Las Cruces, NM Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Grass/leaves
- must be in clear plastic bags
- Branches allowed
- under 5 ft long, 5 in diameter
- Cactus/trimmings
- stacked loose, not bagged
- Buffer required
- 5 feet from obstacles and other waste
- Over allotment
- owner must remove excess
Summary
Grass clippings, weeds, and leaves must go out in clear plastic bags for the city's Green Grappler service under Code of Ordinances Sec. 25-40, while cactus trimmings and branches under five feet long and five inches thick can be stacked loose at the curb. Amounts over the tariff-set allotment are the property owner's responsibility to haul away.
(3)Residential customers may utilize the Green Grappler service and place green waste, such as grass clippings, weeds and leaves in clear plastic bags and placed on the street, at the curb, in front of their property, for collection by the Green Grappler service on their designated pick up day. Commercial customers may utilize this service for an additional fee as designated in the solid waste tariff.(4)Residential customers with cactus plants and/or trimmings or pruning from shrubs, bushes, and trees cut to lengths less than five feet and having a diameter five inches or less should stack and place these materials neatly on the street, at the curb, in front of their property separated from all other waste and obstacles by a minimum of five feet, for collection by the Green Grappler service on the designated pick up day.... (6)Allotted amounts for residential Green Grappler services shall be identified in the solid waste tariff. Any amounts left behind over the allotted amount will be removed and disposed of by the property owner.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33 | Land Development Code: Supplement 28).
Full Breakdown
Section 25-40 dedicates several subsections to the Green Grappler, the city's residential yard-waste collection service. Under subsection (3), green waste such as grass clippings, weeds, and leaves must be bagged in clear plastic and placed on the street at the curb in front of the property for pickup on the resident's designated Green Grappler day; commercial customers can access the same service for an extra tariff fee. Subsection (4) carves out a separate handling rule for desert and yard vegetation common in Las Cruces landscaping: cactus plants and trimmings, along with pruned material from shrubs, bushes, and trees cut to lengths under five feet and diameters of five inches or less, should be stacked neatly at the curb, kept separate from other waste, and set back at least five feet from other obstacles rather than bagged.
Subsection (5) applies the same five-foot buffer from city containers, water meters, vehicles, telephone boxes, wires, and landscaped areas that governs bulky trash placement, with the city disclaiming liability for items damaged from improper placement. The allotted volume for residential Green Grappler service is fixed in the solid waste tariff under subsection (6), and any green waste left behind above that allotment becomes the property owner's responsibility to remove and dispose of. on pickup day.
Violations & Fines
A Green Grappler placement violation, such as bagging clippings in the wrong material, stacking trimmings that exceed the five-foot length or five-inch diameter limit, or setting waste out too early, falls under the Code's general penalty in Sec. 1-10: a petty misdemeanor with a fine up to $500, up to 90 days in jail, or both. As a practical matter, waste that violates the placement rules or exceeds the tariff allotment simply will not be picked up, leaving the resident responsible for hauling the excess to the regional landfill or transfer station.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to bag my grass clippings for pickup in Las Cruces?
Can I put cactus trimmings out for yard waste pickup?
What if I have more yard waste than the Green Grappler will take?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Las Cruces
Compare Las Cruces to another location·View the New Mexico trash & recycling overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.