Lawton, OK Trash & Recycling: Yard Waste Collection (2026)
Key Facts
- Yard waste definition
- Grass, weed, leaf and garden trimmings only
- Excluded materials
- Rocks, gravel, dirt
- Brushwood diameter limit
- 4 inches, cart collection only
- Bagging rule
- Yard waste/brushwood exempt from tied-bag rule
- Oversized loads
- Route to monthly bulky waste program instead
Summary
Lawton defines yard waste as grass, weed, and leaf trimmings and garden waste from single-family and duplex yards, not rocks, gravel, or dirt, and requires it to go out inside the City's 95-gallon automated cart along with household refuse. Brushwood is capped at four inches in diameter, and unlike bagged trash, yard waste is exempt from the tied-bag requirement.
"Yard waste" means those materials generated while providing normal maintenance to the yard areas adjacent to a single-family and duplex residential units. This shall include grass and weed trimmings, leaves and garden wastes, in addition to other items related to maintenance of other landscaping, but shall not include rocks, gravel or dirt...Only household refuse, yard-waste and brushwood with a maximum of four-inch diameter is authorized for automated refuse collection and must be placed within the 95-gallon cart provided by or leased from the City...Bulky refuse items that will not fit within a thirteen (13) gallon trash bag as well as all brushwood and yard waste, as defined in Section 22-4-1-401 of this Code, shall be exempt from this requirement.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 2 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Section 22-4-1-401 defines yard waste narrowly: materials from normal yard maintenance on single-family and duplex properties, including grass and weed trimmings, leaves, and garden waste, but specifically excluding rocks, gravel, and dirt. Section 22-4-1-403(A)(1) then folds yard waste into the same automated system as household trash: only household refuse, yard waste, and brushwood up to four inches in diameter are authorized for cart collection, and all of it must go inside the 95-gallon cart the City provides or leases. Anything set out loose, or brushwood thicker than four inches, is not collected and can be abated as a nuisance under Chapter 15 of the Code.
Ordinarily, household refuse has to be bagged with the opening tied shut before it goes in the cart, but Section 22-4-1-403(D) carves out an exception: bulky items too big for a thirteen-gallon bag, along with all brushwood and yard waste as defined in Section 22-4-1-401, are exempt from the bagging rule and can go into the cart loose. Larger volumes of brush or yard trimmings that will not fit in the weekly cart still qualify for the separate monthly bulky waste program under Section 22-4-1-410, subject to its four-cubic-yard limit and curb setback rules.
Violations & Fines
Yard waste or brushwood placed loose at the curb instead of in the City cart, or brushwood over the four-inch diameter limit, is left uncollected and may be declared a nuisance and abated under Chapter 15 of the Code. Separately, any violation of Article 22-4-1's container rules is punished under Section 22-4-1-411's general penalty, Section 1-1-119(A)(5): up to $750 or 60 days in jail, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to bag my grass clippings for pickup in Lawton?
How thick can brush be for regular cart pickup in Lawton?
What counts as yard waste under Lawton's code?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lawton
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