What day is trash pickup in Rochester?

Rochester does not have a single citywide trash day. Your specific refuse collection day depends on your address. Use the City of Rochester's official refuse and recycling interactive map at cityofrochester.gov to enter your address and find your designated weekday. Refuse is collected once every week on that day.

How do I find my collection day in Rochester?

Use the City of Rochester's official interactive map at cityofrochester.gov — Refuse and Recycling Schedule and Map. Enter your address to find your designated refuse day and whether you are on the Blue or Green recycling calendar. PDF calendars are also downloadable. Call 311 for assistance.

What is the Blue and Green recycling calendar in Rochester?

Recycling is every other week, so the City divides routes into two groups: Blue calendar and Green calendar. Your group determines which weeks you have recycling. Enter your address in the City's interactive map to find your color and specific weeks. PDF calendars for both groups are downloadable in English and Spanish at cityofrochester.gov.

What time should I put my trash out in Rochester?

Containers must be at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on your collection day. Rochester's rules call for morning placement, not the night before. After collection, remove containers within 24 hours and store them at the rear or side of your property.

How does bulk pickup work in Rochester?

Set bulk items at the curb on your regular refuse collection day — no appointment needed. Accepted: furniture, mattresses, large appliances (remove doors from refrigerators), bundled yard trimmings (4 ft max, 18 in diameter max, 60 lb max), owner-generated household debris. Electronics cannot go curbside — take to the Monroe County ecopark. For large volumes, use the City's On-Demand service via 311.

Does Rochester provide the recycling and trash containers?

Yes. The City provides every 1-3 family home with a City-issued wheeled refuse toter and a 96-gallon recycling cart at no additional charge. These are owned by the City. Refuse service fees are included in the annual property tax bill — no separate monthly garbage bill. Call 311 or (585) 428-5990 for toter issues.

Rochester Trash Pickup Schedule, Recycling & Bulk Pickup 2026

Q: Is there recycling pickup in Rochester?

Yes. The City provides curbside mixed recycling from all 1-3 family homes, every other week on the same day as refuse. All recyclables — paper, cardboard, metal, glass, and plastic — go together in one 96-gallon wheeled cart, no sorting required. Confirm your week (Blue or Green calendar) via the City's address map.

Q: What holidays affect trash pickup in Rochester?

When a City-observed holiday falls on a weekday, all routes for that day and the rest of the week are delayed by one day. 2026 holidays include: New Year's Day (Jan 1), MLK Day (Jan 19), Presidents' Day (Feb 16), Good Friday (Apr 3), Memorial Day (May 25), Juneteenth (Jun 19), Independence Day observed (Jul 3), Labor Day (Sep 7), Indigenous Peoples' Day (Oct 12), Veterans' Day (Nov 11), Thanksgiving (Nov 26), Day After Thanksgiving (Nov 27), Christmas Day (Dec 25), and Day After Christmas. Good Friday and Day After Thanksgiving are distinctive to Rochester.

Q: Where can I drop off electronics and hazardous waste in Rochester?

Monroe County ecopark at 10 Avion Drive. Hours: Wednesday 1–6:30 p.m., Saturday 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Electronics: no appointment needed. Hazardous Household Waste: appointment required — schedule at monroecounty.gov/ecopark or call (585) 753-7600 option 3. Free for Monroe County residents. Additional certified recyclers include Maven Technologies (585-458-2460) and Sunnking (585-637-8365).

Everything Rochester residents need to know about City refuse collection in 2026 — how to find your weekly trash day, every-other-week recycling, Blue/Green calendar, set-out rules, holiday delays, bulk pickup, the Monroe County ecopark, and the official interactive address map.

City of Rochester · Department of Environmental Services — Solid Waste Management Division · Updated March 2026

⭐ Collection Day Finder

Find Your Rochester Collection Day & Recycling Week

Rochester does not have a single citywide collection day. Your specific trash day and recycling week (Blue or Green calendar) depend on your address. Use the selector below for a quick summary by area, then confirm your exact day and recycling week using the City’s official interactive map.

