Fort Wayne Trash Pickup Schedule, Recycling & Bulk Items 2026
Find your Fort Wayne GFL collection day, A/B recycling week, bulk item rules, and Tox-Away Tuesday hazardous waste info.
City of Fort Wayne · Public Works · GFL Environmental Hauler · Updated May 2026
Find Your Fort Wayne Collection Day
Select your collection day to see your garbage and recycling schedule plus 2026 holiday impacts. Your exact day and A/B recycling week are address-based — use the official lookup tool to confirm.
👈 Select your day above to see your complete Fort Wayne collection schedule.
⚠ Not sure of your day or A/B week? Use the official Garbage & Recycling Lookup at garbagerecyclelookup.cityoffortwayne.org, or call 311 (260-427-8311 outside Allen County). More contact options ↓
Fort Wayne Waste Collection — Quick Facts
The City of Fort Wayne contracts with GFL Environmental for all residential garbage and recycling collection (since July 2022). GFL serves approximately 82,000 homes citywide. Garbage is weekly; One-Cart recycling (yellow-lid cart) is every other week on an A week or B week rotation. Both services run on the same weekday. New routes took effect December 2, 2024 — if your day changed since then, use the official address lookup to confirm.
Fort Wayne’s Two-Cart System — Garbage & One-Cart Recycling
Each Fort Wayne household receives a garbage cart (96-gallon or 48-gallon, your choice) and a recycling cart with a yellow lid (96-gallon or 48-gallon). Carts are city property — they must remain at the address if you move. The recycling program is called One-Cart Recycling because all recyclables go in the same cart without sorting.
Garbage Cart (96-gal or 48-gal)
All non-recyclable household waste. Bag all trash and fill the cart first. No overflow bags. City property — stays at address when you move.
Weekly • Bag All ItemsYellow-Lid Cart — One-Cart Recycling
All recyclables go in one cart without sorting: paper, cardboard, cans, glass, plastics #1–7. Loose, clean, dry. No bags. Biweekly on A or B week.
Every Other Week • Free⏰ Cart Placement Rules
- Set out curbside by 6:00 a.m. on collection day. Do not set out earlier than noon the day before pickup.
- Remove carts from the curb no later than noon the day after collection.
- Carts must be stored inside the garage, storage shed, or on the side of the house — at least 10 feet from the front of the house. Carts must also be within 5 feet of the alley or curb for collection.
- Keep carts at least 3 feet apart from each other.
- Wheels should face the house; the lid should open toward the street.
- For bulk items, place at least 3 feet away from your garbage cart to avoid interference with truck arms.
🚚 Cart Sizes & Additional Carts
- Each single-family household receives 1 garbage cart at no additional charge (96-gal or 48-gal).
- Multi-family units receive 2 carts as standard.
- Additional garbage carts: $4 per month per extra cart beyond the standard allotment.
- Recycling cart is included at no additional cost. Need one? Call 311.
- Also available: a “Borrow-a-Bin” program for temporary extra recycling capacity. See cityoffortwayne.in.gov/670 for details.
Fort Wayne Holiday Trash Collection Schedule 2026
Fort Wayne observes 8 holidays in 2026, making it one of the most holiday-observant cities in this guide. When a holiday falls on a collection day, service runs one day later that week. This applies to both garbage and recycling. Independence Day falls on a Saturday in 2026, so no weekday delay occurs that week.
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Impact | What Happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thu, Jan 1 | 1-Day Delay | Collections on or after Jan 1 slide one day. Thu → Fri; Fri → Sat. Mon–Wed: normal. |
| MLK Jr. Day | Mon, Jan 19 | 1-Day Delay | All routes that week shift one day later. Mon → Tue; Fri → Sat. |
| Presidents’ Day | Mon, Feb 16 | Check Official | Verify at cityoffortwayne.in.gov/669 — not listed in confirmed 2026 holiday list. |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 25 | 1-Day Delay | All routes that week shift one day later. Mon → Tue; Fri → Sat. |
| Juneteenth | Fri, Jun 19 | 1-Day Delay | Routes on or after Jun 19 slide one day. Fri → Sat. Mon–Thu: check officially. |
| Independence Day | Sat, Jul 4 | Normal | Falls on Saturday — no weekday collection impact. Regular service all week. |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sep 7 | 1-Day Delay | All routes that week shift one day later. Mon → Tue; Fri → Sat. |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 26 | 1-Day Delay | Thu → Fri; Fri → Sat. Mon–Wed: normal that week. |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 | 1-Day Delay | Fri → Sat. Mon–Thu: normal that week. |
Fort Wayne One-Cart Recycling — What Goes in the Yellow-Lid Cart
Fort Wayne’s One-Cart Recycling means all recyclables go in the same yellow-lid cart without sorting — paper, aluminum, plastic, and glass can all be mixed together. The program is available free of charge to Fort Wayne households paying for garbage service, including single-family homes and residential buildings with no more than 4 units. Materials are processed at GFL’s state-of-the-art Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Pontiac, Michigan.
