Helena and Billings apartment owners, asset managers, and on-site teams: you may not face a formal apartment recycling mandate today, but you are subject to Montana’s solid waste rules and local community-decay ordinances. National Doorstep’s valet trash & recycling program is engineered to keep your communities clean, inspection-ready, and aligned with Helena City Code Title 6, Chapter 1 and county community-decay ordinances, while giving residents the modern doorstep amenity they expect.
Within the City of Helena, all occupied properties must store and dispose of refuse in approved containers and conditions. Failure to meet sanitary accumulation, collection, and disposal standards is treated as a misdemeanor under the City’s refuse code. In Lewis & Clark County and Yellowstone County, community-decay ordinances prohibit visible junk, garbage, and debris along public roadways. That means that even without a codified apartment recycling mandate, overflowing enclosures, scattered bags, and resident dumping can still trigger inspections, enforcement, and fines.
- Protect NOI & Asset Value: Reduce risk of code complaints and community-decay enforcement by keeping enclosures clean and containers right-sized to resident behavior.
- Resident-First Convenience: Doorstep service that keeps residents out of dark enclosures, cuts down on trips to central dumpsters, and supports renewals and online reputation.
- Code-Smart Design: Container layouts, labels, and service frequencies designed around Helena and Billings solid waste standards, landfill rules, and county community-decay expectations.
- Hands-Off Compliance: We coordinate haulers, resident education, and documentation so your property manager and site team can focus on leasing and operations.
At a Glance: Helena & Lewis & Clark County vs. Billings & Yellowstone County
City of Helena (Inside City Limits)
- Mandate Type: No dedicated apartment recycling mandate. Solid-waste and sanitary-refuse standards apply to all occupied properties, and recycling is encouraged through city and state programs.
- Applicability Threshold: Refuse standards apply broadly to all residential and commercial generators. Best practice is to treat any 5+ unit community as needing a structured on-site recycling program to support residents and avoid nuisance conditions.
- Owner / Property Manager Duties: Maintain adequate refuse collection through the City of Helena Solid Waste Division or an approved hauler; use approved containers; prevent accumulation of garbage and debris; keep enclosures clean, closed, and accessible for residents. When recycling is provided, containers should be clearly labeled and sited alongside trash to encourage proper use.
- Program Duties: Align container capacity and pick-up frequency with actual resident volume. Integrate door-to-door collection to reduce overflowing dumpsters, illegal dumping, and community-decay complaints while supporting the City’s Strategic Plan for Waste Reduction and Montana DEQ integrated waste management goals.
- Key City & County Links: City of Helena – Solid Waste · Helena City Code – Refuse Standards · Lewis & Clark County – Solid Waste · Lewis & Clark County – Community Decay Enforcement
City of Billings & Yellowstone County
- Mandate Type: No dedicated apartment recycling mandate. Solid-waste collection, landfill rules, and city / county community-decay ordinances govern how trash, junk, and debris are handled.
- Applicability Threshold: City solid-waste and nuisance rules apply broadly to residential and commercial properties. Yellowstone County’s community-decay ordinance applies to nuisance conditions visible from public rights-of-way, including stored junk, trash, and debris.
- Owner / Property Manager Duties: Maintain adequate trash collection through the City of Billings Solid Waste Division or a commercial hauler; keep dumpsters and roll-offs closed; follow Billings Regional Landfill rules for acceptable material; prevent accumulation of junk and debris that could be cited under city or county community-decay enforcement.
- Program Duties: Use valet trash & recycling to intercept bagged waste at residents’ doors, reducing illegal dumping at central enclosures. When on-site or drop-off recycling is available, integrate it into resident education and collection routes so recycling is as convenient as trash.
- Key City & County Links: Billings Regional Landfill · Billings – Recycling Resources · Yellowstone County – Code & Community Decay Enforcement · Yellowstone County – Community Decay Ordinance
Helena & Billings Area Apartment Recycling Mandates
Neither the City of Helena nor the City of Billings currently has a codified apartment recycling mandate with a specific unit threshold and fine structure. Instead, they regulate how refuse is stored, collected, and disposed, and both counties enforce community-decay ordinances that target visible junk, trash, and debris.