👈 Select your area above for general schedule info — then use the City map tool for your exact day and recycling week.

⚠ For your exact trash day and recycling week, use the official City of Rochester interactive map: Refuse & Recycling Collection Schedule Map — cityofrochester.gov. Enter your address to see your day and whether you are on the Blue or Green recycling calendar. See all official links ↓

At a Glance

Rochester Waste Collection — Quick Facts

The City of Rochester’s Solid Waste Management Division, part of the Department of Environmental Services (DES), provides residential refuse and recycling collection to all 1-, 2-, and 3-family homes in the city. Collection is operated entirely by City crews, not a private contractor — Rochester is one of the few large U.S. cities that still runs its own refuse fleet. Refuse is collected once per week on a designated day. Recycling is collected every other week on the same day as refuse, using a Blue or Green calendar to alternate weeks across the city. Your specific day and recycling week are tied entirely to your address.

🗑

Garbage

Once per week

Same day, every week, by address

♻

Recycling

Every other week

Same day as trash • Blue or Green calendar

📦

Bulk Items

On refuse day

Curbside, no appointment needed

🌿

Yard Waste

With refuse

Bundled • Seasonal curbside collection

⏰

Set-Out Time

By 6:30 a.m.

Day of collection • Not the night before

📌

Holidays

One-day delay

All routes shift for remainder of week

⚠ Rochester has address-specific collection days. The City does not have a single trash day that applies to all residents. Your specific weekday and whether you are on the Blue or Green recycling calendar depend on your address. Always look up your address on the City’s official refuse and recycling map to confirm your day and your recycling week.

🔗 Related Guide Want to understand how US trash collection works? Read: How Trash Collection Works in the US (Schedules, Times & Rules)

Two Streams

Rochester’s Two Collection Streams — Trash & Recycling

The City of Rochester collects two types of material curbside from residential addresses: refuse (household trash) and mixed recycling. Both streams are picked up on the same designated weekday for your address — refuse every week, recycling every other week. There is no separate compost or organics pickup from the City; yard waste goes with refuse collection per city rules.

🗑

Refuse (Trash)

All household waste that cannot be recycled. Collected once every week on your designated day. Place in your City-issued wheeled toter. Overflow in sturdy plastic bags or rigid containers beside the toter is accepted, up to 60 lbs per container.

Weekly • City-issued green toter

♻

Mixed Recycling

All recyclables — paper, cardboard, metal, glass, and plastic — go in one container. No sorting required. Collected every other week on the same day as refuse. Confirm whether you are on the Blue or Green calendar using the City’s address map.

Every other week • 96-gal wheeled cart

🔗 Related Guide See how US cities compare on trash and recycling systems: Trash and Recycling Guide in the US (Rules, Bins & Recycling Explained 2026)

Containers & Toters

Rochester Toters — City-Issued Containers & Overflow Rules

The City of Rochester provides every residential unit (1–3 family homes) with a City-issued wheeled toter for refuse and a 96-gallon wheeled cart for recycling. You do not purchase these containers; they are owned by the City and provided to residents as part of refuse service. Refuse fees are included in your annual property tax bill, so there is no monthly bill for basic curbside collection.

🗑

Green Toter — Refuse

City-issued wheeled container for all household trash. Do not overfill; the lid must close securely. Owned by the City; do not remove it from the property.

♻

96-Gallon Cart — Mixed Recycling

City-issued 96-gallon wheeled cart for all recyclables. All materials — paper, metal, glass, and plastic — go in together, no sorting needed. Collected every other week.

📦 Overflow & Extra Refuse Rules

If your toter is full before collection day, extra refuse may be placed in sturdy garbage cans or plastic bags next to the toter at the curb.
Maximum weight per alternate container: 60 pounds. Containers exceeding this limit will not be collected.
Sharp objects and glass must not be placed in plastic bags. Use metal or plastic rigid containers for glass and sharp items.
Disposable bags must be waterproof, strong, and securely tied.
Toters are owned by the City. Do not use the City toter for building or demolition debris; that material is not collected residentially.