📌 How to Find Your A or B Recycling Week
- Use the ACI Map Trash Day Lookup or the city’s Garbage & Recycling Lookup to find your A or B week.
- Download the 2026 Recycling Calendar PDF from cityoffortwayne.in.gov for the full year calendar showing which weeks are A and which are B.
- Your recycling week (A or B) remains consistent throughout the year and follows your regular collection day.
- Call 311 if you’re unsure of your week.
✅ Accepted in the Yellow-Lid Cart
- Paper: cardboard (flattened, cut to 3-foot pieces), envelopes, junk mail, magazines, newspapers, office and school papers, paperback books, paper grocery bags, wrapping paper (no metal)
- Plastics #1–7: bottles, jugs, containers, tubs, clamshells — rinsed, lids removed (lids go in separately)
- Glass: clear, brown, green, and blue glass bottles and jars — rinsed, no lids
- Metal: aluminum cans, tin/steel food cans — rinsed
- All items placed loose in the cart — no bags of any kind
🚫 Never in the Yellow-Lid Cart
- Plastic bags or film → grocery store drop-off
- Bagged recyclables (even clear bags)
- Food waste or food-soiled items
- Styrofoam / polystyrene
- Electronics → E-cycling options (see below)
- Batteries → ACDEM HHW facility
- Household chemicals → Tox-Away Tuesday
- Mirrors, ceramics, or drinking glasses
- Hardcover books
Yard Waste, Leaves & Grass Clippings in Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne handles different types of yard waste differently. Most yard waste can go in the garbage cart; leaves are the exception and have their own seasonal curbside collection program run by the Street Department.
🌿 Grass Clippings & Most Yard Waste
- Grass clippings can be placed in the garbage cart, bagged in plastic or brown biodegradable bags not exceeding 35 pounds each.
- Other yard waste (plants, weeds, small branches cut to fit) can go in the city garbage cart.
- Branches that are too large must be cut down to fit inside the city cart — the city does not collect bundled branches set outside the cart.
- Alternatively, you can take bundled branches to the Biosolids Facility at 6202 Lake Avenue. Hours: April 1–November 30: Mon–Sat 8am–6pm, Sun noon–6pm; December 1–March 31: Mon–Fri 7am–3pm. Fees apply.
🍂 Fall Leaves — Special Curbside Collection
Leaves cannot be placed in the garbage cart. The Street Department conducts special curbside leaf collection during November and December. Leaves are vacuumed from the curb — do not bag them for this program. For spring leaf cleanup, take leaves to the Biosolids Facility at 6202 Lake Avenue (fees apply). Bagged leaves are also collected in the spring on a date to be determined each year.
Bulk Item Pickup in Fort Wayne — Schedule at Least 2 Business Days Ahead
Bulk items must be scheduled in advance through the city’s 311 system. Bulk trash will not be collected without scheduling at least 2 business days before your regular garbage collection day. Service is included in your monthly solid waste fee — there is no additional charge for standard bulk pickup.
📅 How to Schedule Bulk Item Pickup
- Go to fortwayne.thesmartcity311.com, choose “Solid Waste,” then “Bulk Trash Pickup.” Or call 311 (or 260-427-8311 outside Allen County), or use the 311 Mobile App.
- Schedule at least 2 business days before your collection day. Examples: schedule by Monday for a Wednesday pickup; schedule by Friday if your collection day is Tuesday (Saturday and Sunday are not business days).
- Place bulk items at the curb on your scheduled garbage collection day, at least 3 feet from your garbage cart.
- Mattresses and box springs must be completely wrapped in plastic before set-out. Plastic mattress bags are available at most retail stores.