| Jurisdiction | Apartment Recycling Mandate? | Notes for Owners & Property Managers |
|---|---|---|
| City of Helena | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
Refuse standards under Helena City Code Title 6, Chapter 1 apply to all generators. Violations of sanitary accumulation, storage, or disposal rules are treated as misdemeanors, with fines and the possibility that each day a condition persists is treated as a separate offense. Recycling service is voluntary but strongly supported by the City’s solid-waste and waste-reduction planning. A structured valet trash & recycling program helps residents comply while keeping enclosures inspection-ready. Key local links: City of Helena – Solid Waste |
| Unincorporated Lewis & Clark County | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
The County operates solid-waste districts and enforces a Community Decay Ordinance that prohibits conditions created by accumulated rubble, debris, junk, or refuse. Multifamily properties are expected to prevent visible junk piles, scattered trash, and abandoned items. Recycling for residents is generally voluntary and delivered via transfer-station programs, drop-off sites, or private haulers. Key local links: Lewis & Clark County – Community Decay Enforcement |
| City of Billings | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
The City manages solid waste and the Billings Regional Landfill. Municipal code and landfill rules require proper storage, collection, and disposal of refuse, and prohibit dumping or depositing non-acceptable material. Apartment communities are treated as commercial generators and can add recycling through hauler contracts or voluntary programs. Valet trash & recycling helps property managers keep containers within capacity and reduce contamination and illegal dumping. Key local links: Billings Regional Landfill |
| Unincorporated Yellowstone County | No dedicated apartment recycling mandate |
The Yellowstone County Community Decay Ordinance targets nuisance conditions visible from public roadways, including junk vehicles, abandoned structures, and accumulated trash and debris. Apartment properties in unincorporated areas are expected to maintain clean, orderly grounds and avoid conditions that could trigger community-decay enforcement. Recycling service is coordinated via private haulers and regional programs, not a specific county mandate. Key local links: Yellowstone County – Community Decay Ordinance |
Helena & Billings Fines & Penalties Snapshot
- Helena Refuse Code (City Limits): Failure to carry out duties for the sanitary accumulation, collection, transportation, and disposal of refuse is declared a misdemeanor. Violations are subject to fines, with a stated minimum fine in the City’s refuse code. Each day a violation continues may be treated as a separate offense.
- Lewis & Clark County Community Decay: The County’s Community Decay Ordinance allows Environmental Health to investigate complaints, issue warnings and abatement orders, and escalate to citations and fines when junk, garbage, and debris accumulate in view of public roadways.
- Billings / Yellowstone County Community Decay: City and county code-enforcement staff can address nuisance conditions such as accumulated trash, junk vehicles, and dilapidated structures. Non-compliance can lead to formal notices, cleanup requirements, and fines under local ordinances.
- Landfill & Disposal Rules: The Billings Regional Landfill sets rules for acceptable waste types and special waste (e.g., asbestos, hazardous materials). Violations can result in surcharges, refusal of loads, or enforcement actions.
- Risk Management Tip: Even without a “must-offer recycling” mandate, overflowing dumpsters, scattered bags, and recurring nuisance conditions create exposure. A structured valet trash & recycling program gives property managers documentation and daily oversight so they can demonstrate good-faith compliance if a complaint is filed.
Helena & Billings Multifamily Waste & Recycling Checklist
| Task | Action / Requirement | Helpful Links |
|---|---|---|
| ☑ Confirm Jurisdiction & Service Area | Verify whether your community is inside Helena, inside Billings, or in unincorporated Lewis & Clark or Yellowstone County. Match your solid-waste provider to the correct city or county service area and make sure your containers and set-out practices match local expectations. | Helena Solid Waste · Billings Regional Landfill |
| ☑ Right-Size Trash & Recycling Capacity | Evaluate how many residents you serve and how quickly dumpsters fill. Add or resize trash and recycling containers to avoid chronic overflow and illegal dumping. Use valet trash & recycling to smooth resident behavior, consolidate set-outs, and keep enclosures within capacity. | Billings Recycling Resources · Montana DEQ – Recycling & Waste |
| ☑ Align with Community-Decay Standards | Walk the property as a county inspector would: stand on public roads and common drive aisles and look for junk piles, loose bags, abandoned furniture, and overflowing containers. Remove or contain anything that could be seen as community decay or a nuisance condition. | Lewis & Clark Community Decay · Yellowstone Community Decay |
| ☑ Resident Education & Set-Out Rules | Give each resident clear instructions at move-in and throughout the year: what can go in trash vs. recycling, how to bag materials for valet collection, where and when to place items out, and what is prohibited. Reinforce with signage at mail kiosks, enclosures, and digital channels. | Montana DEQ – Recycling Guidance |
| ☑ Document Service & Inspections | Keep a simple file for each property: hauler agreements, service logs, photos of container areas, and copies of resident communications. This gives your property manager and ownership a paper trail to demonstrate diligence if a complaint is filed with city or county code enforcement. | Montana DEQ – Solid Waste |
Want fewer complaints and cleaner enclosures in Helena or Billings? Request a Free Compliance Audit for your Montana property. We’ll review your current setup, right-size containers and service, design a resident-friendly valet trash & recycling program, and prepare the inspector-ready documentation you need to show alignment with local solid-waste and community-decay standards.
Interested in talking about how we can work together? Here's our contact info.
