Trash Collection

§ 5-2-3-4. SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL USER FEES (passed June 26, 2024)

(A)The minimum solid waste and recycling collection disposal user fee shall be $17.50 per month for each household which receives collection service from the City of Lawrence Division of Sanitation for one solid waste and one recycle container.  The base fee shall increase by sixty cents ($0.60) effective on January 2 of each year hereafter.

(B)A senior citizen discount of $5.00 per month of the disposal user fee shall be available to one- and two-person households where one or both persons have attained the age of 65 years of age and use a maximum of 7,500 gallons of water monthly.  Households receiving the senior citizen discount are not eligible for extra container rental.

(C)Overage tags may be purchased for trash bags or boxes that do not fit into the container from the Department of Public Works for $2.00 each.

(D)The Board of Works will designate a timeframe as a "Spring Cleaning/Fall Cleaning" event, during which time households may dispose of up to three (3) bulky items without additional charge.

(E)For each household that utilizes an additional standard container for trash or recycle pickup, there shall be an additional fee of $4.00 per month per extra container.  The maximum number of containers per household shall be two (2) trash, two (2) recycle.

(F)For each household that requires the replacement of a container, there shall be a charge of $60 per container.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Why is my trash service changing?

A: The city’s contract with our previous trash service vendor expired in 2023. Pursuant to Indiana Law, the city’s Board of Public Works and Safety issued a Request for Proposals and conducted an extensive evaluation of the proposals received. Following a thorough review process, Priority Waste was selected as the city’s new vendor for residential trash collection services.

Priority Waste began servicing Lawrence residents on December 1, 2023.

Q: When do these changes start?

A: The changes to the residential trash collection fee structure are effective with your August 2024 utility bill. The changes to our city’s schedule for lawn and leaf removal and heavy trash pickup are also effective this month (August).

As a reminder, heavy trash pickup will take place during the first full week of the months of May and October annually. Each household may place three (3) heavy or bulky items out for collection during those weeks; outside of those weeks, Priority Waste will pick up heavy trash or bulky items for a fee of $10.00 per item. To arrange pickup, contact Priority Waste at 855-WASTE-65 (855-927-8365) or 586-228-1200 at least 48 hours before putting your item out for collection.

Lawn and leaf removal will occur in April and November of each year; each household may set out up to fifteen (15) bags of lawn and garden waste, total, during those months. 

Q: Why is my utility bill increasing?

A: Your utility bill includes the cost of residential trash service, so your August 2024 utility statement will reflect the new fee and pricing structure for trash collection services.

The City of Lawrence has not raised prices for residential trash service since 2009, even though costs for fuel, equipment, and labor having increased by more than 35% over that fifteen-year period (according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

In 2023, the previous Lawrence administration executed a new contract for trash removal services with Priority Waste that reflected those increased prices but did not adjust DPW’s budget to cover the cost. Since January, DPW has been paying much more for residential trash removal than it was charging residents for those services, causing a serious shortfall in DPW’s budget.

To keep our city on a positive trajectory, we must align residential trash collection fees with what that service costs. Failure to do so will result in DPW being unable to maintain our city’s streets, sidewalks, and other critical infrastructure.

Q: Do residents in other communities pay similar fees for trash service?

A: Yes. Many residents in nearby communities pay roughly the same or slightly higher fees for trash collection when compared with the new Lawrence minimum base price of $17.50 per month, followed by annual increases of sixty cents ($0.60) every January.  

In 2025, residents in Fishers will begin paying a minimum base price of $16.30 for trash service, with annual increases of about $1.00 per year for the next decade. Residents in Carmel currently pay $14.70 for trash service; their rate will increase to $19.07 over the next five years. Trash collection fees for residents in the town of Whiteland just increased from $13 per month to $18.05 per month. Like the City of Lawrence, each of these communities have chosen to include curbside recycling with their trash collection services. 

Q: I’m over 65. How do I get the senior citizen discount on trash collection fees?

A: The senior citizen rate of $5.00 off the minimum base fee is available to all one- or two-person households in the City of Lawrence in which one or both people in the household is 65 or older and the household uses a maximum of 7,500 gallons of water per month.

To qualify for the senior citizen rate, the Lawrence Utilities account holder in your household must have a state-issued photo I.D. verifying their age/date of birth. Call Lawrence DPW at 317-545-8787 for assistance. 

Q: My household doesn’t recycle. Can I decline or return my curbside recycling bin and receive a discount on my trash collection fee?

A: No. As part of our effort to care for our community and reduce the amount of solid waste sent to local landfills, the City of Lawrence includes curbside pickup of one recycling container per household, per week in your standard trash collection service. We are proud to offer this service to our residents without an additional or separate fee, and we hope you will choose to join us in our effort to ensure a clean, green future for the City of Lawrence by recycling materials that would otherwise be sent to a landfill.

Q: Why do I have to pay for extra trash or recycling containers?

A: The city’s contract with Priority Waste covers pickup of one (1) solid waste container and one (1) recycling container per household, per week. Additional containers for solid waste and recycling are available for a fee of $4.00 per container, per month, up to a maximum of two (2) two trash containers and/or two (2) total recycling containers, per household. The additional charges cover the increased time and labor expenses for Priority Waste to collect the extra containers.

To request additional containers, please contact City of Lawrence Department of Public Works at 317-545-8787.

Q: I don’t mind paying for extra containers, but can I mix-and-match what kind of containers I get? For example, can I have three (3) trash containers and one (1) recycling container?

A: No. To balance how much solid waste our community sends to landfills vs. how much waste we send to be recycled, all households are limited a maximum of two (2) total trash containers and two (2) total recycling containers. 

Q: What happens if I lose my trash or recycling container(s)?

A: If you lose one of your DPW trash or recycling containers, you will be charged a $60.00 replacement fee to receive a new one. Contact the City of Lawrence Department of Public Works for assistance at 317-545-8787.

If you believe your container has been stolen, you may avoid the replacement fee by filing a theft report with the Lawrence Police Department at 317-545-7575.

Q: I’m getting ready to move out of Lawrence. Can I take my trash and recycling containers with me when I go?

A: No. If you do, the next residents of your home could face a $60.00 replacement fee for each container you take.

Trash and recycling containers issued by DPW belong to the street address, not the people who live/d there. If you’re moving, kindly leave your trash and recycling containers for use by your home’s next residents.

Q: Who can I call if I have other questions about the changes to my trash service?

A: Please call Lawrence DPW at 317-545-8787 if you have any questions about this information or need assistance with your curbside trash and recycling services.