec. 3(f). Removing a resident's recyclables from the curb without consent separately violates Article 8, Sec. 1(a)(4) and is prosecuted as a Class I Infraction carrying a $100.00 to $500.00 fine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is recycling pickup mandatory for Johnson County residents?
Do I pay extra for recycling pickup?
What can I put in my recycling bin?
Can someone else take the recyclables I set out at the curb?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Johnson County
Compare Johnson County to another location·View the Kansas trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.