💡 Toter problem? If your City-issued toter is damaged, missing, or needs replacement, contact the City’s Solid Waste Management Division via 311 (inside city limits) or (585) 428-5990 (outside city limits). Do not purchase or use non-City containers as the primary refuse toter.

Set-Out Times & Rules

Rochester Set-Out Rules — By 6:30 a.m. on Collection Day

Unlike many cities where residents set out containers the evening before, Rochester asks residents to place containers at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on their scheduled collection day. Trucks begin routes early and any cart not at the curb by 6:30 a.m. may be missed. Do not place containers out the night before unless your route is known to begin very early; the City’s guidance specifies the morning of collection day.

⏰ Official Set-Out Requirements

Containers must be at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. This applies to both refuse and recycling.
Place containers between the sidewalk and the curb (in the tree belt / boulevard strip). Do not block the sidewalk, fire hydrant, or driveway.
Remove containers within 24 hours after collection and return them to the rear or side yard of the premises. Do not leave toters permanently in the front yard or at the curb.
Containers must be stored at the side or rear of the property between collection days, in a manner that does not create a health hazard or nuisance.
The wheeled toter lid must close securely — do not overfill so that the lid is propped open.
Refuse shall not be stored in the street, sidewalk, or gutters except on collection day per City rules.

⚠ 6:30 a.m. is the deadline, not a guideline. Rochester refuse trucks begin routes at or shortly after 6:30 a.m. If your toter is not at the curb by that time, the truck will not return. Unlike cities with evening set-out windows, Rochester’s official guidance calls for morning placement. If you are unsure what time your specific route typically arrives, err on the side of having your containers out by 6:00 a.m.

Holiday Schedule

Rochester Holiday Collection Schedule 2026

When a City-observed holiday falls on a weekday, the City delays collection by one day for the remainder of that week. Monday routes are picked up Tuesday, Tuesday routes on Wednesday, and so on. If a holiday falls on a Friday, Friday customers are collected Saturday. Holidays that fall on a weekend do not affect the weekday schedule unless officially observed on a different weekday.

Rochester observes a broader set of holidays than many comparably sized cities. Based on the official City holiday schedule and the DES residential refuse page, the following holidays trigger a one-day delay for all affected routes in 2026:

Holiday	2026 Date	Collection Impact	Notes
New Year’s Day	Thu, Jan 1	One-day delay	Thu routes collected Fri, Jan 2. Fri routes collected Sat, Jan 3.
MLK Jr. Day	Mon, Jan 19	One-day delay	Mon routes collected Tue, Jan 20. All routes shift for remainder of week.
Presidents’ Day	Mon, Feb 16	One-day delay	Mon routes collected Tue, Feb 17. All routes shift for remainder of week.
Good Friday	Fri, Apr 3	One-day delay	Fri routes collected Sat, Apr 4. City of Rochester observes Good Friday.
Memorial Day	Mon, May 25	One-day delay	Mon routes collected Tue, May 26. All routes shift for remainder of week.
Juneteenth	Fri, Jun 19	One-day delay	Fri routes collected Sat, Jun 20.
Independence Day	Sat, Jul 4 (Observed Fri, Jul 3)	One-day delay (Fri)	Independence Day falls Saturday; city observes Friday Jul 3. Fri routes affected. Confirm via 311.
Labor Day	Mon, Sep 7	One-day delay	Mon routes collected Tue, Sep 8. All routes shift for remainder of week.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day	Mon, Oct 12	One-day delay	Mon routes collected Tue, Oct 13. All routes shift for remainder of week.
Veterans’ Day	Wed, Nov 11	One-day delay	Wed routes collected Thu, Nov 12. Thu & Fri routes shift accordingly.
Thanksgiving Day	Thu, Nov 26	One-day delay	Thu routes collected Fri, Nov 27. Fri routes collected Sat, Nov 28.
Day After Thanksgiving	Fri, Nov 27	See note	City observes the day after Thanksgiving. Fri routes may shift to Sat. Confirm via 311 in the week of Thanksgiving.
Christmas Day	Fri, Dec 25	One-day delay	Fri routes collected Sat, Dec 26.
Day After Christmas	Sat, Dec 26 (Observed)	See note	City observes the day after Christmas. When it falls on a weekday, routes for that day shift. Confirm via 311.

