Omaha, NE Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Recycling cart per residence
- 1 (2 for multi-unit buildings)
- Combined cart volume cap
- 192 gallons (384 multi-unit)
- Cart source
- City or city's contractor only
- Curbside recyclables ownership
- Become city/collector property once set out
- Scavenging recyclables
- Separate violation under § 33-29
Summary
Omaha gives each single residence one city-owned recycling cart alongside the trash cart, capped at 192 gallons combined, and makes curbside recyclables city property once set out.
For collection provided by the city or the city's contractor, each single residential unit shall be offered one cart for waste and one cart for recyclables. The combined maximum volume of this collection of the two carts shall be 192 gallons provided at the city's expense.
Full Breakdown
Under Omaha Municipal Code § 33-46, each single residential unit served by the city or its contractor is offered one cart for waste and one cart for recyclables, with the two carts capped at a combined 192 gallons; multi-unit buildings get two of each cart, capped at 384 gallons. Section 33-42 limits collection to the 48- or 96-gallon carts the city or its contractor assigns to the address, and those carts stay with the property when it's sold. Once recyclables are placed at the curb in a designated recycling container, § 33-29 makes them the property of the city or its authorized collector, and it's a separate violation for anyone else to pick them up.
Violations & Fines
Setting out recyclables/waste that doesn't conform to this chapter's container or amount rules is unlawful under § 33-28; the city can refuse collection and bill excess amounts as a special assessment. Unauthorized scavenging of curbside recyclables is a separate violation of § 33-29.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my own bin for recycling in Omaha?
Can someone else take my recyclables off the curb?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Omaha
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