Austin Trash Pickup Schedule, Recycling & Bulk 2026
Find your Austin Resource Recovery collection day, recycling week, and on-demand bulk, brush & HHW pickup rules for Austin, TX.
City of Austin · Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) · Updated March 2026
Find Your Austin Collection Day
Select your collection day to instantly see your full weekly schedule — garbage, recycling week, compost, on-demand services, and holiday slide impact.
👈 Select your day above to see your complete Austin collection schedule.
⚠ Don’t know your day yet? Use the My Schedule tool at austintexas.gov or call Austin 3-1-1. Can’t find your day? See all contact options ↓
Austin Waste Collection — Quick Facts
Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) serves single-family homes and buildings with up to 4 units within Austin city limits. Buildings with 5+ units must use a licensed private hauler. All three carts are collected on the same weekday. Compost is weekly; recycling is every other week.
Austin’s Three Carts — Colors, Contents & Set-Out Rules
Every ARR-served Austin home receives three carts collected on the same weekday. The brown trash cart is the only one you pay for — the blue recycling and green compost carts are included at no additional charge in any size.
Blue Cart — Recycling
Clean paper, cardboard, cartons, cans, glass, rigid plastic. Loose, never bagged. Every other week (A/B).
Biweekly • FreeGreen Cart — Compost
All food scraps including meat & bones, food-soiled paper, yard trimmings. No plastic bags. Weekly.
Weekly • FreeBrown Cart — Garbage
Non-recyclable, non-compostable waste. Bag and tie all trash. Rate depends on cart size.
Weekly • Pay-as-you-throw⏰ Set-Out Rules — Critical for Austin
- All carts must be at the curb by 5:30 a.m. on your collection day. You may set them out after 8:00 p.m. the evening before.
- Carts must be 5 feet apart from each other and from any parked car, mailbox, tree, or overhead wire. This is strictly enforced because ARR uses automated arm trucks — too close means a crew member has to exit the truck to move carts, slowing every route.
- Cart lids must be fully closed, with handles facing toward your house.
- Do not block bike lanes or sidewalks with carts.
- Bag and tie all garbage in the brown cart. Do not bag recycling or compost.
- Remove carts from the curb after collection.
Austin Trash Rates 2026 — Pay What You Throw
Austin uses a pay-as-you-throw model: you pay based on the size of your brown trash cart only. The blue recycling and green compost carts are included at no extra charge in any size. The smaller the brown cart you can manage, the less you pay each month. ARR offers four trash cart sizes:
| Brown Trash Cart Size | Best For | Key Rule |
|---|---|---|
| 20-gallon | Small households that compost & recycle everything possible | Smallest available; must bag all trash |
| 32-gallon | 1–2 person households with consistent sorting habits | Good starting point for new composters |
| 48-gallon | Medium households; typical default size | Most common size in Austin |
| 96-gallon | Larger households or less frequent sorters | Max size available; requires same recycling capacity |
Austin Holiday Trash Collection Schedule 2026
Austin Resource Recovery officially observes only three holidays with a collection delay: New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. The City of Austin’s official statement confirms the rule: if your collection day falls on these holidays or after them in the same week, it slides one day later. All other holidays — MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans’ Day — are fully normal service days.
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Impact | What Happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thu, Jan 1 | Slide | Thu → Fri | Fri → Sat | Mon–Wed: normal. Officially confirmed by City of Austin. |
| MLK Day | Mon, Jan 19 | Normal | ARR works. All carts collected on schedule. |
| Presidents’ Day | Mon, Feb 16 | Normal | ARR works. No delay. |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 25 | Normal | ARR works. No delay. |
| Juneteenth | Fri, Jun 19 | Normal | ARR works. No delay. |
| Independence Day | Sat, Jul 4 | Normal | Falls on Saturday — no weekday impact. |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sep 7 | Normal | ARR works. No delay. |
| Veterans’ Day | Wed, Nov 11 | Normal | ARR works. No delay. |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 26 | Slide | Thu → Fri | Fri → Sat | Mon–Wed: normal. |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 | Slide | Fri → Sat | Mon–Thu: normal that week. |
Austin Recycling — What Goes in the Blue Cart
Austin uses single-stream recycling in the blue cart, collected every other week on the same day as trash and compost. Your address is assigned to either Week A or Week B — confirm yours in the My Schedule tool. All items must be empty, clean, and placed loose. Never bag recyclables.
Austin accepts food and beverage cartons and coated paper products including coffee cups in the blue cart — a recent expansion of accepted materials. Extra recycling that doesn’t fit in the closed cart can be placed in a cardboard box (no larger than the cart, using the cart lid as a size guide) beside the cart at no charge.
✅ Accepted in the Blue Cart
- Paper: newspapers, magazines, office paper, junk mail, paperback books, paper bags
- Cardboard — flattened to fit in cart with lid closed
- Cartons & coated paper: milk, juice, soup, coffee cups (new!)
