East Baton Rouge Parish, LA Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Max bag/bundle weight
- 40 pounds
- Max branch diameter
- 6 inches
- Max yard waste items
- 10 per collection
- Max bulk waste items
- 3 per collection
- Excluded
- Stumps, roots, root-balled shrubs
- Service excludes
- Cities of Baker and Zachary
Summary
Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish collect yard waste as bags, yard waste bags or bundles, each capped at 40 pounds and 6 inches in branch diameter. Residential units get up to 10 yard waste items plus 3 bulk items per collection; stumps and root balls are excluded.
Yard waste shall mean cuttings or trimmings from trees, shrubs, or lawns, and similar materials such as grass, leaves, flowers, stalks, tree trimmings, brush, and branches, including clean woody vegetative material not greater than six (6) inches in diameter that are set out to be collected as a part of the yard waste and bulk waste services. Yard waste shall be contained in bags, yard waste bags, or placed in bundles for collection with yard waste and bulk waste services. Total weight of a bag, yard waste bag, or bundle and its contents set-out for collection shall not exceed forty (40) pounds. Christmas trees are considered yard waste ... Yard waste does not include stumps, tree trunks, limbs greater than six (6) inches in diameter, roots, or shrubs with intact root balls. A maximum of ten (10) items containing yard waste, of any combination (bags, yard waste bags, and/or bundles), shall be collected per collection under yard waste and bulk waste service, from a residential service unit.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 6:456 of the Code of Ordinances defines yard waste as cuttings or trimmings from trees, shrubs or lawns, including grass, leaves, flowers, stalks, tree trimmings, brush and branches, so long as woody material does not exceed 6 inches in diameter. Material must be contained in bags, purpose-made yard waste bags, or bundles, and each bag or bundle cannot weigh more than 40 pounds when set out. Christmas trees count as yard waste. The code excludes stumps, tree trunks, limbs over 6 inches in diameter, roots, or shrubs with intact root balls, none of which are picked up under yard waste service.
A residential service unit is limited to a maximum of 10 items of yard waste, in any combination of bags, yard waste bags and bundles, per collection, in addition to up to 3 items of bulk waste such as furniture or dead animals. This service is funded through the curbside collection user fee established under Sec. 6:455, which covers garbage, yard waste and recyclable pickup for the City of Baton Rouge and the parish, but specifically excludes the separately incorporated Cities of Baker and Zachary, which run their own collection systems. Anything set out with regular municipal solid waste rather than separated for yard waste service is treated as ordinary garbage instead.
Violations & Fines
The ordinance defines the service limits rather than a per-violation criminal fine; oversized loads, overweight bags, or excluded material such as stumps and root balls are simply left uncollected until the resident brings the set-out into compliance or arranges separate disposal at an approved landfill.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much yard waste can I set out for collection in Baton Rouge?
Is there a weight limit on yard waste bags?
Will the parish pick up tree stumps or root balls as yard waste?
Does this yard waste rule apply if I live in Baker or Zachary?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in East Baton Rouge Parish
Compare East Baton Rouge Parish to another location·View the Louisiana trash & recycling overview
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