Garbage Collection
We are committed to providing convenient and affordable solid waste services to the citizens of our community. The City’s fully automated collection service allows our collection costs to remain the lowest in the region.
Have a concern? Let us know: Garbage Collection Reporting
Guidelines
- We can ONLY collect trash from the public right-of-way.
- Staff cannot come onto private property to remove items, even with your permission.
- Items weighing more than 75 pounds cannot be collected by Solid Waste workers.
- Call to schedule special pick-ups (items that don’t fit the bin due to size or quantity).
- Items resulting from contract work such as tree trimmings, hot water heaters, or carpeting etc. that are refused are the responsibility of the contractor, not the City.
- Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) is accepted at the Billings Regional Landfill for drop-off.
- Use of commercial containers by residential customers is prohibited and is considered theft.
- Due to the high winds at the Landfill, please always bag your garbage.
Unused Medication Disposal
Any unused medications should be taken to an approved drop-off location listed below for safe disposal of prescription and OTC medications (No liquids or sharps are accepted at these locations), see the Guidelines section below for additional information on handling and disposal practices:
- Solid Waste Administrative Offices at 4848 Midland Road, (406) 657-8285
- Billings Police Department at 220 North 27th Street, (406) 657-8460
Guidelines for proper handling and disposal of medications and sharps in the State of Montana are provided by the Montana Department of Environment Quality (MTDEQ), additional information is available from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA):
- MTDEQ Household Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal Guidance
- MTDEQ Safe Needle Disposal
- FDA Safe Disposal of Medicines
Collection Schedule
Find your route collection day: Garbage Collection Route Map Yard Waste Collection Route Map
Closures
The Solid Waste Division continues operations on days prior to and following each holiday to ensure excellence in service. If service is delayed due to a holiday, it only affects the day of the holiday, and the days following it during the same calendar week. Delayed service will not carry on into the following week. Example: Thanksgiving, Thursday routes will be collected on Friday, and Friday routes will be collected on Saturday.
2021 Planned Closures
Holiday | Date | Collection |
---|---|---|
New Year’s Day | Friday, January 1 | Delayed one day |
Martin Luther King Day | Monday, January 18 | On Schedule |
President’s Day | Monday, February 15 | On Schedule |
Memorial Day | Monday, May 31 | Delayed one day |
Independence Day | Monday, July 5 (observed) | On Schedule |
Labor Day | Monday, September 6 | Delayed one day |
Veteran’s Day | Thursday, November 11 | On Schedule |
Thanksgiving | Thursday, November 25 | Delayed one day |
Day After Thanksgiving | Friday, November 26 | Delayed one day |
Christmas | Friday, December 24 (observed) | On Schedule |
New Year's Day | Friday, December 31 (observed) | On Schedule |
-
Solid Waste Services
Physical Address
Billings Operations Center (BOC)
4848 Midland Road
Billings, MT 59101
Phone: 406-657-8285
- Collection- Commercial
- Collection- Residential
- Collection- Yard Waste
- Recycling Resources
- Temporary Containers
Service Request
To request service or make changes to your account please call our service center at 406-657-8315.
Service Overview
Customers receive customized services to fit their individual service needs. Services range from on-site compactors to daily or weekly pickups. Businesses may rent commercial dumpsters from the Solid Waste Division.
Commercial Containers
The City of Billings does not sell dumpsters.
All new services will have a leased container. This also applies to service changes.
Rates & Fees
The Resolution Establishing Solid Waste Residential and Commercial Collection and Disposal Fees and Landfill Use Fees was adopted by the Billings City Council on June 08, 2020. These fees become effective July 1, 2020 and are available to view in their entirety in Resolution 20-10876.
Commercial Monthly Fee Based on Frequency of Collections Per Week
Container Size | 1 Collection | 2 Collections | 3 Collections | 4 Collections | 5 Collections | 6 Collections | Saturday Collection |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 Yard | $32.46 | $64.92 | $97.39 | $129.85 | $162.31 | $202.91 | $64.92 |
2 Yards | $37.65 | $75.30 | $112.94 | $150.59 | $188.24 | $235.28 | $75.30 |
3 Yards | $42.81 | $85.63 | $128.44 | $171.26 | $214.07 | $267.59 | $85.63 |
4 Yards | $48.29 | $96.58 | $144.86 | $193.15 | $241.44 | $301.79 | $96.58 |
6 Yards | $58.65 | $117.30 | $175.95 | $234.60 | $293.25 | $366.54 | $117.30 |
8 Yards | $69.18 | $138.35 | $207.53 | $276.71 | $345.89 | $432.33 | $138.35 |
Each 30 Gallon Can | $7.03 | $14.06 | $21.09 | $28.13 | $35.16 | $43.93 | $14.06 |
Please note: Saturday service without six times per week pick-up will be assessed double the one time per week rate.
Container Fees
A commercial 90 gallon barrel is $17.75 per month; a 300 gallon barrel is $39.67 per month.
