Tulsa, OK Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Cart placement
- Loose, not bagged
- Lid requirement
- Must close completely
- Contamination result
- Cart not serviced
- Repeat contamination
- Cart can be removed
- Enforcing agency
- Tulsa Authority for Recovery and Enrichment
Summary
Tulsa requires recyclables loose in the city-issued cart with the lid fully closed; anything outside the cart or any non-recyclable item gets skipped.
Program recyclable materials shall be placed loosely in recycling carts provided by the authority and in a manner that does not impede the free flow of materials from the cart when it is being emptied. Program recyclable materials placed outside of a recycling cart will not be serviced. The lid to the cart must close completely. Placing any item or substance that is not a program recyclable material in a recycling cart is prohibited.
Full Breakdown
The Tulsa Authority for Recovery and Enrichment (TARE) collects recycling only from the blue cart it assigns to each residential service unit. Program recyclable materials must go in loosely, not bagged, and the lid has to close all the way or the cart won't be serviced. Put in anything that isn't a program recyclable and the whole cart can be skipped, and carts that keep coming back contaminated get pulled from the address under the Director's rules.
Violations & Fines
Recyclables set out loose beside the cart, or with the lid propped open, simply won't be collected that week. Repeated contamination with non-recyclable items can get the recycling cart removed from the address entirely under Title 11-B § 204(D).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I bag my recyclables in Tulsa?
What happens if my recycling cart won't close?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Tulsa
Compare Tulsa to another location·View the Oklahoma trash & recycling overview
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