Frequently Asked Questions

There is nothing you need to do. Waste Connections will waive the late fee for the first billing cycle, and a credit will be reflected on your next bill. All billing related to services within the Residential Waste Services will be conducted by Waste Connections.

Starting March 31, 2025, residents will receive: 

• Weekly trash collection
• Every-other-week recycling collection  
• Residents can choose a 35-gallon, 65-gallon or a 95-gallon trash cart
• All residents will receive a 95-gallon recycling cart

Starting March 17, Waste Connections will deliver new trash and recycling carts to households enrolled in Broomfield’s Residential Waste Services program. Residents will receive services starting the week of March 31, 2025. (Waste Connections will develop routes servicing homes Monday to Friday, so not all residents will receive services on Monday, March 31.)

Contact Waste Connections at 303-288-2100 if you would like to receive a new cart or need them to pick up or exchange old carts.

Collection schedules can be found in this welcome letter that is being mailed the week of March 10.

A welcome letter will be mailed to households the week of March 10th. This welcome letter will contain a map and a calendar with service day information.

Waste Connections of Colorado will pick up carts in the following alleys as part of Broomfield’s program: 

• Between Midway Blvd. and 4th Ave. 
• Between Midway Blvd. and 6th Ave.
• Between Laurel St. and Marble St. 
• Between Main St. and Agate St.

The following alley will not be serviced: 

• Between Agate Way and Main Street. Residents who need accommodations because they can’t get their carts to the street should contact Waste Connections at 303-288-2100.

Please contact Waste Connections to request special accommodation by calling 303-288-2100 or email  customerservice5311@wasteconnections.com.

The Residential Waste Services program is for residents of single family homes and small multi-family complexes (e.g. townhomes) with seven or fewer units who do not live in an HOA that contracts for trash and recycling services. Residents of HOAs that contract for trash and recycling services will not participate in this program. Please contact your HOA if you aren't sure of their trash and recycling contract status.

All questions regarding collection services can be directed to Waste Connections at 303-288-2100.

At this time, compost collection is not part of the program. Residents are encouraged to use the Broomfield Tree Branch Recycle Center for bulk drop-off of tree branches. For more information, visit the Tree Branch Recycle Center website.

Trash cart size can be changed once during program rollout at no cost; after June 30, 2025, trash carts can be downsized for free any time and requests to increase trash cart size will be subject to a $25 change fee. To request a different trash cart, contact Waste Connections at 303-288-2100.

Customers should coordinate with their existing trash provider to coordinate pick up of old carts. If a customer owns their own cart(s), contact Waste Connections by April 30, 2025 at 303-288-2100 to schedule a pick-up.

Yes, residents are able to opt out after the program launches on March 31, 2025, by calling Waste Connections at 303-288-2100.

The opt out fees are used to support waste diversion efforts within the City and County of Broomfield.

City Council adopted an ordinance that states in section 8-04-028 of the Broomfield Municipal Code:  

The fees for waste services and the charge for city utility services are hereby declared to be parts of one debt to the city insofar as the same relate to any one resident, and the refusal or failure to pay any part of such debt for any period of service shall be sufficient cause for the city to avail itself of any or all remedies as set forth and in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 13-12 of the Broomfield Municipal Code; except that water service shall not be disconnected for non-payment of the residential refuse collection minimum service fees nor shall a lien be put on the property.

The city will bill the minimum service fee (or opt-out fee).  Collection measures may be pursued by the city through normal collection processes if the opt-out fee is not paid.

Excess trash can be put into bags and placed next to your trash cart. Each bag must weigh no more than 50 lbs. Extra bags of trash will cost $3.50 per bag. You do not need to purchase special bags.

Some reasons that bags may not be collected include bags that are too large or heavy to be picked up (specifically over 50 pounds), bags that are unsafe to handle and contain contaminated or hazardous materials. If the item is a bulk item and cannot be collected with regular service, please contact Waste Connections to schedule a bulk item pickup. 

Items too large to be placed in a closed trash cart can be picked up by Waste Connections for $25 per item. Contact Waste Connection at 303-288-2100 or through the Waste Connections online pickup request form to set up a scheduled service day and instruction for setting out the large items.

Organic material can be placed in trash carts, but residents are encouraged to use the Tree Branch Recycle Center to dispose of their tree branches. Please note that leaves and pumpkins are accepted in the fall. For more information, visit the Tree Branch Recycle Center website.

If your HOA contracts for trash and recycling collection, you cannot participate in this program unless your HOA decides to join (see next question for more information).

Have your HOA board contact Waste Connections so they can work out the details on when the program could start for your HOA. It typically takes 90 days to order carts and requires coordination with the existing hauler.

Recyclable material is taken to the Boulder County Materials Recovery Facility and landfill material is taken to the Front Range Landfill in Erie, CO.

There are many options for residents to discard material. Visit the following links to learn about each facility and/or program -  

• Broomfield Recycle Center
• Broomfield Tree Branch Center
• Broomfield Spring Clean Up
• Spring and Fall Shred it events
• Spring and Fall Household Hazardous Waste and Electronic Disposal Events

***Note - Residents are able to contract with private haulers to discard organic material. Here is a list of licensed haulers in Broomfield.

Please view the Waste Connection Single Stream Recycle Guide for a list of materials that can be discarded in your Waste Connections recycle cart. 

For other recycling opportunities, check the Broomfield Recycling Guide.

Yes, the December 21, 2024 deadline to opt out was set to facilitate cart orders and route mapping. Residents are able to opt in after this deadline with no penalty. Residents are able to opt out after the program launches on March 31, 2025.

No, Broomfield’s Residential Waste Service Program will not be impacted by the petition and is moving forward as approved by Broomfield City Council. Broomfield has entered a contract with Waste Connections of Colorado and implementation is proceeding.

If you want to participate in Broomfield’s program, notify your current hauler that you want to cancel service effective March 30, 2025, and select your Waste Connections trash cart size by Dec. 21, 2024, using the form at Broomfield.org/ResidentialWasteServices.

If you don’t want to participate, opt out by Dec. 21, 2024, using the form at Broomfield.org/ResidentialWasteServices, and follow your current hauler’s instructions for confirming continued service.

Recycling is included as part of the program at no additional cost to encourage more recycling and to reduce trash, which can lead to cost savings with a smaller trash cart. Fees will not be reduced for households that don’t use the recycling services.

Yes. To ensure the automated trucks can pick up the carts without letting trash fall to the ground, lids will need to be closed.

Yes, the Broomfield Recycling Center will remain open. The Broomfield Residential Waste Services program is not available for households that live in buildings or complexes with 7 or more units, so there will be residents still using this facility.

City Council considered a ballot question at its July 26, 2022 meeting but did not approve it.

Customers shall receive a large 95-gallon cart for recycling collection. However, Waste Connections of Colorado may provide a 65-gallon recycle cart upon special request to accommodate special or extenuating circumstances, such as seniors and residents with disabilities who require accommodation. Waste Connections of Colorado is unable to provide 65-gallon recycle carts to customers that are making these requests due to space constraints, such as small garages.

Please contact Waste Connections to request special accommodation by calling 303-288-2100 or email  customerservice5311@wasteconnections.com.

The spring and fall household hazardous & electronic waste disposal events as well as two Shred-it events are being planned to occur next year.

Colorado law (CRS § 30-15-401(5)) prohibits the granting of exclusive territory for waste removal, so Broomfield must offer an “opt-out” but also does not preempt and permits a local government, like Broomfield, to adopt ordinances, regulations, codes, or standards or granting permits issued pursuant to home rule authority

Broomfield Ordinance 2242/BMC 8-04-028, contains the Code provision on the opt out fee.  It states "If a residential refuse collection services customer elects to not use the services provided by the city's contracted waste hauler and is not otherwise exempt, such customer shall pay to the city the minimum level of solid waste service which fee shall be set and shall increase as otherwise provided for by the city's residential refuse collection services contract."

All recyclables are transferred to the Boulder County Recycling Center where materials are sorted, inspected for quality, baled (compressed) together, and sold to be reused or repurposed.

The Spring Cleanup program is separate from the Residential Waste Services program and contracted year-to-year, depending on budget approval. For more information, please visit the Spring Cleanup webpage.

Waste Connections of Colorado is managing the billing for households participating in the Residential Waste Services program. Customers can choose paper or electronic billing and can pay by check or online. 

For households that opt out of the program, the City and County of Broomfield will bill residents $10.50 on the 4th Monday of each month in arrears. This bill will be separate from the Utility Bill.

Please refer to these Recycling Guidelines. In general, the following items can be recycled: 

• Paper 
• Cardboard
• Food and beverage cartons
• Glass
• Plastic bottles, tubs, jugs, and jars. 
• Plastic claimshells, lids, and take out containers
• Rigid plastics (#2 and #5 only)

Yes, you can place extra trash bags into a personally owned trash cart. Each bag must weigh no more than 50 lbs and be able to fit into the Waste Connection’s trash cart. An additional fee of $3.50 will apply for each extra bag.

The pricing with Waste Connections is good through March of 2026. Per the contract, pricing can only increase once per year, and not more than the Urban Consumer Price Index. Waste Connections is required to notify the City & County of Broomfield with 90 days prior written notice of a proposed rate increase and the City shall verify the rate increase is in accordance with this provision of the Agreement. Refer to the contract linked here.

There will be no additional fees, surcharges, energy costs, etc. added to the monthly invoice.  Pricing is based on the size of trash cart that you select.  

Everyone entering into the new program will receive a large recycling cart. After 30 days in the program, if you still don’t want the recycle cart contact Waste Connections and they will pick it up.

New Broomfield residents should contact Waste Connections customer service with questions regarding the program. Waste Connections can provide information on the trash cart size that is assigned to your residence. 

Republic Services charges cart removal fees upon contract cancellation. Contact Republic Services to request a credit for those fees.

There is nothing you need to do. Waste Connections will waive the late fee for the first billing cycle, and a credit will be reflected on your next bill.