- Freon appliances (refrigerators, freezers, ACs, water coolers, dehumidifiers) are not accepted as standard bulk items — they require a private hauler at resident expense. Contact the EPA for freon removal questions.
✅ Accepted as Bulk Items
- Furniture: sofas, chairs, tables, dressers, bed frames
- Mattresses & box springs (wrapped in plastic)
- Non-freon appliances: ovens, dishwashers, washers, dryers
- Other large household items that don’t fit in the cart
🚫 Not Accepted as Bulk
- Tires, batteries, or concrete → special disposal
- Freon appliances (fridges, freezers, ACs, water coolers, dehumidifiers) → private hauler required
- Construction or demolition debris
- Hazardous materials → Tox-Away Tuesday
- Items not scheduled 2 business days ahead
Household Hazardous Waste — Tox-Away Tuesday (Weekly)
The Allen County Department of Environmental Management (ACDEM) operates the Tox-Away Tuesday program at 2260 Carroll Road every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This is one of the most convenient HHW programs in the Midwest — weekly access without an appointment. Minimal fees apply; the first ~60 lbs of accepted materials are free on Saturday events. Enter via Fort Recovery Road from Lima Road.
🚩 Tox-Away Tuesday (Weekly)
2260 Carroll Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46818
Every Tuesday, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Enter via Fort Recovery Road from Lima Road.
Minimal fees. 50 lb weight limit per visit.
📞 ACDEM: (260) 449-7878 • acwastewatcher.org
🚩 Tox-Away Saturday Events (Select Dates)
ACDEM also hosts Saturday events at the same location in partnership with the City. First 60 lbs free (cash or check for fees). No electronics accepted at Saturday events.
2026 Saturday dates: April 6, May 4, June 1, August 3, September 7, October 12. No July Saturday.
9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Enter via Fort Recovery Road from Lima Road.
✅ Accepted at Tox-Away
Automotive products (oil, fluids, antifreeze), batteries, fertilizers, household cleaners, mercury items, fluorescent bulbs, paints & stains, pesticides & herbicides, propane tanks, pool chemicals, gasoline, solvents, and other HHW. See acwastewatcher.org for the full accepted items list and current fees.
💡 Fluorescent Bulbs (Drop-Off)
Fluorescent bulbs (up to 8 feet), CFLs, and LED bulbs contain mercury and must not go in the trash. Drop them off free at:
- Connolly’s Do-It Best stores
- Umber’s Do It Best Store
- Grabill Hardware
During regular business hours; call ahead to confirm.
💾 Electronics Recycling in Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne discontinued its city Electronics Recycling Program in 2022. For electronics disposal, residents should use:
- Best Buy at 9970 N. Newport Hwy (509-467-9656) and 18223 E. Indiana Ave. — accepts many electronics for recycling
- Earthworks Recycling: 1904 E. Broadway Ave • 260-534-1638
- Inland ReTech: 7203 E. Nora Ave • 509-326-1165
- Recycle Techs: 6810 E. Appleway Blvd • 509-926-1605
- Goodwill Industries — multiple Fort Wayne locations; 260-838-4246
- Call 311 for current e-cycling options or report illegal dumping.
What to Do If Your Trash Wasn’t Collected in Fort Wayne
- Wait until the end of the day. Trucks may run late. Do not report a missed pickup until the end of the collection day.
- Confirm your collection day and A/B recycling week. Use the official Garbage & Recycling Lookup or call 311. Routes changed December 2, 2024 — verify your current day is correct.
- Check for a holiday delay. Fort Wayne observes 8 holidays in 2026, including MLK Jr. Day and Juneteenth. If a holiday occurred on or before your collection day that week, service slides one day later. Check cityoffortwayne.in.gov/669.
- Verify cart placement: Out by 6 a.m., not set out before noon the prior day, within 5 feet of alley or curb, at least 3 feet apart from other carts, wheels facing the house.
- Report the missed pickup via the 311 website, the 311 Mobile App, or by calling 311 (or 260-427-8311 outside Allen County). Select “Solid Waste” then the appropriate category.
Fort Wayne Trash & Recycling Tips Every Resident Should Know
🏠 New to Fort Wayne or Just Moved In?
Use the official address lookup to find your garbage day and A or B recycling week. Your carts should be at the address when you arrive — they stay with the property, not the previous resident. If carts are missing, call 311. Download the 2026 Recycling Calendar from cityoffortwayne.in.gov/669 and sign up for the Recycling Matters e-newsletter to receive holiday alerts and program updates.
