Boulder, Colorado
Valet trash in Boulder.
Boulder has required apartment communities to offer trash, recycling and compost since 2016. Doorstep collection makes sorting part of every resident's evening.
Local rules
What Boulder requires
Boulder's Universal Zero Waste Ordinance requires property owners to provide adequate composting, recycling and trash collection to their tenants, subscribe to all three services, and regularly tell renters where the bins are. Accurate sorting signs are required.
Enforcement starts with a 30-day Notice of Pending Violation. A property still out of compliance 14 days after an investigation faces fines of $500, then $1,000, then $2,000. The city has paused enforcement of the compost requirement until further notice.
The city also points to high resident turnover in multifamily housing, especially in student areas, as the reason sorting education has to be ongoing.
Sources, checked October 2026
A plain-language summary, not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the city.
In Boulder
Sorting at the door
When trash, recycling and compost are collected at each door, every new resident learns the system in their first week, without another flyer from the office. Boss Bins takes each stream to its container, so the sorting residents do at the door is the sorting that reaches your hauler.
Neighborhoods we cover
- Boulder Junction
- Gunbarrel
- Table Mesa
- University Hill
How it works
A night of service in Boulder.
Set out
Residents place bags at their door during the window in your guidelines, usually 6 to 8 PM.
Collected
From 8 PM, every hallway and breezeway is walked door to door until the last bag is gone. Sunday through Thursday.
Finished
Trash, recycling and compost go to your enclosure or compactor. Chutes stay clear and hallways are empty by morning.
Services
Available in Boulder.
- Doorstep valet trashTrash, recycling and compost collected at every door, Sunday through Thursday from 8 PM.
- Pet waste stations and outdoor binsStations emptied, relined and restocked, and outdoor bins swapped out, on a set schedule.
- Enclosure and compactor room cleanupsTrash enclosures, compactor rooms and chute rooms cleared, power-washed and kept presentable.
- Bulk trash and junk removalEviction leftovers, abandoned furniture, appliances and electronics that can't go in the dumpster.
- Bin cleaning and sanitizingCarts and outdoor receptacles washed and sanitized, one time or on a schedule.
Questions
Valet trash in Boulder, answered.
Is compost still required in Boulder?
The ordinance still lists compost, but the city has paused enforcement of the compost requirement until further notice. Boss Bins collects compost wherever your community offers it.
Schedule a walkthrough in Boulder.
Devon walks the property, learns the layout and builds a service plan around it. No obligation.
Or text Devon at (303) 418-6868.