Garbage Collection

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 14, 2021. These fees become effective July 1, 2021 and are available to view in their entirety in Resolution 21-10960 (PDF).

Residential Service Charges

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.

Extras Collection

• Put out on scheduled Monday by 7:00 AM
• Must be bagged or boxed
• Must be less than 75 LBS
• Includes regular household waste only

If you are using your own 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.

Bulky Item Pick-up Requests

Please, call the Solid Waste Administrative offices at (406) 657-8285 to schedule a special pick-up (furniture, appliances, large branches and etc.). 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.

Service Request

Call 406-657-8315 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 14, 2021. These fees become effective July 1, 2021 and are available to view in their entirety in Resolution 21-10960.

Roll off boxes are $174 per haul, $22.00 per ton dumping fee, and $5.00 per day rental fee.

Unused Medication Disposal

Any unused medications should be taken to an approved drop-off location for safe disposal. The Department of Justice provides a searchable data base of approved locations, find a location near you. 

Some prescription and OTC medications may be placed in drop--boxes at City locations listed below, please see the accepted items list and Guidelines section for additional information on proper handling and disposal practices:

• The Billings Crime Prevention Center at 2910 3rd Ave North, (406) 247-8590
• City Hall at 210 North 27th Street, (406) 657-8433

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