Washington DC Trash Pickup Schedule, Recycling & Bulk 2026
Find your DPW collection day, recycling schedule, bulk item rules, and holiday delays for Washington DC.
District of Columbia · Department of Public Works (DPW) · Updated March 2026
Find Your Washington DC Collection Day
Select your regular trash collection day below to instantly see your full schedule — trash, recycling, food waste, bulk, and 2026 holiday impacts.
👈 Select your day above to see your complete Washington DC collection schedule.
⚠ Don’t know your day yet? Use DPW’s official Trash & Recycling Collection Day App or call 311. See all contact options ↓
Washington DC Waste Collection — Quick Facts
The DC Department of Public Works (DPW) provides trash and recycling collection to single-family homes and buildings with three or fewer units across all eight wards. Most households receive once-weekly trash and recycling collection. Some neighborhoods with narrow streets and alleys receive twice-weekly trash collection. All three services — trash, recycling, and food waste drop-off — are address-based.
Washington DC’s Two-Bin System — What Goes Where
DPW-served homes receive two color-coded bins collected on the same weekday, once a week. Trash goes in the green Supercan; recycling goes in the blue bin. Both bins must be placed at your regular collection point — curbside or in your alley — no earlier than 6:30 p.m. the evening before and no later than 6:00 a.m. on your collection day. Return bins by 8:00 p.m. on collection day.
Green Supercan — Trash
All non-recyclable waste. Bags must be tied. Lid must close fully. Overfilled bins may not be collected.
Weekly • Address-basedBlue Bin — Recycling
All recyclables loose or in paper bags — never in plastic bags. Single-stream. See the Mayor’s full list at zerowaste.dc.gov.
Weekly • Single-stream⏰ Set-Out Rules
- Place bins out no earlier than 6:30 p.m. the evening before your collection day.
- Bins must be out no later than 6:00 a.m. on your collection day.
- Return bins to your property by 8:00 p.m. on collection day.
- Place trash and recycling at your regular collection point — alley or curb depending on your street.
- Sanitation violation tickets can be issued if bins are left out outside of these times.
- Recyclables must be placed loose or in paper bags — never in plastic bags, even clear ones.
Supercans, Mini-Supercans & Twice-Weekly Trash Routes
Most DC residents use the 96-gallon green Supercan for trash, collected once a week. However, some neighborhoods with narrow streets and alleys receive twice-weekly trash collection and use the smaller 32-gallon mini-Supercan or traditional Clean City trash cans.
🚚 Which Bin Type Do You Have?
- 96-gallon Supercan (green): Most DC homes — once-weekly collection.
- 32-gallon mini-Supercan / Clean City can: Homes on narrow streets and alleys — twice-weekly collection (typically Mon/Thu or Tue/Fri routes).
- Use the DPW Collection Day App to confirm your specific schedule and bin type by address.
🔧 Requesting, Replacing, or Repairing a Bin
- New homeowners: Free replacement if you moved in within the past 90 days and there are no containers at the home. Send a copy of your deed or settlement letter to dpwcontainer@dc.gov.
- Repairs (lids, wheels, lift bars): Call 311 or visit 311.dc.gov. Free for containers with serial numbers starting with W# (trash) or R# (recycling).
- Replacement containers: DPW does not provide free replacement containers for other situations. Purchase online by credit card at DPW’s container payment page, or send a check payable to “DC Treasurer” to 1725 15th Street NE, Washington, DC 20002.
- Senior discount is available — proof of age required by mail.
Washington DC Holiday Trash Collection Schedule 2026 — The Slide Guide
When a DC government holiday falls on a collection day, DPW collections “slide” one day later for the rest of that week through Saturday. For example, if a holiday falls on Monday, Monday routes collect on Tuesday, Tuesday on Wednesday, and so on. DPW publishes its annual Slide Guide at dpw.dc.gov.
DC observes more holidays than most US cities — including Emancipation Day (April 16), Juneteenth (June 19), and Indigenous Peoples’ Day (October 12) — all of which trigger collection slides.
