Memphis Trash, Yard and Property Rules That Affect Rodents

Garbage cart rules

The city's household garbage rules set out how and when carts go to the curb:

• Carts may go out no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before collection and must be brought in by 8 a.m. the day after collection
• Place carts and curbside items within 3 feet of the street, with 4 feet of clearance from cars, utility poles, fire hydrants and mailboxes
• Face the lid toward the street and the handle toward the house, and do not leave lids open
• Do not overload the cart

For rats, the open lid is the biggest problem. A cart that will not close because it is overfilled, or that has a cracked or missing lid, is an open buffet. If your cart is damaged, ask about a repair or replacement through 311 or the Solid Waste request forms.

Bag your food waste

The city asks residents to bag or wrap all food waste to limit odors and vectors, and to refrigerate or freeze food waste until collection day when possible. It also says not to put unwrapped food or loose waste directly into the cart.

That matters more in a Memphis summer, when food waste in a hot cart smells strong within a day. Meat scraps, bones and grease are the worst. Freezing them until the night before pickup is a simple fix. Rinse food containers before they go into recycling, too.

Bulky waste and yard debris

Bulky waste piles are a common rat shelter, because they sit at the curb and rats can nest underneath. City rules say:

• Bulky piles may not exceed 10 cubic yards and should sit within 3 feet of the street, away from mailboxes, parked cars, fences, trees and low limbs
• Do not set material out after crews have passed your house
• Tree debris must be less than 5 feet long and less than 13 inches in diameter
• Yard waste goes in disposable bags at the curb, not in the street or gutter
• Contractors such as lawn services and tree trimmers must remove their own waste

A 2022 Solid Waste bulletin added that tree limbs should be piled separately from other debris, since mixing them can slow collection, and that homeowners who leave oversized limbs can get a code violation notice and be charged for removal.

Put bulky items out as close to your collection week as you can, not weeks ahead. A pile that sits for a month becomes a nesting site.

Construction debris and hazardous waste

Garbage carts and bulky pickup do not take construction and demolition debris: dirt, brick, concrete, lumber, roofing, fencing, carpet and similar material. The city says contractors must remove their own waste, and owners may be invoiced for removal if they do not. Piles of old lumber and roofing left in a yard are classic Norway rat cover, so plan for disposal before a project starts.

Household hazardous waste, like old rodent bait, pesticides and chemicals, goes to the Shelby County household hazardous waste facility at 6305 Haley Road in Memphis, not in the cart.

Dead animal pickup

Memphis Solid Waste removes dead animals from public right-of-way and city property. Call 311. Bag the animal and place it at the curb between the sidewalk and the curb, not in the street or gutter. There is no collection on Saturdays, Sundays or city holidays.

The city does not provide this service on private property, private developments, private streets or apartment complexes, or for other municipalities and unincorporated Shelby County.

For a dead rat in your yard or house, wear gloves and follow the CDC's method: spray the rodent and the area with disinfectant, let it soak for five minutes, put it in a plastic bag, tie it, put that inside a second bag, and place it in a covered trash can. See dead rodent removal if you cannot find the source of a smell.

Abandoned property and junk

Abandoned houses, abandoned lots, abandoned vehicles, and junk or appliances stored outside are Code Enforcement matters. The city's Code Enforcement unit administers the property maintenance code adopted by Ordinance No. 5708. File a complaint through Memphis 311 online or at 901-636-6500.

Local code enforcement also reaches the courts. A 2015 CDC assessment of Shelby County's rodent program credited the county's environmental courts with enforcing rodent-related codes such as trash rules.

For a neighbor whose yard is feeding rats but does not rise to a code violation, a friendly conversation often works better than a complaint. The county rodent program also takes complaints about outdoor rodent activity. See the reporting guide.

Seasonal habits for Memphis yards

Rat pressure in Memphis shifts a little with the seasons, and so do the habits that help.

Summer is when food waste smells worst. Bag or wrap food scraps, freeze meat and bones until the night before pickup, and rinse the cart out with a hose now and then. Keep grill drip trays clean, since grease draws rats onto patios.

Fall brings pecans, acorns and fruit dropping in older yards, and leaf season fills the curb with bags. Rake nuts and fruit up regularly near the house. Set out bagged leaves close to your collection week rather than letting them line the curb for weeks. This is also when rodents push hardest toward attics and crawl spaces, so check vent screens and the garage door seal.

Winter is short in Memphis, and rats stay active. Firewood stacked against the house in December is a common nesting spot by January. Keep it on a rack, off the ground, away from the walls, and bring in only what you will burn in a day or two.

Spring is the time to trim limbs back from the roof, before the canopy fills in, and to look along the foundation for new burrows. Clear winter debris out from behind sheds and along fences.

After storms, tree debris piles can sit at the curb for a while. Follow the city's size limits and keep limbs separate from other debris so crews can pick them up sooner.

Habits that keep rats away

Beyond the city rules, a few habits make a big difference in Memphis yards:

• Keep pet food inside, and do not leave bowls out overnight
• Clean up spilled seed under bird feeders daily, or take feeders down while you deal with rats
• Pick up fallen pecans, figs and other fruit near the house
• Keep compost in a closed bin and leave out meat, dairy and cooked food
• Stack firewood off the ground and away from the house
• Trim limbs back from the roof so roof rats cannot use them as bridges

If rats are already in the house, yard work alone will not clear them. See how to get rid of rats in Memphis.