Carrollton, TX Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 50.29
- Containers stay
- City property
- Prohibited
- Marking, painting, breaking carts
- Removal
- Only if City Manager designates
- Cost of damage
- Billed under ch. 31 fee schedule
- Defense
- Normal wear and tear
Summary
Carrollton's trash and recycling carts stay city property under § 50.29, and marking, painting or breaking one is a criminal offense, not just a fee matter. Residents and tenants must keep their containers clean and sanitary, and if damage traces to negligence or misuse the City Manager can bill the repair or replacement cost to the utility customer, landlord or property owner.
(A) All approved residential containers shall remain the property of the city. (B) A person commits an offense if such person marks, paints, bums, breaks, or otherwise damages a residential container or recycling container. (C) Residential containers shall not be removed from a residence by any person except where designated by the City Manager. (D) It is the responsibility of the owner and/or tenant to maintain their containers in a clean and sanitary condition. (E) Cost for repair or replacement of damaged residential containers as set forth in chapter 31 of this Code of Ordinances resulting from negligence or misuse as determined by the City Manager shall be the incurred by the utility customer, landlord, property owner, or property manager. (F) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the damage resulted from normal wear and tear.
Full Breakdown
29, part of chapter 50's residential collection subchapter adopted under Ordinance 4272 on August 19, 2025, treats the recycling and trash carts as city-owned equipment on loan to the household. ' Subsection (B) makes it an offense to mark, paint, burn, break or otherwise damage a residential or recycling container, and subsection (C) bars removing a container from the residence except where the City Manager designates, which keeps carts from being relocated, sold or hauled off with a move. Subsection (D) puts day-to-day upkeep on the resident: the owner or tenant must keep the container clean and sanitary.
Subsection (E) is the cost provision: when the City Manager determines damage resulted from negligence or misuse, the repair or replacement cost set in chapter 31's fee schedule is billed to whoever is responsible, whether that is the utility customer, a landlord, a property owner or a property manager. Subsection (F) balances that exposure with a defense: damage from ordinary wear and tear is not chargeable and is not an offense under the section. 29 is the section governing the household cart every residential and recycling customer uses.
Violations & Fines
Damaging, marking or improperly removing a container under § 50.29(B)-(C) is a misdemeanor under the chapter's general penalty, § 50.99, punishable to the § 10.99(A)(2) ceiling of $2,000.00 per offense because chapter 50 sits in the public-health tier of the penalty schedule. Separately from any criminal charge, subsection (E) lets the City Manager bill the chapter 31 repair or replacement fee directly to the responsible customer, landlord or property owner whenever the damage is traced to negligence or misuse rather than normal wear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns the recycling cart at my Carrollton house?
What happens if I damage my Carrollton trash or recycling cart?
Can I be charged for a Carrollton cart that's just old and worn out?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carrollton
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