- Aluminum and steel cans
- Glass bottles and jars — rinsed
- Hard (rigid) plastic containers — no bags
🚫 Never in the Blue Cart
- Plastic bags or plastic film → grocery store drop-off
- Styrofoam / polystyrene of any kind
- Food or liquids → green compost cart
- Electronics or batteries → Drop-Off Center
- Tanglers: hoses, cords, wire hangers
- Glossy/window envelopes → green compost cart
- “Compostable” plastics → brown trash cart
Austin Composting — What Goes in the Green Cart
Austin’s curbside composting program collects food scraps, yard trimmings, and food-soiled paper in the green cart, processed weekly at a commercial composting facility. Because the facility reaches extremely high temperatures, Austin’s green cart accepts meat, bones, seafood, dairy, and all food scraps — items that cannot be processed in backyard compost piles.
✅ Accepted in the Green Cart
- All food scraps: raw & cooked meat, poultry, seafood, bones, shellfish
- Dairy, cheese, eggs, eggshells
- Fruits, vegetables, grains, pasta, bread, baked goods
- Coffee grounds, paper filters, tea bags & leaves
- Food-soiled paper: napkins, paper towels, pizza boxes, paper cups & plates, paper bags, take-out boxes (no plastic lining or wax)
- Yard trimmings: grass, leaves, branches (see limits below)
- Natural fibers: shredded paper (in paper bag), sawdust, popsicle sticks, toothpicks, wooden chopsticks, untreated wood
🚫 Not in the Green Cart
- Plastic bags — even BPI-certified compostable ones (use paper bags)
- Compostable plastic cutlery or foodware → brown trash cart
- Glossy paper, window envelopes → blue recycling cart
- Pet waste, diapers → brown trash cart
- Cotton balls, cotton swabs
- Treated or painted wood
- Soil or rocks
🌿 Extra Compost Set-Out Rules
ARR collects the contents of your green cart plus up to 15 extra items placed beside it. Each bag, bundle, or container counts as one item toward the 15-item limit:
- Extra loose material: in paper lawn-and-leaf bags or a reusable container (max 34 gallons and max 50 pounds)
- Small branches: bundled piles, max 5 feet long, max 3 inches in diameter, max 30 pounds per bundle
- Over 15 extra items: set out the excess the following week, or schedule an on-demand brush collection
- Yard trimmings or large brush may also be dropped off at Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant (note: Hornsby Bend only accepts yard waste, not food scraps)
Austin On-Demand Pickup — Bulk, Brush & HHW
Since January 2025, Austin replaced its fixed neighborhood bulk schedules with a fully on-demand system. Residents now schedule their own pickup dates for bulk items, large brush, and household hazardous waste. Each service has its own annual limit of 3 collections per year.
📦 Bulk Items
Furniture, appliances, mattresses, large household items.
3 pickups/year
Schedule via My Schedule or 3-1-1
🌿 Large Brush
Tree limbs and branches too large for the green cart.
3 pickups/year
Schedule via My Schedule or 3-1-1
⚠ HHW
Household hazardous waste curbside collection.
3 pickups/year
Schedule via My Schedule or 3-1-1
📅 How to Schedule On-Demand Pickup
- Go to the My Schedule tool at austintexas.gov/myschedule, use the Austin Recycles app (iOS/Android), or call Austin 3-1-1. Select the service type (bulk, brush, or HHW) and choose a date.
- Place items at the curb by 5:30 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. Do not place items out the night before unless your confirmed appointment is for the next morning.
- Keep bulk and brush items separate from your regular carts and from each other. Crews collect each service type separately.
- To cancel or reschedule, do so through My Schedule or the Austin Recycles app. If you cancel in time, the slot is returned to your annual 3-pickup limit.
✅ Accepted in Bulk Pickup
- Furniture: sofas, chairs, tables, dressers, bed frames
- Mattresses and box springs
- Large appliances: fridge, washer, dryer, AC
- TVs and large electronics
- Rugs, carpeting (rolled)
- Scrap metal
- Clean wood and doors
🚫 Not Accepted in Bulk
- Construction or demolition debris
- Commercial or business waste
- Tires → Drop-Off Center or tire retailer
- Hazardous materials → HHW on-demand or Drop-Off Center
- Items in closed plastic bags (separate them first)
- More than your scheduled amount
⚡ Recycle & Reuse Drop-Off Center
Austin’s Recycle & Reuse Drop-Off Center accepts electronics, household hazardous waste, and hard-to-recycle items for residents at no charge — and also has free items available for pickup by the public. Appointments are required. See current hours and make appointments at austintexas.gov/drop-off-center.
What to Do If Your Trash Wasn’t Collected in Austin
- Confirm your correct collection day and recycling week using the My Schedule tool at austintexas.gov or the Austin Recycles app. Verify your address is ARR-eligible (not a 5+ unit building).
- Check for a holiday slide. Only New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas cause delays in Austin. All other holidays are normal. Check the holiday table above.
- Check for weather disruption. Freezing temperatures, high winds over 35 mph, or flooding can suspend collection. During extreme heat (May–September), trucks start one hour earlier. Monitor austintexas.gov/arr for service alerts.
- Verify cart placement: out by 5:30 a.m., lids closed, handles toward house, 5 feet from each other and all obstacles. Carts placed too close together may be skipped to protect truck operators.
- Report the missed pickup via Austin 3-1-1 online, the Austin 3-1-1 app, or by calling 3-1-1 — after 4:00 p.m. on the day of the missed collection and within 2 business days. ARR will send a return trip as soon as possible. A return trip fee of $20.50 applies if requested after the 2-day window.
Austin Trash & Recycling Tips Every Resident Should Know
🏠 New to Austin or Just Moved In?
Start with the My Schedule tool at austintexas.gov or download the Austin Recycles app (iOS & Android). Enter your address to confirm your collection day, recycling week (A or B), and add reminders directly to Google Calendar, Outlook, or iCal. All three carts should already be at your address — call (512) 494-9400 if any are missing. Plan your 3 on-demand bulk/brush/HHW appointments for the year — they don’t roll over.
☀️ Austin Weather — Summer Heat & Winter Ice
- Summer (May–September): ARR starts routes an hour earlier. Always set carts out the night before (after 8 p.m.).
- Winter ice events: ARR may delay or suspend collection if roads are unsafe. On-demand appointments during ice events are rescheduled automatically. Leave carts in and wait for official announcements at austintexas.gov/arr.
- Dead animals in the public right-of-way are removed by ARR within 2 business days. Report via Austin 3-1-1.
🚫 5 Mistakes Austin Residents Make
- Not setting carts 5 feet apart — the #1 reason carts get skipped in Austin
- Forgetting recycling is every other week — always check your A/B week in My Schedule
- Using “compostable” plastic bags in the green cart — they go in the brown trash cart
- Waiting until morning to set carts out during summer — trucks may arrive before 5:30 a.m. in May–September
- Using all 3 bulk slots early in the year without saving one for year-end decluttering or moving
Contact Austin Resource Recovery
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| Austin 3-1-1 | Dial 3-1-1 inside Austin, or (512) 974-2000 from outside — missed pickups, on-demand scheduling, cart issues, all non-emergency city services |
| ARR Customer Service | 📞 (512) 494-9400 — cart size changes, extra cart requests, billing questions, service eligibility |
| My Schedule Tool | austintexas.gov/myschedule — personalized calendar, A/B recycling week, on-demand scheduling, reminders (Google/iCal/Outlook/text/email) |
| Austin Recycles App | Free iOS & Android — schedule reminders, on-demand bulk/brush/HHW scheduling, “What Do I Do With” guide, holiday alerts |
| ARR Main Website | austintexas.gov/arr — service announcements, weather alerts, Zero Waste programs |
| Recycle & Reuse Drop-Off Center | HHW, electronics, hard-to-recycle items — appointment required · austintexas.gov/drop-off-center |
| Hornsby Bend Drop-Off | Free yard waste & large brush drop-off for Austin residents (no food waste) — closed Christmas Day & New Year’s Day |
| “What Do I Do With” | austintexas.gov/whatdoidowith — searchable guide for any item: trash, recycle, compost, or special disposal |
Frequently Asked Questions — Austin Trash Pickup
Still Can’t Find Your Collection Day?
If the Collection Day Finder at the top of this page and all the information above haven’t resolved your question, use the official My Schedule tool. Enter your address to find your exact collection day, recycling week (A or B), and add a personalized calendar to your phone or calendar app. You can also schedule on-demand bulk, brush, and HHW pickups directly from My Schedule.
🔍 Official Austin Resource Recovery Lookup & Contact Options
All of the following are free and will confirm your exact schedule and service eligibility:
🔍 Open My Schedule Tool 📞 Call 3-1-1| My Schedule Tool | austintexas.gov/myschedule — personalized calendar, recycling week (A/B), on-demand scheduling, reminder sign-up. Also available through the Austin Recycles app (iOS & Android). |
| Austin 3-1-1 | Dial 3-1-1 inside Austin, or (512) 974-2000 from outside — missed pickup reports, on-demand scheduling, all non-emergency city services. |
| ARR Customer Service | (512) 494-9400 — cart size changes, extra cart requests, service eligibility questions. |
| ARR Website | austintexas.gov/arr — service announcements, weather alerts, holiday schedule confirmation. |
| Multifamily (5+ units) | Buildings with 5+ units must use a private licensed hauler. Contact your property manager for collection days and recycling service details. |
You will leave this website when using any of the links above.
Trash & Recycling Schedules for Cities Near Austin
Looking for waste collection information in another Texas city? Here are the five closest cities we’ve already covered with full schedules and recycling guides: