Elyria, OH Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)

Elyria Codified Ordinances § 959.06, titled Ownership of Waste; Removal of Waste from Curbside/Collection Site, was enacted by City Council in Ord. 2017-11 (passed 2-6-17). Division (a) declares that all junk and other material on the curbside or collection site are the property of the City, and that no person shall separate, collect, remove or dispose of the same except under the direction of the Director of Safety-Service and as the chapter provides. Division (b) adds that repairable or usable household items and scrap metal shall not be removed from the curbside. Division (c) is the recycling rule: no person shall remove any recycling materials from the curbside or collection site.

The ban works together with Section 959.02, which says no person shall remove any garbage or rubbish from premises occupied by an account holder, except the collector. Section 959.01(d) defines the collector as the City and its authorized agents and employees. Recycling means commingled recyclable materials as defined in Section 959.01(f), which includes glass beverage bottles, food jars, plastic containers coded one through seven and aluminum, bimetal and steel cans.

Timing matters as well. Under Section 959.13(a), garbage, rubbish, commingled recyclable materials and yard waste shall not be placed on curb lawns or other collection sites before 5:00 p.m. on the day before the designated pick-up day or after 7:00 a.m. on the pick-up day. The Director of Safety-Service sets collection rules and districts under Section 959.09, and the Office of Safety Service schedules routine collection under Section 959.05.