Mayor Kerry Thomson

Page last updated on September 18, 2025 at 2:19 pm

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 18, 2025

 For more information, please contact:

Lazarus Sears, Director, Sanitation

lazarus.sears@bloomington.in.gov or 812-349-3443

Desiree DeMolina, Communications Director, Office of the Mayor

desiree.demolina@bloomington.in.gov or 812-349-3406

City of Bloomington Announces October Adjustment to Trash Cart Rates

 

Bloomington, Ind. – Beginning October 2025, the City of Bloomington will implement a small adjustment to trash cart rates in accordance with City Code, following a delayed increase earlier this year. The updated monthly rates are:

 

  • Small (35 gal.) – $9.01/month (increase of $0.26)

  • Medium (64 gal.) – $16.48/month (increase of $0.48)

  • Large (96 gal.) – $24.72/month (increase of $0.72)

     

Trash cart fees are part of the City’s cost-recovery model, helping cover the costs of labor, carts, fuel, disposal, and environmental compliance. This increase does not apply to fees for additional pick-ups.

 

The delay in implementation resulted in an estimated $48,000 in under-collected revenue through August 2025. This shortfall does not affect the City’s ability to provide sanitation services, but City leaders emphasized the importance of addressing the issue with transparency and accountability.

 

“We know rate adjustments are never welcome news,” said Sanitation Director Lazarus Sears. “This adjustment is about aligning rates with actual costs. The fees residents pay go right back into the essentials—labor, equipment, fuel, and compliance—so that Bloomington continues to have dependable, affordable sanitation services.”

 

The City provides weekly curbside trash and recycling collection, plus bi-weekly yard waste collection (April–December). Residents can find their collection day using the interactive Sanitation Services Map or by searching their address in the myBloomington tool. Recycling is collected on the same day as trash.

 

All sanitation costs are included in the residents' monthly City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) statement.

 

Sanitation also offers optional additional pickups for missed collections or overflow trash. Fees are based on cart size:

 

  • 35-gallon cart - $2.54

  • 64-gallon cart - $4.65

  • 96-gallon cart - $6.98

 

For more information concerning sanitation or recycling services, please visit bloomington.in.gov/sanitation.

 

 

The Sanitation Division of the Public Works Department provides curbside collection of trash, recycling and yard waste to single-family residences that are within the city limits.  It also provides trash collection from City parks, municipal parking lots and a number of City operated facilities.

For more information or questions concerning sanitation or recycling services, please contact the Sanitation Division at (812) 349-3443.

 

Schedule of Monthly Service Fees for Disposal of Solid Waste 

35 Gallon Cart$8.75
64 Gallon Cart$16.00
96 Gallon Cart$24.00

Service Fees 

Large Item Pickup (per item)$25.00
Appliance Pickup$35.00
Additional Pickup 35 Gal$2.54
Additional Pickup 64 Gal$4.65
Additional Pickup 96 Gal$6.98

 

 

Questions about what items can be recycled and those that cannot be collected? 

Click here to learn more or scan the QR code below with a smartphone’s camera:

QR Code

 

  • Schedule a large item/appliance or extra Friday pick-up collection by completing this on-line form
  • Please allow at least 24 hours notice when scheduling a large item/appliance/extra pick up.
  • Yard waste collection program operates between April and December 2025 (program is suspended between January 1 and April 1, 2025).
  • Please do not call Sanitation to report a missed trash/recycling collection until after noon, as collection times vary and crews may occasionally need additional time to complete their routes. 

 

2025 Holiday Delays: 

  • There will be a one day delay in Sanitation services on the following holidays only: Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, 11/27/2025), Christmas Day (Thursday, 12/25/2025) and New Year's Day (Thursday, 1/1/2026).
  • Sanitation customers should place their waste and recycling carts on the curb by 5:00 a.m. one day after these holidays.
  • Normal trash and recycling operations are in place with no service delays for ALL other 2025 federal and city holidays (i.e. MLK Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Presidents Day, Juneteenth, Labor Day, Election Day and Veterans Day).