Live Green Lexington
We are the go-to environmental people for the City of Lexington. It’s our job to let you know what the city is doing to protect and improve the environment and how you can help.
Our team is part of the Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works, which consists of the divisions of Waste Management, Water Quality (stormwater and sanitary sewers), Environmental Services, Traffic Engineering, Building Inspection, Engineering, and Streets & Roads.
Recycling and trash
Contamination, regular maintenance and recycling markets can all affect Lexington’s Recycle Center, which serves communities throughout Central Kentucky. Visit lexingtonkygov/recycleupdates for the latest updates on what’s happening at the center.
Report a missed pickup or request a new replacement cart by calling 311 or make a service request online.
Campaign sign & holiday light collection
Campaign sign collection
Lexington’s Division of Environmental Services partners with businesses and organizations throughout the county for a special yard sign and stake collection each year. The metal stakes are reused, and the signs are repurposed for craft projects. Stakes that cannot be reused are recycled through LFUCG’s metal recycling program.
Campaign sign collection dates: Nov. 6 – Nov. 18, 2024
Location details coming soon!
Holiday light collection
Don’t throw out your broken string lights this season and don't put them in your recycle cart. Recycle them through the city’s special collection drive! Lights cannot go in curbside recycling carts or mixed recycling dumpsters. They get tangled in equipment, causing delays and damage at the Recycle Center.
Holiday light collection dates: Nov. 19, 2024 – Jan. 12, 2025
Locations details coming soon!
Lights and other electronics can be taken directly to the Electronics Recycling Center year-round. The center is located at 1306 Versailles Road. Visit lexingtonky.gov/eWaste for hours of operation.
Volunteer opportunities
Cleanup opportunities – Rain can wash litter from parking lots, streets, parks and more into storm drains and on into local creeks. The water that enters storm drains isn’t cleaned. That’s why it’s important that only rain goes down the drain. The city provides Creek Sweep kits with bags and gloves that you can use on walks or keep in your car to clean up while you are out and about. You can request a Creek Sweep kit by emailing LiveGreen@lexingtonky.gov.
Storm drain stenciling and painting – Adopt a storm drain. Storm drains lead directly to local creeks, help bring attention to this important infrastructure and encourage people to keep them clean by painting them with clean water messaging; you can even adopt the drain(s) you paint by keeping it free of yard waste, litter and other obstructions. For more information, visit lexingtonky.gov/stencil.
Scheduled volunteer activities
To receive text alerts about upcoming environmental volunteer opportunities, text LexVol to 888777.
At Your Service newsletters
News
Part of Martin Luther King Blvd. closed for sanitary sewer work
Martin Luther King Blvd. will be closed between East Fifth Street and Rand Ave. starting Monday, Nov. 25 for sanitary sewer construction. The roadway is expected to reopen by Friday, Dec. 27.
Lexington Recycle Center to close for part of December
Lexington’s Recycle Center will temporarily close from Dec. 4 – 15 to replace the baler and a fabric structure. People may continue to use recycle carts and recycling dumpsters during the shutdown, but material that is collected will be sent to the landfill.
Bring your used cooking oil to the Gobble Grease Toss
Go green on Black Friday at the Gobble Grease Toss! If you fry your turkey on Thanksgiving, bring your used cooking oil to the Redwood Cooperative School, 166 Crestwood Drive, on Friday, November 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to be recycled.