Compactor containers will be assessed at 2.5 times the above rate.
City-Owned Container Lease Rates
Size | Fee |
---|---|
Less than 6 yards | $21.15 per month |
6 or 8 yards | $27.80 per month |
Service Request
To request service or make changes to your account please call our service center at 406-657-8315.
Service Overview
Customers enjoy weekly pickups. Those with the following service access will use the noted container type:
- ALLEY ACCESS: 300-gallon barrels that serve approximately three homes
- STREET ACCESS: 90-gallon roll-out barrels for one customer
Rates & Fees
The Resolution Establishing Solid Waste Residential and Commercial Collection and Disposal Fees and Landfill Use Fees was adopted by the Billings City Council on June 08, 2020. These fees become effective July 1, 2020 and are available to view in their entirety in Resolution 20-10876.
Residential Service Charges
Description of Service | Fee |
---|---|
Residential Collection | $11.53/ MO |
Mobile Home Located in Mobile Park | $11.53/ MO |
Residential Carry-Out Service | $23.06/ MO |
Special Pick-up | $25.60/ EA for most items |
Service Guidelines
Only Household Waste should be placed in residential containers. Household Waste, also known as domestic Waste or residential Waste, is disposable materials generated by households. This Waste can be comprised of non-Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Waste. Non-Hazardous Waste can include food scraps, paper, bottles, etc. which can be recycled or composted. Examples of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) include batteries and household cleaners. It is important that Hazardous Waste is handled in a safe manner to ensure that they are disposed properly so they do not cause harm to the environment or refuse handlers. Learn more about Waste Types, and disposal.
Alley Service Guidelines
- Use the alley barrel primarily for household trash.
- Top off the barrel with yard waste or larger items the day before collection.
- Keep the alley clean from your property to the middle of the alley.
- Place items too large for the barrel on your side of the alley for alley cleaning.
- Place residential trash only in residential barrels.
- Prepare branches in 4 foot lengths and bundle for pick-up.
- Do not allow long items to cause the lid to stand up.
- Place trash in the barrel in trash bags.
- Do not move or turn barrels from where the City has placed them.
Curb Service Guidelines
- Make sure your barrels and any items that do not fit in the barrels are out by 7 am.
- Place the barrel 4 feet away from obstacles (mailboxes, vehicles, extra trash, etc.).
- Place the barrel with the lid opening toward the street.
- Branches need to be prepared in 4 foot lengths and bundled for pickup.
- Do not overfill the barrel(s).
- Make sure that the truck can reach the barrel from the street.
- Remove barrels from the curb after they are emptied.
- Place all trash in the barrel(s) in trash bags.
If you are using an extra barrel with curb service, make sure the container(s) meet these requirements:
Sec.21-209. Same - Size of Residential Containers
- Not less than 18" or more than 20" in diameter.
- Not less than 15 gallons or more than 32 gallons in capacity.
- Have outside handles for convenient carrying.
- Placed with the lid opening toward the street.
- Placed 4 feet away from obstacles.
- Watertight with tight fitting covers (lid).
- Made of galvanized metal or heavy duty plastic.
Receptacles not meeting these specifications may or may not be collected at the option of the City, or may be mistaken for waste and disposed of. The City is not responsible for damage to, or disposal of extra barrels.
Special Pick-up Requests
Please, call the Solid Waste Administrative offices at (406) 657-8260 to schedule a special pick-up. This includes items which do not fit in the regular service barrel, are non-compactable (carpet or concrete debris), or otherwise require special arrangements due to size or quantity. Additional charges may apply.
Service Overview
Yard waste collection lasts from the first full week of April until the last full week of November. We are unable to add this service to all areas of the City. Please call the Solid Waste Administrative office at (406) 657-8285 for more information, or to request a green barrel container.
Things to Know
Collection will be made by a dedicated side load truck.
Please have your yard waste container out by 7 am on your collection day. Barrels are not to be stored on the street. You may put them out the night before your collection day, they will need to be removed from the street after collection has been made.
Make sure you place your container four feet away from any obstructions or other containers.
Acceptable Yard Waste
Types of yard waste to place in your container include:
- Garden waste
- Grass clippings
- Leaves
- Shrub pruning
- Smaller branches or twigs
- Weeds
Branches Code Requirements
Billings Code 21-205 requires the following for branch yard waste collection:
- Limit all pieces to 4 feet in length and 6 inches in diameter.
- Tie pieces in bundles and limit bundles to 75 pounds in weight and 2 feet in diameter.
- Place bundles near designated collection site at curb or in alley.
Non-Acceptable Yard Waste
Do not place dirt, sod, rocks, animal droppings, or plastic bags in your yard waste container.
Lawn Services
If you have a lawn service doing your yard work they are required to haul off the yard waste that they generate.