💡 Good Friday and the day after Thanksgiving are unique to Rochester city employees. The City of Rochester observes both Good Friday and the day after Thanksgiving as official holidays. This means collection on those days is delayed by one day for affected routes. Not all private haulers serving the suburbs observe these same days, so if you recently moved from a suburban town, be aware of this difference.

🔗 Related Guide Holiday collection delays compared across the US: Holiday Trash Pickup in the US (Schedule Changes & Delays Explained)

Recycling

Rochester Recycling — Mixed Single-Stream, Blue & Green Calendars

Rochester operates a mixed (single-stream) recycling program: all recyclables go into one 96-gallon wheeled container together — paper, cardboard, metal, glass, and plastic all in one bin. No sorting is required. Recycling is collected every other week. Because not every address has recycling on the same week, the City uses a Blue calendar and a Green calendar to identify which week your address has collection. Both calendars are available as downloadable PDFs from the City’s website.

📅 Blue Calendar vs. Green Calendar — What’s the Difference?

Rochester divides its recycling routes into two groups. Blue calendar addresses receive recycling on alternating weeks that differ from Green calendar addresses. The result: approximately half of all routes have recycling each week, allowing City trucks to manage the volume efficiently. To find out which calendar applies to your address and which weeks you have recycling in 2026, enter your address in the City’s interactive map. Downloadable PDF calendars for both Blue and Green schedules (in English and Spanish) are also available at cityofrochester.gov/recycling-schedule.

✅ Accepted in Your Recycling Cart

Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, office paper
Cardboard (flattened) and paperboard
Phone books and paper bags
Metal cans (aluminum and steel), empty aerosol cans
Glass bottles and jars (all colors)
Plastic containers: bottles, jugs, tubs (#1–7)
All materials go together — no sorting needed
Items should be empty and rinsed

🚫 Never in the Recycling Cart

Plastic bags or film → return to store for recycling
Styrofoam → ecopark
Food or liquids — rinse all containers
Electronics (TVs, computers, etc.) → ecopark or certified recycler
Batteries → ecopark
Hazardous materials → ecopark HHW appointment
Clothing or textiles → donation bins or ecopark
Yard waste → curbside with refuse (bundled)

⚠ Do not bag recyclables. Rochester’s mixed recycling program requires items to be placed loose in the 96-gallon wheeled cart. Do not put recyclables in plastic bags before placing them in the cart — bagged recyclables are treated as garbage at the sorting facility. Plastic grocery bags belong at store drop-off locations, not in the recycling cart.

🔗 Related Guide Learn the most common recycling mistakes and how to avoid them: How to Recycle Properly in the US (Rules, Bins & Common Mistakes)

Yard Waste

Yard Waste, Leaves & the Materials Give Back Program

The City of Rochester provides curbside yard waste collection as part of regular refuse service. Yard waste — leaves, grass clippings, hedge trimmings, and tree and bush trimmings — is collected on your normal refuse day. Uncontaminated yard waste is banned from Monroe County landfills, so it is important to follow preparation rules to ensure pickup.

🌿 Yard Waste Preparation Rules

Loose wood, trees, bushes, and hedges must be tied in bundles with string or twine.
Bundles may not exceed 4 feet in length, 18 inches in diameter, or 60 pounds in weight. Oversized bundles will not be collected.
All nails must be removed from discarded lumber, or bent over so that no nail points are exposed.
Leaves and smaller clippings may be placed in the City-issued toter or in additional bags or containers (60 lb max each).
Yard waste is collected on the same day as your regular refuse collection.

