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Midwest City, OK Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Recycling cart required
Since July 1, 2013
Pickup frequency
Emptied bi-weekly
Participation
Mandatory, contracted third-party service
1st contamination offense
Courtesy call/education only
3rd contamination offense
$20 fee, cart permanently removed

Summary

Midwest City requires a separate recycling cart for every residence, with mandatory curbside participation and fines up to $20 for contaminating the cart with non-recyclable trash.

Except as otherwise provided in this article, all residential customers shall place their garbage and refuse in the carts provided by the city and, beginning July 1, 2013, their recyclables in a separate cart provided for that purpose by the city. ... Penalties for non-recyclable items being found in the recycling cart are as follows:(1)For the first offense... a courtesy call or visit in order to provide educational resources.(2)For the second offense a charge of twenty dollars ($20.00)... added to the utility bill.(3)For the third offense... the recycling cart shall be permanently removed.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 21).

Full Breakdown

Since July 1, 2013, the city has required every residential customer to keep recyclables in a separate cart provided by the city, emptied bi-weekly, alongside the weekly garbage cart (§ 18-25(a)-(b)). Residential curbside recycling is a mandatory, contracted service billed to all customers regardless of use (§ 18-27(a)(1)). Putting non-recyclable items in the recycling cart draws escalating penalties: a courtesy call for a first offense, a $20 charge to dump the cart as trash for a second, and a $20 charge plus permanent cart removal for a third (§ 18-25(g)).

Violations & Fines

Contaminating the recycling cart triggers a courtesy call on the first offense, a $20 charge on the second, and a $20 charge plus permanent cart removal on the third (§ 18-25(g)).

Frequently Asked Questions

Is curbside recycling optional in Midwest City?
No. Residential curbside recycling is a mandatory contracted service billed to every full-service residential utility account, and the city provides a dedicated recycling cart under § 18-25.
What happens if I put trash in my recycling cart?
The first offense gets a courtesy call or educational visit. A second offense adds a $20 charge to dump the cart as trash, and a third gets the same $20 charge plus permanent cart removal.
Does this recycling rule apply in Oklahoma City or Del City too?
No. Midwest City Code § 18-25 only governs inside Midwest City limits. Oklahoma City, Del City, Choctaw, Nicoma Park and Spencer each set their own recycling rules.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Midwest City

All Midwest City rules

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Recycling Requirements in Nearby Cities

How other cities in this county handle recycling requirements.

Edmond, OK
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Oklahoma City, OK
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