Fall Leaf Pick up Program
The City of Billings offers two collection programs to help residents manage their leaves during the fall season. City crews will collect leaves that are put in the green yard waste containers or bagged leaves for customers who don’t have the green containers or have alley pick up.
Residents should not put leaves in street gutters for the Street crews to pick up. During our Community Conversation meetings, citizens expressed that Street Maintenance crews could be better utilized in the fall to paint school crosswalks and grade roads and alleys, as well as other street maintenance projects.
General Guidelines
The following are some general guidelines for fall leaf collection that applies to all residents:
- Please use your green yard waste containers for loose leaves.
- Please bag your leaves if you do not have a green yard waste container.
- Leaves raked into street gutters will not be picked up.
- Leaf burning is prohibited within the Billings city limits.
- Leaves in green yard waste containers will not be picked up after the last full week of November.
- All leaves will then need to be bagged for collection.
The Public Works Department strongly encourages residents to reduce, reuse and recycle whenever possible.
Baling Twine Recycling
Program Information Map of Drop-off Location
Used Oil & Antifreeze Drop-off Site
Oil Recycling Center Drop-off is at the Billings Regional Landfill, 5240 Jellison Road. The program is open to residents of
- Carbon County
- Musselshell County
- Stillwater County
- Treasure County
- Yellowstone County
Accepted Oils
Types of used oil accepted include:
- Automatic transmission fluid
- Brake fluid
- Crankcase oil
- Gear oil
- Hydraulic oil
- Two-stroke oil
Used oil and antifreeze cannot be mixed together or with other substances.
Annual Christmas Tree Recycling
From December 26 through late January, Christmas trees can be dropped off at several advertised sites throughout the Billings area for recycling. Chipped trees are used for mulch and bedding material at:
- Area parks
- Bike paths
- Conservation centers
- ZooMontana
Newspaper, Cardboard & Aluminum Can Drop-off Bins
Drop-off bins are located around Billings for residents to recycle newspapers and aluminum cans.
A cardboard recycling bin is located at the Billings Regional Landfill, 5240 Jellison Road.
Proceeds
Proceeds from recycling materials in these bins go to non-profit organizations designated on the container.
Proceeds from City sponsored drop-off containers go to buy trees for city parks
Further Information on Private Curbside Collection
For information on private curbside collection of recyclables contact Earth First Aid.
Yard Waste Composting & Collection
The landfill has an on-site composting area for wood, barn and yard waste. Finished compost is used to reclaim closed areas of the landfill.
Curbside Collection
In 2005, the Solid Waste Division initiated a voluntary, curbside yard waste recycling program in selected Billings neighborhoods. Due to the success of the program, curbside collection and recycling of yard waste has been expanded to most areas in the City.
Residents are provided a 96-gallon container, free of charge, for weekly pick-up. The program runs from April through November. Please feel free to contact us for questions or more information.
Electronic Waste
As of September 1st, Yellowstone E-Waste Solutions and the Billings Solid Waste Division have partnered to provide free electronic waste recycling for residents of
- Carbon County
- Musselshell County
- Stillwater County
- Treasure County
- Yellowstone County
E-waste can be dropped off at the Billings Regional Landfill, 5240 Jellison Road, or Yellowstone E-Waste Solutions, 419 N 15th Street.
Business E-Waste
This program is for residential e-waste only. Business-generated e-waste can be recycled at Yellowstone E-Waste Solutions for a cost.
Acceptable E-Waste Items
Residential items accepted for recycling include:
- All computers and accessories
- Calculators
- Cell phones
- Loose cords and cables
- Microwaves
- Portable electronics
- Power tools
- Rechargeable batteries
- Small kitchen appliances
- Some types of TVs
- Stereo equipment
Not Acceptable E-Waste Items
Items not accepted for recycling include large appliances and appliances containing refrigerant.
Further E-Waste Recycling Information
For more information, please contact the Billings Solid Waste Environmental Compliance Coordinator at 247-8633.
Where to Take Unacceptable and Special Disposal Materials
- Ammunition, fireworks and explosives, contact the Billings Police Department Bomb Squad at 406-657-8200.
- Commercial waste, contact Beartooth Environmental at 406-373-2220.
- Unused medications can be taken to an approved drop off location:
- Solid Waste Administrative Offices at 4848 Midland Road (non-liquid only).
- Billings Police Department at 220 North 27th Street.
Service Request
Call 406-657-8260 for more information, or to place a service request.
Service Overview
Customers receive customized services to fit their individual service needs. Services range from on-site compactors to daily or weekly pickups. Businesses may rent commercial dumpsters from the Solid Waste Division.
Rates & Fees
The Resolution Establishing Solid Waste Residential and Commercial Collection and Disposal Fees and Landfill Use Fees was adopted by the Billings City Council on June 10, 2019. These fees become effective July 1, 2019 and are available to view in their entirety in Resolution 19-10799 (PDF).
Roll off boxes are $151 per haul, $19.85 per ton dumping fee, and $3.00 per day rental fee.