Trash Pickup Schedule Day • Texas

Austin, TX Trash Pickup & Recycling Schedule (2026) — The Complete Guide

Everything Austin residents typically need in one place: weekly trash, weekly composting (green cart),
every-other-week recycling, on-demand bulk/brush/HHW (3 per year each), holiday slide rules,
drop-off center, and how to report missed pickup.

Important: In Austin, your exact schedule is tied to your address. The City’s official “My Schedule” tool is the fastest way
to view a personalized calendar (printable + iCal/Google/Outlook) and schedule services.


🔎 Find your Austin pickup day (Official “My Schedule”)

The City of Austin “My Schedule” tool shows your personalized collection calendar for trash, recycling, and composting.
You can also download a calendar (printable + iCal/Google/Outlook) and manage services like on-demand pickups.

Step-by-step

  1. Open “My Schedule”: View Your Schedule
  2. Enter your address and confirm your service day(s).
  3. Download the calendar or add it to your phone (iCal/Google/Outlook).
  4. If you need bulk/brush/HHW pickup, schedule via On-Demand (details below).

🕒 Weekly pickup & set-out rules (Austin)

Austin’s curbside collection follows a strict set-out time to support route efficiency and worker safety (especially in heat).

✅ Set-out time

  • Place carts out by 5:30 a.m.
  • Carts may be set out the evening before (after 8:00 p.m.)
  • Remove carts after service

📅 Frequencies

  • Trash (gray cart): weekly
  • Composting/organics (green cart): weekly
  • Recycling (blue cart): every other week

🚫 Placement tips

  • Keep carts spaced (about 5 feet apart)
  • Lids closed; don’t block sidewalks/bike lanes
  • Keep clear of cars, poles, mailboxes

♻️ Recycling in Austin (Blue Cart)

Austin recycling is single-stream (items go together in the blue cart) and is collected every other week.
Keep contamination low to avoid rejected loads.

✅ Accepted (examples)

  • Paper & cardboard (flattened)
  • Glass bottles & jars
  • Metal cans (aluminum/steel)
  • Hard plastics (bottles/jugs/tubs) — no bags/film
  • Cartons & coated paper products (including many coffee cups)

🚫 Not accepted

  • Plastic bags/film; tanglers (hoses/cords)
  • Food/liquids; Styrofoam
  • HHW & e-waste (use On-Demand HHW or drop-off options)

Want a simple “what goes where” cheat-sheet (US-wide)? Use our guide:
Trash vs. Recycling (US).

🌿 Composting / organics (Green Cart)

Austin’s green cart is collected weekly. It accepts a wide range of organics because materials are processed at a commercial facility that reaches high temperatures.

What goes in (examples)

  • Food scraps (including meat, dairy, bones)
  • Food-soiled paper
  • Yard trimmings
  • Natural fibers
Important: Keep plastics out of the green cart (including many “compostable” liners). If you need a liner, use paper bags when possible.

📦 On-Demand Bulk, Brush & HHW (Austin — 2025+)

Starting January 2025, Austin moved from set weeks to on-demand pickups that you schedule.
This helps reduce illegal dumping and improves service flexibility.

What you can schedule

  • Bulk pickup (large household items)
  • Brush pickup (tree limbs/yard debris in approved form)
  • Household hazardous waste (HHW) pickup
Annual limit: You can schedule up to three (3) collections per year for each service:
bulk, brush, and HHW.

How to book (3 ways)

  1. Use the official booking page: On-Demand Pickup
  2. Book through “My Schedule” (address-based)
  3. Use the Austin Recycles app or call 3-1-1

🏗️ Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center (Austin)

Austin offers a drop-off option for many hard-to-recycle items and HHW. The main center is typically appointment-only.

Site Address / Access Notes
Recycle & Reuse Drop-off Center 2514 Business Center Dr., Austin, TX 78744
By appointment only		 Drop off many hard-to-recycle/HHW items. Info commonly references phone (512) 974-4343 for the facility.
Official info: Drop-off Center (appointments/details may also appear at Drop-off Schedule).

🎉 Holiday schedule in Austin (Slide Days)

In Austin, collections typically slide one day later if your collection day falls on — or after — these holidays in the same week:
New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, or Christmas Day.
If the holiday falls on a weekend, there’s typically no slide.

Best practice: Your address-specific “My Schedule” calendar is the source of truth for holiday adjustments.

❗ Missed pickup in Austin — what to do

If your cart wasn’t collected, do these steps fast to avoid waiting until the next collection cycle.

Checklist

  1. Confirm carts were out by 5:30 a.m. and properly placed (spaced, lids closed, not blocked).
  2. Confirm accepted materials (contamination can cause rejection).
  3. Report the missed pickup via Austin 3-1-1 (web/app/phone).

Official 3-1-1 page: Open Austin 3-1-1

💲 Cart sizes & fees (PAYT — Pay-As-You-Throw)

Austin uses pay-as-you-throw: your monthly rate depends on your trash cart size.
Many residents save money by downsizing their trash cart.

  • Downsizing to a smaller trash cart is typically free.
  • Upsizing to a larger trash cart may include a small one-time fee.
  • The City typically requires recycling capacity to be equal to or larger than trash capacity when requesting additional carts.

To change cart size, call (512) 494-9400.

Official rates/fees: Austin Resource Recovery Fees

FAQ — Austin trash & recycling

How do I find my trash pickup day in Austin?

Use the City of Austin “My Schedule” tool and enter your address. It shows your exact trash, recycling, and composting days and lets you download a calendar.

What time should I set my carts out in Austin?

Set carts out by 5:30 a.m.. Carts can usually go out the evening before (after 8:00 p.m.) and should be removed after service.

Is Austin recycling picked up every week?

Recycling in Austin is typically collected every other week. Check “My Schedule” to confirm your exact recycling week by address.

How do on-demand bulk, brush, and HHW pickups work?

Starting in January 2025, Austin uses on-demand scheduling for bulk, brush, and household hazardous waste (HHW).
You can schedule up to three (3) collections per year for each service via “My Schedule,” the Austin Recycles app, or by calling 3-1-1.

Do holidays change trash collection in Austin?

Yes. Collection typically slides one day later if your pickup day falls on — or after — New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, or Christmas Day
in the same week. There’s typically no slide when the holiday falls on a weekend. Always confirm in “My Schedule.”

☎️ Official links & contacts (Austin)