City of Bloomington Announces October Adjustment to Trash Cart Rates

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.