Sanitation Services FAQs

How do I sign up for City sanitation services?
If your residence has carts, you will begin receiving sanitation services once you have signed up for water service through City of Bloomington Utilities.

If your residence does not have carts, please contact Sanitation at sanitation@bloomington.in.gov or 812-349-3443.

How do I pay for sanitation services?
Sanitation costs are included in the monthly City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) statement. Through the current CBU billing options, residents can elect to set up automatic monthly payments, pay online, by mail or in person at the CBU service center located at 600 E. Miller Drive.

What is my pickup day?
Find your collection day by utilizing the City's mybloomington tool.

How do I separate waste from recycling?
Solid waste should be placed in the cart designated for waste, while all recycling - cans, paper, plastics, glass - should be disposed of in the cart designated for recycling. Both solid waste and recycling are collected on a weekly basis. 

Cart Size Dimensions and Monthly Pricing:  
These prices are for the sanitation carts ONLY.  There is no charge for your recycling cart, regardless of size.

• 96 gallon: (26" wide/34.5" deep/46" high) - $16.60 per month

• 64 gallon: (24" wide/27" deep/41.5" high) - $10.52 per month

• 35 gallon: (19"wide/23.75"deep/37.5" high) - $6.22 per month

How many carts do I need?
Each household receives one cart for solid waste and one cart for recycling. 

Can I exchange my cart for a different size?
You may exchange your cart for a different size at any time by contacting the Sanitation Division at sanitation@bloomington.in.gov or 812-349-3443. If you change your cart size, the City will make every effort to deliver the new cart(s) by the next billing cycle. The change in cost will be reflected on your next billing cycle, and you will be assessed a $50 fee for each exchanged cart.

Where should I place my carts?
Please place trash and recycling carts at your curb, facing the direction indicated on lids by 5:00 a.m. on your designated collection day. The carts should be placed at least four feet from one another, and both carts should be placed at least four feet from other obstacles like mailboxes, trees, overhead wires, etc. All carts must be at least ten feet from all vehicles. 

Who chooses the size of the container for rental homes, the landlord or the tenant?
If the landlord’s name is on the utility bill, the landlord determines cart size. If a tenant's name is on the utility bill, then the tenant receives priority. When a new tenant moves in, they have the option to contact the Sanitation Division and request a different cart size if their name is on the utility bill; however, they would be responsible for the $50 cart exchange fee. If the landlord’s name is on the utility bill, they are in charge of responding to any change in tenants’ sanitation needs.

What happens if my container gets stolen, misplaced, or damaged?
Carts have RFID (radio frequency identification) tracking system technology to identify your carts with your household. City staff will be responsible for making repairs to damaged carts and will work with residents when carts are stolen or misplaced.If a cart sustains damage caused by City services, the City will cover the cost of replacement. All other damages to the cart such as vandalism or mutilation will result in a $50 charge to the resident for a full cart replacement.

How is yard waste collected, and how will I be billed for it? 
Yard waste will be collected every other week. Yard waste must weigh less than 40 pounds and be placed in receptacles up to 35 gallons or in paper yard waste bags. Sticks may be bundled if they measure 48 inches by 24 inches or less. Yard waste can be placed at the curb without placing a trash or recycle cart. Billing for yard waste will be added to the customer’s utility bill through the City's billing software system.  

What is the procedure for large item, appliance, and instances of above-average weekly waste generation?
The charge for pickup of any large item or appliance is $10; residents should call the Sanitation Division at 812-349-3443 to schedule a collection time for these items. Large items will be picked up the following service day, and appliances will be picked up on Fridays.

The Sanitation Department will provide additional pickups for missing collection due to forgetting to place your carts out by 5:00 AM on pickup day or for overflow trash because of an unusually large amount of trash during a particular week.  There is an extra charge associated with these requests, depending on the size of your cart:

• 35 gallon cart additional weekly pickup fee: $1.81

• 64 gallon cart additional weekly pickup fee: $3.06

• 96 gallon cart additional weekly pickup fee: $4.83

Please contact the Sanitation Division at (812) 349-3443 to schedule these additional weekly pickups.    

For above average weekly waste generation: if a resident has a significant amount of trash, or has a need for the occasional removal of bulk trash associated with construction, moving, or seasonal cleaning, there is not a required authorization to utilize a commercial enterprise, other than for approval of dumpsters within the City's right-of-way.

Why didn’t the City consider an “opt-out” or “pay-as-you-throw option”?
A predictable and sustainable model of funding was necessary for such a large-scale change to an essential City service. The Public Works Department has committed to analyzing the data collected with the new system within the first three years of implementation to determine if a true "pay-as-you-throw" system is possible in the future.

Our goal for this new, modernized sanitation system is to improve the quality of our City by increasing the efficiency of our operations, improving the safety of our workers, and preserving the well-being of our environment, and these new operations are critical in achieving these goals.

The sanitation team only picked up my waste. Did they forget about my recycling?
The crews collect waste and recycling during different runs, often resulting in cart pickup occurring at different times throughout your designated collection day.

My street is narrow. Will the automated trucks be able to collect from my street?
We will be identify locations where a fully-automated system cannot be implemented for some reason, including the width of the street. In that case, a semi-automated service truck would still serve any street or area identified as not able to be served with full automation. We will continue to serve each household we currently serve, no matter what.

Will this change the final destination of solid waste and recycling?
No. The solid waste is taken to an approved local vendor who handles the final disposal. The destination of regular solid waste is not intended to change with the new operations. The recycling goes to an approved local vendor who transfers it to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) for sorting and reuse in the commodities market.

General information regarding yard waste, recycling, and trash collection