Lexington, KY Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Recycling pickup frequency
- Weekly, same day as garbage
- Curb placement standard
- Same as trash roll cart
- Set-out window
- 4:00 p.m. prior evening to 5:00 a.m.
- Removal deadline
- 7:00 p.m. collection day
Summary
Curbside recycling in Lexington-Fayette runs on the same weekly clock as trash: once a resident has a recycling roll cart, section 16-10(a) collects it once each week on the same day as garbage service, and section 16-10(b) requires the recycling cart to be set at the curb line in front of the residence like any other container subject to LFUCG collection.
Collection of recyclable materials and yard waste in approved yard waste containers will be provided once each week on the same day as garbage service. [...] Roll cart containers, receptacles for properly prepared trash, roll cart containers for recyclable materials, approved yard waste containers and any other waste subject to collection by LFUCG be placed at the curb line in front of the residence for collection but shall not remain at the curb line longer than a reasonable time necessary for collection.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Republication | Zoning Ordinance: Republication).
Full Breakdown
Once a property has requested and received a recycling roll cart under section 16-3, section 16-10(a) folds it into the standard weekly cycle: recyclable materials, along with yard waste in approved containers, are collected once each week on the same day as regular garbage service, there is no separate recycling-only route or biweekly schedule to track. removal deadline that govern trash carts apply equally to the recycling cart. When not out for collection, the recycling roll cart must be kept in the rear or side yard along with other approved receptacles.
If a recycling cart is left at the curb outside the permitted window, or is not returned to the yard promptly, the Division of Waste Management can post the same notice-of-violation process used for trash carts, described in section 16-10(c), and a civil fine under Article XII can follow for a repeat violation at the same property within twelve months.
Violations & Fines
A recycling cart left at the curb past 7:00 p.m. on collection day, or set out before 4:00 p.m. the evening prior, is treated the same as a misplaced trash cart: a notice is affixed to the door or cart, and a civil fine under Article XII applies if the violation continues or two or more notices have already issued to that owner within twelve months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is recycling picked up weekly or every other week in Lexington?
Do the same curb rules apply to my recycling cart as my trash cart?
What if I leave my recycling cart out too long?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lexington
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