Carts...and what goes in them

EDCO supplies all the carts needed for your trash, recycling and green waste.

Watch the Lakewood CityTV video with helpful tips about your carts.

General tips for putting out your carts each week

  • Set out your carts at the curb in front of your home prior to 6 a.m. sharp on your scheduled service day.
  • Place all carts in front of the curb in the street with the wheels against the curb and out of the way of traffic (including bike lanes).
  • Arrows embossed on the cart lid should point to­ward the street.
  • Keep a minimum of two (2) feet distance between your carts.
  • Keep carts three (3) feet from obstructions such as parked cars, mail boxes, trees and telephone poles.
  • Please do not overload carts. Lids should be closed. The contents should be loose enough to empty freely when the cart is lifted and dumped by the automated truck.

Lakewood’s trash collection system keeps recyclables and green waste separate from other trash to help extend the life of the county’s landfills.

Trash (gray cart)

One gray trash cart is roughly equal to three standard cans. The 96-gallon gray trash cart has sturdy wheels and is intended for residential trash that isn’t recyclables or green waste. Plastic trash and grocery bags may be disposed of in the gray cart.

If you want to request an additional cart, please contact EDCO. Additional trash carts are $3.50 per month and must be kept at least 3 months.

Recycling (blue cart)

Lakewood’s curbside recycling service puts all recyclables in one 65-gallon cart. Glass jars and bottles, cardboard, newspapers (including inserts), aluminum and steel cans, plastic containers, styrofoam and mixed paper (including magazines) go into the blue recycling cart mixed together. There’s no need to separate recyclables by type. All CRV plastics 1-7 are accepted.

Please do not place recyclables into plastic bags. Bagging of cans and jars slows down sorting them after pick up. Do not place non-recyclable items, such as PVC pipe, vinyl siding, or plastic film (grocery bags and stretch film) into the blue container.

For the current list of acceptable items for recycling, visit the recycling page on EDCO's website.

Green Waste (green cart)

Green waste is grass, weeds, flowers, leaves, palm fronds, clippings, ivy, floral decorations, branches, Halloween pumpkins, Christmas trees and untreated and non-lead based painted wood. Sod and ice plant are acceptable in small quantities. Click here for more information on green waste.

Do not put plastic trash bags or any other items in these carts. Lawn and gardening services should be notified of this rule. Green waste material must be placed loosely inside the green cart for collection.

EDCO no longer picks up green waste in residents' old green waste containers, as the system is fully automated.

After the initial delivery and upon request, EDCO will provide up to two additional large 95-gallon green waste carts to residents at no charge. For residents who have physical limitations or space constraints at their home, smaller rolling green waste carts will be provided at no cost.

 

Cart dimensions

Color Gray Blue Green
For Trash Recycling Green waste
Height 45" 40.5" 45"
Width 33" 26.7" 33"
Capacity 95 gallons 65 gallons 95 gallons