🌿 Materials Give Back Program — Free Compost, Mulch & Woodchips. The City of Rochester operates the Materials Give Back Center, a free program that returns recycled organic materials to residents. After leaves are collected, they are composted and offered back free of charge. Holiday trees are chipped into mulch. Scrap wood becomes woodchips. The center is open seasonally: first Monday in April through last Friday in December. It is intended for individual residents only; contractors may not use it. This program saves the City approximately $50,000 per year in tipping fees and benefits residents directly.

💡 Grasscycling. Monroe County and the City both encourage residents to leave grass clippings on the lawn after mowing (“grasscycling”). This returns nutrients to the soil, reduces the volume of yard waste at the curb, and cuts down on the energy and cost of transport and composting.

Bulk Items

Bulk Item Pickup in Rochester — On Your Regular Refuse Day

Rochester residents can place large bulk items at the curb for collection on their regular refuse collection day. No separate appointment or phone call is required for most household bulk items. The City collects furniture, mattresses, large appliances, and bundled yard waste as part of standard residential refuse service, making Rochester’s approach more straightforward than cities requiring scheduled pickup windows.

📌 Bulk Item Placement Rules

Place bulk items at the curb on your regular refuse collection day. Do not place them days in advance.
Items should be placed between the sidewalk and the curb, without blocking pedestrian access.
Doors must be removed from refrigerators and all appliances with latches before placing at the curb — this is a safety requirement.
Bundled tree and hedge trimmings: must be tied in bundles no longer than 4 feet, no more than 18 inches in diameter, and no heavier than 60 pounds. Loose unbundled branches will not be collected.
All nails must be removed from discarded lumber or bent over so that no nail points are exposed.
For large volumes of refuse from home improvement projects or move-outs, consider the City’s On-Demand service (see below).

✅ Accepted Bulk Items

Household furniture of all types
Mattresses and box springs
Large appliances (remove doors from refrigerators, freezers, and washing machines)
Rugs and carpeting
Bundled tree trimmings and hedge clippings (per size rules above)
Owner-generated construction debris from minor home repairs
Tires originating from the household (not from a business)

🚫 Not Accepted Curbside

Contractor-generated construction or demolition debris
Hazardous materials → ecopark by appointment
Electronics (TVs, computers, monitors, printers) → ecopark
Tires from automotive businesses
Unbundled loose branches or brush
Industrial or commercial waste

⚠ Electronics cannot be placed curbside in Rochester. Televisions, computers, monitors, printers, keyboards, mice, VCR/DVD/CD players, cell phones, and video game consoles are banned from curbside collection. These items must be taken to the Monroe County ecopark at 10 Avion Drive or to a certified electronics recycler. See the Special Waste section below for details.

🔗 Related Guide How bulk trash pickup works across the US: Bulk Trash Pickup in the US (Rules, Scheduling & What’s Accepted)

Special Waste

Special Waste — Monroe County ecopark & Electronics

Rochester residents are served by the Monroe County ecopark, a free, resident-only “one-stop drop-off” facility for household hazardous waste, electronics, and specialty recycling. The ecopark is a partnership between Monroe County and Waste Management and accepts a wide range of materials that cannot go in the regular refuse stream.

⚡ Monroe County ecopark — Location & Hours

Address: 10 Avion Drive, Rochester, NY 14624 • Phone: (585) 753-7600, option 3 • Website: monroecounty.gov/ecopark

Hours: Wednesday 1:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. | Saturday 7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Closed on holidays. Arrive before 10:00 a.m. on Saturdays to avoid long wait times.

Hazardous Household Waste (HHW): appointment required. Schedule at wp.monroecounty.gov/hhw or call (585) 753-7600 option 3. Free for Monroe County residents.
Electronics, pharmaceuticals, tires, appliances, general recycling: no appointment needed.
As of January 1, 2026, off-rim tire disposal has a price increase. Maximum 4 tires per visit.
The ecopark now accepts lithium batteries for recycling.

