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Charleston, WV Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)

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

Key Facts

Fine
$25 per violation
Who may collect
city or permitted haulers only
Governing section
City Code Sec. 98-124
Recyclables ownership
become city property at pickup

Summary

In Charleston, only the city or a Public Service Commission-certified hauler permitted under the city's refuse code may remove recyclables or recycling bins once they've been set out for city collection.

It shall be a violation of this division for any person other than the city to remove, tamper with, or otherwise disturb recyclables or their receptacles which have been placed for collection by the city. It shall also be a violation of this division for any person other than a public service commission certified commercial waste hauler permitted by the city under section 98-45 of the Code to remove, tamper with or otherwise disturb recyclables or their receptacles which have been placed for collection.

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 56).

Full Breakdown

City Code Sec. 98-124 makes it a violation for anyone other than the city, or a commercial waste hauler holding a Public Service Commission permit under Sec. 98-45, to remove, tamper with, or otherwise disturb recyclables or recycling receptacles already placed at the curb for city collection. The rule targets scavengers who pick through bins before pickup, since curbside recyclables legally become city property once collected under Sec. 98-123. Violators face the general refuse-code fine of $25 per violation under Sec. 98-42, enforced by the city's sanitation inspector.

Violations & Fines

Removing, tampering with, or disturbing curbside recyclables or bins already set out for city pickup draws a $25 fine per violation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take recyclables from someone else's bin in Charleston?
No. City Code Sec. 98-124 bars anyone but the city or a permitted commercial waste hauler from removing or tampering with recyclables or bins already set out for collection.
What's the penalty for scavenging recycling bins in Charleston?
A $25 fine per violation under the general refuse-code penalty in Sec. 98-42, since Sec. 98-124 doesn't set its own fine amount.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Charleston

Collection ScheduleSome RestrictionsBulk Item DisposalSome RestrictionsBin Placement RulesSome RestrictionsYard Waste CollectionSome RestrictionsIllegal DumpingHeavy RestrictionsRecycling RequirementsSome RestrictionsPickup Rules & SchedulesSome RestrictionsDumpster RulesSignificant RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Barking DogsSome RestrictionsNoise Ordinances: Aircraft NoiseSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Loading ZonesSome RestrictionsParking Rules: Commercial & Oversized VehiclesSome RestrictionsFence Regulations: Fence Permit RequirementsSome RestrictionsAnimal Ordinances: Coyote ManagementSignificant Restrictions

All Charleston rules

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