Accessibility Guidebook for Outdoor Recreation and Trails

Trash Receptacles and Wildlife

Safety is also the primary issue when it comes to the accessibility of trash receptacles. In bear country, use trash and recycling containers designed to keep the bears out to minimize contacts between bears and humans. Operating controls for these types of containers require more force than is allowed for accessible operation. Until bear-resistant trash and recycling containers that comply with the technical requirements for accessible operating controls are available from more than one source, recreation areas where bears and other large animals pose a risk to humans are exempt from this requirement. Incidentally, dumpsters—the big containers that are mechanically lifted and tipped to empty into commercial garbage trucks—are exempted from accessibility guidelines. More information about trash receptacles is in "Trash, Recycling, and Other Essential Containers" of this guidebook.