📷 What the ecopark Accepts

Electronics (banned from curbside): TVs, computers, monitors, printers, keyboards, cell phones, VCRs, DVD/CD players, video game consoles
Hazardous Household Waste (appointment required): oil-based paints, solvents, pesticides, herbicides, automotive fluids, pool chemicals, propane tanks, fluorescent bulbs
Batteries (all types, including lithium)
Sharps, needles, and lancets
Pharmaceuticals (unused/expired medications)
Scrap metal and bulky plastic items
Styrofoam and plastic bags/film
Paper shredding (free for residents)
Appliances, tires

⚡ Certified Electronics Recyclers in Rochester

In addition to the ecopark, residents can use these certified electronics recyclers (call to confirm current hours and accepted items):

Maven Technologies, LLC — 1450 Lyell Avenue · (585) 458-2460
RCR&R (Regional Computer Recycling and Recovery) — 1-888-563-1340
Sunnking — (585) 637-8365
Retailers such as Best Buy and Apple also offer electronics take-back programs.
Full statewide list: NYS DEC electronics collection sites

💡 Latex paint disposal tip. Small amounts of latex paint (1/3 gallon or less) do not need to go to the ecopark. Remove the lid, add clay-based cat litter or another absorbent, stir until absorbed, and allow to dry completely. Once hardened, the dry paint can go in your regular refuse toter. Oil-based paint always requires the ecopark HHW appointment.

On-Demand Service

On-Demand Refuse Collection — Extra Pickups When You Need Them

Rochester’s Solid Waste Management Division offers an On-Demand refuse collection service for residential customers who need an extra pickup outside of the regular weekly schedule. This service is ideal if you are doing a home improvement project, cleaning out after a tenant move-out, or have more refuse than fits in your regular toter and overflow containers.

📞 How On-Demand Works

Contact the Solid Waste Management Division at 311 (city limits) or (585) 428-5990 to request an on-demand pickup.
Describe what you have that needs to be collected. The City will arrange next business day collection.
Fees may apply for residential on-demand service. Ask when you call for the current rate.
This service is also available commercially — contact the Commercial Refuse Business Office at (585) 428-6928 for commercial on-demand requests.
Note: The City will not collect waste generated by a contractor. If you are having renovation work done, the contractor must arrange for lawful disposal of any debris they generate.

Missed Pickup

What to Do If Your Trash Wasn’t Collected in Rochester

Confirm your exact collection day using the City’s address map. Enter your address at cityofrochester.gov — Refuse & Recycling Map to verify your designated weekday. Schedules can vary by neighborhood.
Check that your container was out by 6:30 a.m. Rochester trucks begin routes early. If your toter was not at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on your collection day, the truck will not return. Always aim for 6:00 a.m. to be safe.
Check for a holiday delay. If your collection day fell on a City-observed holiday, the route shifts one day for the remainder of that week. Confirm with 311 or the City’s website during holiday weeks.
For recycling misses, confirm your week. Recycling is every other week. Verify you are on the correct Blue or Green calendar week using the City’s address lookup. If it was not your recycling week, your cart simply was not collected — wait until your next scheduled week.
Report via 311. Call 311 inside city limits, or (585) 428-5990 from outside city limits. The Solid Waste Management Division will follow up. For bulk items not collected, report separately through 311 and describe the items.

Local Tips

Rochester Trash & Recycling Tips Every Resident Should Know

🏠 New to Rochester or Just Moved In?

The first thing to do: enter your address into the City’s refuse and recycling interactive map (cityofrochester.gov) to find your exact weekday and whether you are on the Blue or Green recycling calendar. Download or print the PDF calendar for your color group so you always know when recycling week falls. Call 311 to report any issues with your City-issued toter or to ask about service details. Refuse service fees are included in your annual tax bill — there is no separate monthly garbage bill for 1–3 family homes.

