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Provo, UT Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)

Some Restrictions

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

Key Facts

Enrollment: Automatic for household recycling, City Code 11.02.015(1)
Opt-out window: 90 days from initial service to withdraw
Yard waste: Optional, never auto-enrolled, per 11.02.015(1)(b)
Non-refuse customers: May request recycling by written application

Summary

Provo automatically enrolls every curbside refuse customer in household recycling under City Code 11.02.015(1); there is no opt-in step. Residents who don't want it have only a 90-day window to withdraw, and withdrawal can carry a fee under the Consolidated Fee Schedule. Yard waste recycling, unlike household recycling, stays optional.

Provo City shall provide household and yard residential curbside recycling service to all structures for which curbside refuse collection is provided. (1) All such residences shall be automatically enrolled in household residential curbside recycling; (a) Residences shall have the option to withdraw from Provo's household recycling program within ninety (90) days of initial service. Any fees associated to withdrawing from household recycling program shall be applied according to the Consolidated Fee Schedule as adopted by the Municipal Council. (b) Yard waste residential curbside recycling is optional. (2) Provo City may provide household and yard residential curbside recycling service to residential structures which do not utilize Provo City's residential refuse waste collection services upon written application by the owner or occupant.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-17, passed June 9, 2026).

Full Breakdown

' After the 90-day window, opting out is no longer guaranteed by ordinance. Yard waste is treated differently: Subsection (1)(b) states plainly that 'Yard waste residential curbside recycling is optional,' so it is never automatically added to an account the way household recycling is. Subsection (2) also lets Provo extend curbside recycling to residential structures that do not use the City's refuse collection service at all, but only 'upon written application by the owner or occupant,' meaning those households must affirmatively request it rather than being auto-enrolled. 030(2)(c)-(d), which sets pickup at least every other week.

Violations & Fines

There's no separate criminal penalty tied to enrollment itself, but recycling service is billed under the Consolidated Fee Schedule once a residence is enrolled, and unpaid fees are collectable the same way as other solid waste charges under Section 11.02.030(10), including repossessing containers, terminating service, or legal action to recover unpaid amounts plus collection costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to sign up for recycling in Provo?

No, it's automatic. Provo City Code 11.02.015(1) enrolls every household getting curbside refuse service into household recycling without a sign-up step. If you don't want it, you have ninety days from your initial service date to withdraw under 11.02.015(1)(a).

Can I cancel recycling after the 90-day window?

The ordinance only guarantees a withdrawal option within ninety days of initial service under Section 11.02.015(1)(a). Any fee tied to withdrawing is set by the Consolidated Fee Schedule, and requests are handled by the Provo City Public Works Department.

Is yard waste recycling automatic like household recycling?

No. Section 11.02.015(1)(b) specifically makes yard waste curbside recycling optional, unlike household recycling, which is automatic. You must request a yard waste container and, once added, pay the associated monthly fee under Section 11.02.030(2)(b).

Sources & Official References

[1]Provo City Code 11.02.015 - Residential Curbside Recycling Service by Provo City

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