📦 Borrow-a-Bin Program
Need extra recycling capacity for a short period (moving, spring cleaning, a party)? The city’s Borrow-a-Bin program lets residents borrow a temporary extra recycling bin. Visit cityoffortwayne.in.gov/670 for details and availability.
🚫 5 Common Mistakes Fort Wayne Residents Make
- Putting recyclables in plastic bags in the yellow-lid cart — all items must be loose; bags are treated as trash and sent to landfill
- Forgetting that MLK Jr. Day and Juneteenth cause 1-day delays — Fort Wayne is one of few cities that observes these holidays for garbage collection
- Setting bulk items at the curb without scheduling 2 business days ahead — they will not be collected and may result in a code violation notice
- Putting leaves in the garbage cart — leaves are not accepted in the cart; use the fall curbside vacuum program or take them to the Biosolids Facility
- Not verifying their collection day changed — routes changed December 2, 2024; approximately 25% of customers have different days than before
Contact Solid Waste & 311 in Fort Wayne
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| Fort Wayne 311 | Dial 311 (in Allen County) or 260-427-8311 (outside Allen County) • Missed pickups, bulk scheduling, cart requests, service issues |
| 311 Online & Mobile App | fortwayne.thesmartcity311.com — submit service requests online; choose “Solid Waste” for bulk pickup, missed pickups, and cart issues. Free 311 Mobile App available. |
| Address Lookup (Day & A/B Week) | garbagerecyclelookup.cityoffortwayne.org — official city lookup to find your collection day and recycling week (A or B) |
| Alternative Recycling Lookup | acimap.us/trashdaylookup — ACI Map recycling schedule lookup |
| Solid Waste Department | cityoffortwayne.in.gov/669 — all solid waste information, holiday schedule, Recycling Matters e-newsletter signup, 2026 calendar PDF |
| 2026 Recycling Calendar (PDF) | 2026 Recycle Calendar PDF — full year A/B week calendar at cityoffortwayne.in.gov |
| Bulk Item Scheduling | fortwayne.thesmartcity311.com — Solid Waste → Bulk Trash Pickup • Must schedule at least 2 business days ahead |
| GFL Environmental (Hauler) | GFL is the city’s contracted hauler; contact through the city’s 311 system for all service issues rather than directly to GFL |
| ACDEM Tox-Away Tuesday | 2260 Carroll Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46818 • Every Tuesday 9am–2pm • 📞 (260) 449-7878 • acwastewatcher.org |
| Biosolids Facility (Yard Waste) | 6202 Lake Avenue, Fort Wayne • Apr–Nov: Mon–Sat 8am–6pm, Sun noon–6pm • Dec–Mar: Mon–Fri 7am–3pm • Fees apply |
| Recycling Matters Newsletter | Sign up at cityoffortwayne.in.gov/669 — quarterly updates on recycling and trash disposal; holiday reminders |
Frequently Asked Questions — Fort Wayne Trash Pickup
Still Need Help Finding Your Fort Wayne Collection Schedule?
The official Garbage & Recycling Lookup at garbagerecyclelookup.cityoffortwayne.org is the most accurate tool for finding your current collection day and A/B recycling week — especially important since routes changed in December 2024.
🔍 Official Fort Wayne Lookup & Contact Options
All of the following are free and will confirm your exact schedule:
🔍 Garbage & Recycling Lookup 📞 Call 311| Garbage & Recycling Lookup | garbagerecyclelookup.cityoffortwayne.org — enter your address to find your collection day and A or B recycling week |
| ACI Map Recycling Lookup | acimap.us/trashdaylookup — alternate recycling schedule lookup tool |
| Solid Waste Department Page | cityoffortwayne.in.gov/669 — holiday schedule, newsletter signup, 2026 calendar PDF, all solid waste info |
| 2026 Recycling Calendar PDF | Download 2026 Recycle Calendar PDF — full year A/B week calendar |
| 311 (Service Requests) | Dial 311 (Allen County) or 260-427-8311 • fortwayne.thesmartcity311.com — bulk item scheduling, missed pickups, cart issues |
You will leave this website when using any of the links above. The City of Fort Wayne’s cityoffortwayne.in.gov is the authoritative source for all collection information.
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