Elko County, NV Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)

Elko County Code § 10-12-9, titled Recycling and Household Waste Reduction, is the only section in the solid waste chapter written about recycling in unincorporated Elko County, Nevada. It opens with a statement of intention: the County wants to encourage its citizens to recycle some waste materials and bring them to a recycling center. The text is hortatory. It sets no separation duty, set-out schedule, bin requirement or fee of its own.

The section does name a drop-off point. Currently the Elko Regional Landfill accepts all household hazardous waste, and the code lists waste tires, car batteries, used oil and paints as examples. Residents are told to take all household hazardous waste to that facility. Used oil and batteries are also accepted for recycling at participating automotive retail stores and service centers.

The definitions in § 10-12-1 supply the vocabulary. "Recyclable materials" means material segregated from other solid waste for the purpose of reuse or recycling, including discarded paper, glass, cardboard, plastic, ferrous materials, yard waste or aluminum, pursuant to Nevada Revised Statutes 444A.013 and Nevada Administrative Code 444A.100. The definition of "franchise" covers the right to collect and haul solid waste and/or recyclables.

Collection of recyclables is a permitted activity. Section 10-12-2(A) lets the county issue permits to collect and haul solid waste and/or recyclables as permitted by law in the unincorporated areas, and § 10-12-2(B) lets the Board of Commissioners grant franchises for the same purpose. Section 10-12-6 reserves the county's right to regulate further the frequency of collections, means of collection, level of service and fees, so mandatory programs could be adopted by later ordinance.