The City of Rapid City provides residential curbside collection of garbage, recyclables, and yard waste to accounts within city limits. The Rapid City Regional Landfill is a Subtitle D facility permitted for operation by the South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The Rapid City Landfill is operated as an enterprise. There are no tax dollars supporting any part of the Solid Waste Operations. The tipping fees charged at the gate support the Landfill, Material Recovery Facility and yard waste composting operations.

The service is provided to residential properties with no more than four living units. If you'd like to start a new service, please call the City Utility Billing Office at 605-394-4125

Collection Schedule
Collection hours are Monday - Friday 7:00am - 3:30pm
Curbside Manners:

• Containers must be out by 7:00 am to insure proper collection
• Containers must be placed four feet apart and at least four feet from any vehicles, fencing, mailboxes, utility posts, and other objects. Our trucks have automated arms, and if they don't have enough space to grab the can there is a possibility of damage to the city or private property.
• All trash and recycles must be bagged at tied! They have to be able to fit inside of the container and the lid must close. 
• Items that are not accepted in the curbside containers:
  • ​Yard waste and sod
  • Rolls of carpet
  • Construction material (sheetrock, lumber, plywood)
  • Dirt/Rocks
  • Liquids (paints, chemicals, oils)
  • Hot ash (this will melt the can and cause a fire - customers are responsible for the replacement can)
  • Furniture
  • Appliances
• Truck drivers are not allowed to exit their vehicles unless there is an emergency. 
• Because of the wind that we experience in this area, tipped containers are a common thing. In order to get the routes done in a timely manner, the drivers must stay in their vehicles and will continue on route.
  • This is also why bagging and tying all trash and recycles is important! If there is any loose trash that has spilled out from a tipped over can, it is also the residents responsibility. Bagging and tying keeps the litter under control!
• All garbage must be in a city issued container or it will not be collected. 
• Extra bags and boxes next to the containers will not be collected.

Standard Can Prices and Sizes
Medium cans : 65 gallons - $23.83 (best for household of five or less)
Large cans : 95 gallons - $25.68 (best for household of five or more)
If you would like a different container, please come down to the Material Recovery Facility at the Landfill and we can exchange it for free. Otherwise, there is a $15 fee for exchanging it at your location. New residents are allowed one free can exchange at no cost within the first 30 days of their residency. 

Transfer Stations
The City of Rapid City offers recycling and yard waste collection at two remote site locations:

• Fitzgerald Stadium on Sheridan Lake Rd
• ​Rapid City Landfill on Hwy 79 (only location with newspaper recycling)​

The yard waste containers will be put back at the remote sites on May 1st, 2023. Otherwise the recycling, cardboard, and newspaper containers are out year round. These containers are emptied every single day, so if the container is gone it's probably being emptied and should be back shortly. 

Grass clippings, tree branches (under six feet long and small than four inches in diameter), and any organic material may be brought to the yard waste containers. 
Please respect the guidelines for the yard waste containers. 

• No plastic bags - biodegradable ones only
• No excessively long branches, logs, or root balls. These must come straight out to the landfill. 
• No garbage. No pallets, lumber, furniture, tires, etc. Yard waste only. 
• No commercial haulers, residential use only. 
• NO SCAVENGING. No one is allowed inside of the containers. 
• No littering or dumping. 

In the recycling containers, you can put mixed recyclables inside. This includes glass, steel, aluminum, and all plastics. 
In the cardboard containers, you can only put corrugated cardboard inside. Please flatten all cardboard before placing it in the bins. Any shiny cardboard is unfortunately not recyclable in this area. This includes cereal boxes, TV boxes, diaper boxes, anything with the shiny pictures on it. Pizza boxes are also not recyclable because of the grease. 
In the newspaper containers, any newsprint including insert flyers are allowed. No office paper. 

Regional residents are welcome to use the transfer stations.