St. Louis, MO Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Scavenging recyclables
- Banned citywide, § 11.02.185
- Recyclables include
- paper, cans, glass, No. 1-2 plastics
- Penalty
- $500-$1,000 fine or 90 days jail
- Enforced by
- Refuse Division, Police, Health Commissioner
Summary
St. Louis defines recyclables by ordinance and bans scavenging from any refuse or recycling container citywide, protecting curbside material for the Refuse Division's own collection program.
"Recyclables" means those materials recovered from the solid waste stream and shall include newspapers, telephone books, corrugated cardboard, paperboard, mixed office paper, magazines and catalogues, aluminum cans, steel food cans, steel aerosol cans, glass bottles (clear, green, and brown) and No. 1 and No. 2 plastic bottles and jugs. ... Scavenging in or from any refuse container or in or from any container designated for recyclables is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 11).
Full Breakdown
City Code Chapter 11.02 defines recyclables as newspapers, cardboard, mixed paper, magazines, aluminum and steel cans, glass bottles, and No. 1-2 plastic bottles and jugs (Section 11.02.077). Once residents set these out in a marked container or roll-out cart for collection, Section 11.02.185 makes it illegal for anyone other than the Refuse Division to scavenge them. The Refuse Commissioner may also authorize specific recyclable items in containers or carts marked "yard waste only" by rule.
Violations & Fines
Scavenging from a refuse or recycling container is punishable under Section 11.02.370 by a minimum $500 fine (up to $1,000) or up to 90 days in jail; each day a violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone take items out of my recycling bin in St. Louis?
What materials count as recyclables under St. Louis's code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Louis
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