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Day | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Jan 1 | Thursday | Slide Thu → Fri | Fri → Sat | Mon–Wed: normal |
| MLK Day | Jan 19 | Monday | Slide Mon → Tue | All routes shift one day through Sat |
| Washington’s Birthday | Feb 16 | Monday | Slide Mon → Tue | All routes shift one day through Sat |
| D.C. Emancipation Day | Apr 16 | Thursday | Slide Thu → Fri | Fri → Sat | Mon–Wed: normal |
| Memorial Day | May 25 | Monday | Slide Mon → Tue | All routes shift one day through Sat |
| Juneteenth | Jun 19 | Friday | Slide Fri → Sat | Mon–Thu: normal that week |
| Independence Day | Jul 3 (observed) | Friday | Slide Fri → Sat | Mon–Thu: normal that week |
| Labor Day | Sep 7 | Monday | Slide Mon → Tue | All routes shift one day through Sat |
| Indigenous Peoples’ Day | Oct 12 | Monday | Slide Mon → Tue | All routes shift one day through Sat |
| Veterans Day | Nov 11 | Wednesday | Slide Wed → Thu | Thu → Fri | Fri → Sat | Mon–Tue: normal |
| Thanksgiving Day | Nov 26 | Thursday | Slide Thu → Fri | Fri → Sat | Mon–Wed: normal |
| Christmas Day | Dec 25 | Friday | Slide Fri → Sat | Mon–Thu: normal that week |
Washington DC Recycling — What Goes in the Blue Bin
DC uses single-stream recycling in the blue bin, collected once a week on the same day as your trash. All recyclables go in the same bin — clean, empty, and placed loose or in a paper bag. Never put recyclables in plastic bags of any color, size, or type.
✅ Accepted in the Blue Bin
- Paper: newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, office paper, books
- Flattened cardboard
- Paper cups and containers (clean)
- Food and drink cartons: milk, juice, broth
- Aluminum and steel cans
- Glass bottles and jars (all colors, rinsed)
- Rigid plastic bottles, jugs, cups, containers, and trays (rinsed)
- Pizza boxes (clean or lightly soiled)
- Paper plates, paper cups (clean)
- Plastic produce, deli, and bakery containers
🚫 Never in the Blue Bin
- Plastic bags, wraps, or film (any color or size) → store drop-off
- Styrofoam / polystyrene
- Food waste → food waste drop-off or smart bins
- Electronics or batteries → Special Waste Events
- Tanglers: hoses, cords, wire hangers
- Ceramics or window glass
- Plastic film labeled “compostable” → trash
- Syringes or sharps → Special Waste Events
Food Waste Drop-Off & Smart Bins in Washington DC
DC does not currently offer universal curbside food waste collection to all residents. Instead, DPW provides free Food Waste Drop-Off locations and 24-hour Smart Bins in all eight wards where residents can drop off food scraps for composting at no charge.
🌿 How to Use Food Waste Drop-Off
- Collect food scraps at home in a reusable container, compostable bag, or Tupperware. BPI-certified compostable liners are accepted; standard plastic bags are not.
- Drop off at any Food Waste Smart Bin (available 24 hours) or at weekend staffed drop-off events in your ward.
- All weekend drop-off events run year-round as of 2026 (no more seasonal-only events).
- Collected food waste is taken to composting facilities including the Prince George’s County Organics facility in Upper Marlboro, MD.
- Find your ward’s locations at zerowaste.dc.gov/foodwastedropoff.
✅ Accepted for Food Waste Drop-Off
- Fruit and vegetable scraps
- Meat, fish, and bones
- Dairy and eggshells
- Coffee grounds and paper filters
- Tea bags (paper only)
- Food-soiled paper: napkins, paper towels, pizza boxes, paper bags
- Houseplants and cut flowers
🚫 Not Accepted for Drop-Off
- Standard plastic bags — even if labeled “compostable” without BPI certification
- Flexible plastic film of any kind
- Pet waste or cat litter
- Diapers
- Fats, oils, and grease in large amounts
- Treated or painted wood
Yard Waste Collection in Washington DC
DPW collects yard waste by appointment from residences that already receive DPW trash and recycling service. Yard waste can also be dropped off at the Fort Totten Transfer Station during normal business hours.
🌿 Yard Waste Collection Rules
- Call 311 or visit 311.dc.gov to schedule a yard waste collection appointment.
- DPW will collect up to 20 paper bags of yard waste per appointment from DPW-served residences.
- Use paper yard waste bags only — not plastic bags.
