Garbage, Recycling, and Compost
Garbage, recycle, and compost collection:
The City of Lafayette has partnered with Republic Services to provide curbside solid waste collection for residents.
Questions regarding collection services?
- Call Republic Services at 303-286-2400
- Or visit the Republic website
Three Cart Program
A three-cart, volume-based waste collection system:
- Garbage
- Recycle
- Compost
The rate structure incentivizes residents to recycle and compost as much as possible while reducing the material placed in garbage carts that will end up at our local landfill.
As of Oct. 1, 2022, residents who are a part of the City Three Cart Program will receive:
- Weekly compost collection
- One free compost cart exchange annually; if requested more often, an additional fee will apply.
- Continued collection of recycling every other week
- A new rate structure: Your monthly rate depends on your garbage cart size; the rate includes recycling and compost collection service. See below.
- More cart size choices for recycling and compost carts: 32-, 64-, or 96-gallon.
Benefits of the Three Cart Program
Environmental benefits of the City's Three Cart Program include:
- Fewer trucks in neighborhoods (lessening traffic, reducing road damage, and decreasing noise and air pollution)
- Supporting the City's waste diversion goals
- Less material going to our local landfill by increasing participation in recycling and composting
- Encouraging all residents to be a part of the same program helps keep the cost lower and helps ensure equal access to programs through the City partner, Republic Services.
Customers will also receive benefits at no additional cost such as:
- Collection of five bulky items at an event every fall
- A bulky item collected curbside every quarter
- Curbside branch and leaf collection event twice a year
- Residents will also receive free compost at an annual event, access to a local hard-to-recycle collection event, and be able to place Christmas trees for removal during the months of January-March.
Additional Service Benefits
Waste collection prices for Lafayette residents will include the following services:
- Annual Bulky Item Cleanup: Can place up to five items curbside during this event.
- One Curbside Bulk Item Pickup: Available once a year, in addition to the free quarterly bulk pickup currently offered.
- Compost Giveaway Event: Held during the month of April.
- Leaf and Branch Curbside Pickup Program: Available every spring and fall.
- Hard-to-Recycle Event: Held during the month of April.
For details and specific dates, please contact Republic Services at 303-286-2400.
Residential rates are effective January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026.
Weekly Garbage Collection
| Cart Size | Garbage Rate | Administrative Fee | Total Monthly Charge |
| 32-gallon | $17.32 | $2.00 | $19.32 |
| 64-gallon | $28.49 | $2.00 | $30.49 |
| 96-gallon | $39.67 | $2.00 | $41.67 |
| Additional 96-gallon cart | $8.87 | ||
Extra material tag | $4.00 |
Compost and recycling services are included in the garbage rate. You can choose the size of each cart (32-, 64-, or 96-gallon).
Weekly Compost Collection
| Cart Size | Monthly Rate |
| 32-, 64-, or 96-gallon cart | Included |
| Extra compost cart (64-gallon) | $3.89 |
| Extra material tag | $4.00 |
Every-Other-Week Recycle Collection
| Cart Size | Monthly Rate |
| 32-, 64-, or 96-gallon cart | Included |
| Extra recycle cart (96-gallon) | $3.89 |
Bulky Items*
Mattress or box spring | $38.80 |
| Sofa, chairs, or furniture | $27.71 |
| Large household appliances** | $38.80 |
*Residents receive one free bulk item collection per quarter: Must be scheduled with Republic Services customer service.
**To dispose of freon-container appliances such as refrigerators, freezers, or air conditioners, please contact Eco-Cycle CHaRM: Center for Hard-to-Recycle Materials, 303-444-6634, 6400 Arapahoe Road, Boulder, CO 80303.
The Solid Waste Service Fee
All Lafayette residents who opt out of the City's Three Cart Program through Republic Services will be issued a monthly waste service fee on their Lafayette water utility bill starting Nov. 1, 2023. These changes were adopted by Council as part of Ordinance No. 21, Series 2020.
Homeowner association board members, managers, and residents are encouraged to watch the video to learn about the solid waste service fee, why changes were adopted, and how to transition to the City program.
For any immediate questions, please contact: sustainability@lafayetteco.gov.
The solid waste service fee is a monthly charge to residents that opt out of the City's Three Cart Program. Only those residents that voluntarily choose not to be part of the City's Three Cart Program will receive the fee. The monthly fee will appear on residents' Lafayette water utility bills starting Nov. 2023.
The fee will increase each year on Jan. 1 based on the local consumer price index (CPI). The 2026 solid waste fee is $17.32 There is no way to predict what the fee will be in the new year, as the increase will be based on a 12-month average of CPI percentage change from the year before.
This fee was adopted by Council with the expansion of the City's Three Cart Program in November 2020. In recognition of existing contracts outside of the program, homeowner associations that were not already a part of the program were given a three-year grace period before a solid waste service fee would be imposed on their residents. The three-year grace period ends November 2023.
Joining the City’s program is optional, but residents and homeowner associations are encouraged to participate to avoid the monthly solid waste fee and enjoy the benefits of participating in the City program, including the spring compost giveaway event, composting of Christmas trees, an annual hard-to-recycle event, and weekly compost collection (starts October 2022).
The fee will primarily be used to administer residential solid waste collection for Lafayette residents and cover costs related to the City’s waste diversion. Besides helping cover those costs, the fee can also be used to for costs related to the City’s waste diversion program, such as educational outreach efforts related to compost, or recycling, or other solid waste topics.
If you are a resident in a homeowner’s association (HOA) please contact your property manager or HOA board to encourage them to switch over to the City's program through Republic Services.
When switching to the City program, the City and our partner Republic Services need a minimum of three months’ notice to provide adequate communication to residents and deliver carts to ensure a smooth transition.
The HOA will need to provide the City with:
- A complete list of addresses in your community
- Cart choice (Individual household or community cart selection)
- Individual households can select their own cart sizes if they receive an individualized Lafayette water utility bill.
- HOAs that have one central water utility bill for all their residents must provide a community cart selection, individuals may not select their own cart sizes.
All communication about collection day, the annual calendar, and what to place into each cart will be mailed directly to the resident. Residents will directly communicate with Republic Services’ customer service on all questions regarding collection, community events, and cart size changes.
Informational meetings
The City will continue to host informational meetings in 2023 to provide a comprehensive overview of transitions, requirements, etc. in partnership with the City’s hauler, Republic Services.
HOA boards and property managers
We encourage HOA boards or property managers to contact sustainability@lafayetteco.gov to learn more. Staff is available to attend HOA board meetings to provide a tailored approach to your community.
Benefits of the Three Cart Program
Environmental benefits of the City's Three Cart Program include:
- fewer trash trucks in neighborhoods (lessening traffic, reducing road damage, and decreasing noise and air pollution)
- supporting the City's waste diversion goals
- less material going to our local landfill by increasing participation in recycling and composting
Encouraging all residents to be a part of the same program helps keep the cost lower and helps ensure equal access to programs through the City partner, Republic Services. Customers will also receive benefits at no additional cost such as:
- collection of five bulky items at an event every fall
- a bulky item collected curbside every quarter
- curbside branch and leaf collection event twice a year
Residents will also receive free compost at an annual event, access to a local hard-to-recycle collection event, and be able to place Christmas trees for removal during the months of January-March.