🚫 5 Mistakes Rochester Residents Make

Setting out containers the night before instead of by 6:30 a.m. on collection day — the City’s rules call for morning placement
Forgetting which recycling week (Blue or Green) applies to their address and putting out the cart every week
Placing electronics curbside — TVs, computers, and monitors are banned from curbside; they must go to the ecopark
Putting plastic bags or recyclables in bags in the recycling cart — materials must be loose
Missing Good Friday or the Day After Thanksgiving as city-observed holidays that delay collection

☘ Free Compost & Mulch for City Residents

The City’s Materials Give Back Program is an underused benefit. Residents can pick up free compost (made from collected leaves), mulch (from chipped holiday trees), and woodchips at the Materials Give Back Center. Open first Monday in April through last Friday in December. This is intended for personal landscaping use by individual residents — contractors are not permitted to take bulk loads. Contact the City or call 311 for the current location and any seasonal updates.

Contact

Contact Rochester City DES & 311

Contact	Details
Rochester 311	Dial 3-1-1 inside city limits, or (585) 428-5990 from outside — missed pickups, schedule questions, toter issues, all non-emergency city services
Solid Waste Management Division	Part of the Dept. of Environmental Services (DES). Call 311 or (585) 428-5990. DES Solid Waste page
Collection Day Lookup	cityofrochester.gov — Refuse & Recycling Map — enter address for your exact refuse day and recycling week
Blue/Green Calendar PDFs	cityofrochester.gov/recycling-schedule — downloadable calendars in English & Spanish
Residential Recycling Info	cityofrochester.gov — Residential Recycling — accepted materials, rules, container info
On-Demand Extra Collection	Call 311 or (585) 428-5990 to schedule next-business-day extra pickup. Commercial: (585) 428-6928
ecopark (HHW & Electronics)	10 Avion Drive · (585) 753-7600 opt. 3 · Wed 1–6:30 p.m., Sat 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m. · monroecounty.gov/ecopark · HHW requires appointment
Household Hazardous Waste	cityofrochester.gov/HHW · Appointment required at ecopark · Schedule at wp.monroecounty.gov/hhw
Materials Give Back Program	Free compost, mulch & woodchips for residents · Open April–December · Call 311 for current location
Illegal Dumping Reporting	Call (585) 428-5990 or 311 to report illegal dumping

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions — Rochester Trash Pickup

Rochester does not have a single citywide trash day. Your specific refuse collection day depends entirely on your address. The City’s Solid Waste Management Division assigns each 1–3 family home a designated weekday (Monday through Friday). To find your day, enter your address in the City’s official refuse and recycling interactive map at cityofrochester.gov. Refuse is collected once every week on that day.

Use the City of Rochester’s official interactive map: go to cityofrochester.gov — Refuse & Recycling Schedule and Map and enter your address. The tool will show your designated refuse collection day and whether you are on the Blue or Green recycling calendar. You can also download PDF calendars for your color group. If the map is not working on your device, call 311 for assistance.

Yes. The City of Rochester provides curbside mixed recycling collection from all 1-, 2-, and 3-family homes. All recyclables — paper, cardboard, metal cans, glass bottles and jars, and plastic containers — go in one 96-gallon wheeled cart together. No sorting is required. Recycling is collected every other week on the same day as your refuse. The City uses a Blue calendar and a Green calendar to alternate weeks across different areas. Find your calendar color and schedule via the City’s address lookup map.

Since recycling is collected every other week, the City divides routes into two groups: Blue calendar and Green calendar. Addresses on the Blue calendar have recycling on alternating weeks that differ from those on the Green calendar. To find which calendar applies to your address and which specific weeks in 2026 your recycling falls on, enter your address in the City’s interactive map. PDF calendars for both Blue and Green schedules are also downloadable in English and Spanish.

Containers must be placed at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. Unlike many cities that ask residents to set out containers the evening before, Rochester’s official guidance calls for placement on the morning of collection. Trucks begin routes at or shortly after 6:30 a.m. If your toter is not curbside by then, it may be missed. After collection, remove containers from the curb and return them to the rear or side yard within 24 hours.

When a City-observed holiday falls on a weekday, all collection routes for that day and the remainder of the week are delayed by one day. For 2026, holidays that affect collection include: New Year’s Day (Jan 1), MLK Day (Jan 19), Presidents’ Day (Feb 16), Good Friday (Apr 3), Memorial Day (May 25), Juneteenth (Jun 19), Independence Day observed (Jul 3), Labor Day (Sep 7), Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Oct 12), Veterans’ Day (Nov 11), Thanksgiving (Nov 26), the Day After Thanksgiving (Nov 27), Christmas Day (Dec 25), and the Day After Christmas. Good Friday and the Day After Thanksgiving are distinctive to Rochester as city employee holidays. Always confirm the current week’s schedule via 311 during holiday weeks.

Bulk items are collected on your regular refuse collection day — no appointment needed. Place furniture, mattresses, large appliances, and bundled yard waste at the curb on your trash day. Rules: remove doors from refrigerators and appliances with latches before setting out; tie tree and hedge trimmings in bundles no longer than 4 feet, no wider than 18 inches, and no heavier than 60 pounds; all nails must be removed from lumber. Electronics (TVs, computers, etc.) cannot go curbside — take them to the Monroe County ecopark. If you have more than your toter can handle, consider the City’s On-Demand service by calling 311.

Monroe County’s ecopark at 10 Avion Drive is the main drop-off for both electronics and household hazardous waste. Hours: Wednesday 1:00–6:30 p.m. and Saturday 7:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m., closed holidays. Electronics: no appointment needed, self-unload. Hazardous Household Waste (paints, chemicals, batteries, automotive fluids): appointment required — schedule at monroecounty.gov/ecopark or call (585) 753-7600 option 3. Free for Monroe County residents. Additional certified electronics recyclers include Maven Technologies (585-458-2460) and Sunnking (585-637-8365).

Yes. The City provides every 1-3 family home with a City-issued wheeled refuse toter and a 96-gallon recycling cart at no additional charge. These are owned by the City, not the resident. Refuse service fees are included in the annual property tax bill — there is no separate monthly garbage bill for basic residential curbside service. Call 311 or (585) 428-5990 for toter issues or replacements.

Official Source

Still Can’t Find Your Collection Day?

The City of Rochester’s official address map is the only reliable way to confirm your specific refuse day and recycling week. No external guide — including this one — can replace an address-specific lookup because Rochester routes vary by neighborhood and the Blue/Green calendar alternates week to week.

🔍 Official City of Rochester Collection Lookup & Key Links

All of the following are free and will confirm your exact schedule, calendar color, and service details:

🔍 Find My Rochester Collection Day 📞 Call 311 — Rochester City Services

Refuse & Recycling Map	cityofrochester.gov — Schedule & Map — enter your address for exact refuse day and Blue/Green recycling week.
Blue/Green Calendar PDFs	cityofrochester.gov/recycling-schedule — downloadable 2026 recycling calendars in English & Spanish.
Residential Refuse Info	cityofrochester.gov — Residential Refuse — rules, toter info, overflow, holiday delay policy, bulk items.
Residential Recycling Info	cityofrochester.gov — Residential Recycling — accepted materials, container rules, schedule info.
Solid Waste Division (DES)	cityofrochester.gov — Solid Waste Management Division — all refuse & recycling services.
Monroe County ecopark	monroecounty.gov/ecopark — 10 Avion Drive · Wed 1–6:30 p.m., Sat 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m. · HHW by appointment · Electronics, batteries, Styrofoam & more, no appointment needed.
On-Demand Extra Collection	Call 311 or (585) 428-5990 — next-business-day extra pickup for large volumes.

You will leave this website when using any of the links above.

Nearby Cities

Trash & Recycling Schedules for Cities Near Rochester

Looking for waste collection information in another upstate New York or nearby city? Here are cities we’ve already covered:

🏭 New York City 🏭 Buffalo 🏭 Pittsburgh 🏭 Philadelphia 🏭 Boston