- Branches and limbs must be bundled and tied. Small tree limbs may be placed with regular trash.
- Find current leaf collection section information at dpw.dc.gov each fall.
Washington DC Free Bulk Trash Collection — By Appointment
DPW collects large, bulky items by appointment only from DPW-served residential households (single-family homes and buildings with three or fewer units). Up to 7 items per appointment. Bulk items are collected at your regular trash collection point — alley or curbside. This service is free for eligible DC residents.
📅 How to Schedule Bulk Trash Pickup
- Call 311 or visit 311.dc.gov to make a bulk trash appointment. Have an itemized list of items ready. You will receive a confirmation number.
- Place bulk items at your regular collection point (alley or curb) no earlier than 6:30 p.m. the evening before and no later than 6:00 a.m. on your appointment day.
- Do not place bulk items out before your scheduled appointment window — a sanitation violation ticket can be issued.
- Toilets must be fully wrapped in sealed plastic sheeting before set-out.
- Customers with more than 7 items will be given additional appointment dates.
✅ Accepted Bulk Items
- Furniture: sofas, chairs, tables, dressers, bed frames
- Mattresses and box springs
- Large appliances (fridges, washers, dryers)
- Carpeting and rugs (rolled)
- Toilets and bathroom fixtures (wrapped in plastic)
- Doors, shelving, and clean wood
- Tires: up to 4 may be taken to Fort Totten Transfer Station (Wed, Thu, Fri 10 a.m.–2 p.m.)
🚫 Not Accepted in Bulk Service
- Renovation/demolition materials: bricks, concrete, ceiling tiles, dirt
- Commercial or business waste
- More than 7 items per appointment
- Hazardous materials → Special Waste Events
- Cardboard → flatten into the blue recycling bin
Special Waste Collection Events — HHW, Electronics & Shredding
DPW hosts Special Waste Collection Events throughout the year where DC residents can safely drop off household hazardous waste (HHW), electronics, and documents for shredding. These events are free for DC residents and require a 15-minute appointment reservation. No commercial waste accepted.
✅ Accepted at Special Waste Events
- Electronics: TVs, computers, phones, tablets, printers, monitors
- Batteries: all types including lithium and rechargeable
- Household chemicals, pool chemicals, pesticides, solvents
- Paint: latex and oil-based
- Motor oil, antifreeze, and other automotive fluids
- Fluorescent and CFL bulbs
- Aerosol cans and propane tanks
- Documents for shredding
- Medications (check event details)
🚫 Not Accepted
- Commercial or business waste
- Explosives or ammunition
- Radioactive materials
- Regular household trash or bulk items
- Tires (go to Fort Totten Transfer Station instead)
📍 Fort Totten Transfer Station (Self-Haul)
4900 John McCormack Rd NE, Washington, DC 20011
Open to DC residents for self-haul trash, recycling, and bulk drop-off. Bring valid DC residency proof. Acceptable vehicles include passenger cars, passenger vans, SUVs, pick-up trucks, and rental vehicles under 15 feet. Note: Benning Road Transfer Station is temporarily closed until further notice.
Apartments & Multi-Family Buildings — Is Your Building Served by DPW?
If you live in an apartment building with four or more units, a condominium, co-op, or any mixed-use building, DPW does not collect your trash or recycling. These properties are required by law to contract with a private, licensed hauler for trash and recycling collection.
🚚 What Multi-Family Buildings Must Do
- Buildings with 4+ units must arrange and pay for private trash and recycling collection services.
- Buildings with 80 or more units must submit an annual Source Separation Plan to the DC Department of Energy and Environment.
- Contact your building manager for your building’s collection schedule, bin locations, and any composting or recycling programs.
- If your building lacks proper recycling access, contact your building manager — it is a legal requirement in DC.
What to Do If Your Trash Wasn’t Collected in Washington DC
- Verify your collection day and building eligibility using the DPW Collection Day App or by calling 311. Confirm your building has 3 or fewer units and is DPW-served.
- Check for a holiday slide. DC observes 12 holidays in 2026 and all cause a one-day slide. Use the Slide Guide table above or the official DPW Slide Guide at dpw.dc.gov.
- Verify set-out rules: Bins must be at your regular collection point by 6:00 a.m. on collection day. Bins placed too late or not at the correct point may be skipped.
- Check for a contamination notice. If prohibited items were found in your blue recycling bin, DPW may have left a tag instead of collecting. Remove offending materials.
- Report the missed pickup by calling 311, visiting 311.dc.gov, or using the DC 311 app. Include photos when possible. Keep your bins at the collection point until service is completed.
Washington DC Trash & Recycling Tips Every Resident Should Know
🏠 New to Washington DC?
Use DPW’s Trash & Recycling Collection Day App or call 311 to find your exact collection day. Confirm that your building has 3 or fewer units and is DPW-eligible. If you moved in within the past 90 days and there are no containers, contact DPW for free Supercans. Register for food waste drop-off events near your ward at zerowaste.dc.gov.
🌌 More Holiday Delays Than Any Other US City
DC observes 12 holidays in 2026 — all of which cause collection slides. This includes Emancipation Day (Apr 16), Juneteenth (Jun 19), and Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Oct 12), which are DC-specific and not observed by most US cities. Always check the DPW Slide Guide before expecting a holiday week’s normal collection.
🚫 5 Common Mistakes DC Residents Make
- Putting plastic bags in the blue recycling bin — they go to grocery store drop-offs, never in blue bins
- Setting bins out too early — no earlier than 6:30 p.m. the evening before (violation tickets apply)
- Forgetting that DC slides on ALL 12 holidays — even Veterans Day, Washington’s Birthday, and Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- Assuming DPW serves 4+ unit apartment buildings — they must use private haulers
- Scheduling bulk pickup without an appointment — items placed without a confirmed appointment can result in a sanitation ticket
Contact DPW & DC Waste Services
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| DPW Main Line | 📞 (202) 673-6833 — Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., except DC holidays |
| 311 — All Services | Dial 311 in DC or (202) 737-4404 from outside DC — missed pickups, bulk appointments, bin requests, yard waste, and all non-emergency city services. Also at 311.dc.gov or the DC311 app. |
| Collection Day App | collectionday.dcgis.dc.gov — Official address-based lookup for trash day, recycling day, holiday slides, and service type confirmation |
| DPW Website | dpw.dc.gov — Slide Guide, service calendars, special waste events, Supercan ordering, container repairs |
| Zero Waste DC | zerowaste.dc.gov — Mayor’s Recyclables List, food waste drop-off locations, composting, “What Goes Where” lookup |
| Special Waste Events | dpw.dc.gov/specialwaste — HHW, electronics, and document shredding events — appointment required; open to DC residents only |
| Fort Totten Transfer Station | 4900 John McCormack Rd NE, Washington, DC 20011 — Resident self-haul drop-off. Bring DC residency proof. (Benning Road Transfer Station temporarily closed.) |
| DPW Email | dpw@dc.gov |
Frequently Asked Questions — Washington DC Trash Pickup
Still Can’t Find Your Collection Day?
If the Collection Day Finder above and all the information on this page haven’t resolved your question, use DPW’s official address-based lookup below. It will confirm your exact trash day, recycling day, service type (DPW-eligible or not), and holiday Slide Guide.
🔍 Official DPW Lookup & Contact Options
All of the following are free and will confirm your exact schedule and eligibility:
🔍 Open DPW Collection Day App 📞 Call 311| DPW Collection Day App | collectionday.dcgis.dc.gov — Official address-based lookup for trash day, recycling day, service type, and holiday slide schedule. Free and available 24/7. |
| 311 — All DC Services | Dial 311 inside DC or (202) 737-4404 from outside DC — missed pickups, bulk appointments, bin requests, yard waste, and service confirmation. |
| DPW Main Line | (202) 673-6833 — Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., except DC holidays. Questions about containers, service eligibility, and special collections. |
| DPW Website & Slide Guide | dpw.dc.gov — Annual Slide Guide, special waste events, Supercan ordering, service calendars, and holiday schedule. |
| Zero Waste DC | zerowaste.dc.gov — Mayor’s full recyclables list, food waste drop-off map, “What Goes Where” tool, and composting resources. |
You will leave this website when using any of the links above. DPW’s Collection Day App is the most complete source for address-based schedule information in Washington DC.
Trash & Recycling Schedules for Other US Cities
Looking for waste collection information in another city? Here are cities we’ve already covered with full schedules, recycling rules, and bulk pickup guides: