Charlotte Trash Pickup Schedule, Recycling & Bulk 2026

Find your Charlotte Solid Waste Services collection day, Green or Orange recycling week, yard waste rules, and bulk pickup guide for Charlotte, NC.

City of Charlotte · Solid Waste Services (SWS) · Updated March 2026

⭐ Collection Day Finder

Find Your Charlotte Collection Day

Select your collection day to instantly see your full weekly schedule — garbage, Green or Orange recycling week, yard waste rules, and 2026 holiday impact.

👈 Select your day above to see your complete Charlotte collection schedule.

Don’t know your day or recycling week? Use CLT+ at servicerequest.charlottenc.gov, the CLT+ app (iOS/Android), or call 311 (704-336-7600). You can also text your collection day (e.g. “Monday”) to 73224 to sign up for text alerts.  See all contact options ↓

At a Glance

Charlotte Waste Collection — Quick Facts

The City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services (SWS) collects trash, recycling, and yard waste from single-family homes and eligible small buildings within Charlotte city limits. Mecklenburg County handles drop-off centers and processes all recycling at the Metrolina Recycling Facility. Your specific collection day and recycling week are address-based.

🗑
Garbage
Weekly
Gray cart, by address
Recycling
Every other week
Green or Orange week
🌿
Yard Waste
Weekly
Paper bags or ≤32 gal container
📦
Bulky Items
By appointment
CLT+ or 311, free
🔌
Drop-Off Centers
4 locations
Mon–Sat 7 a.m.–4 p.m.
⚠ City of Charlotte ≠ Mecklenburg County. The City of Charlotte provides curbside collection for Charlotte city residents only. Towns of Davidson, Cornelius, Huntersville, Pineville, Mint Hill, and Matthews use separate providers. Unincorporated Mecklenburg County areas must contract a private hauler. Call Charlotte 311 at 704-336-7600 to confirm your address receives City service.
Three Services

Charlotte’s Three Curbside Services — Gray, Green & Yard Waste

Charlotte provides three separate curbside services, all on the same weekday. Garbage and yard waste are collected every week. Recycling is collected every other week on your assigned Green week or Orange week.

🗑

Gray Cart — Garbage

All household trash that is not recyclable or yard waste. Bag and tie all garbage inside the cart.

Weekly • Multiple sizes available

Green Cart — Recycling

Only the 6 accepted items: cardboard, cans, cartons, paper, glass, plastic bottles & jugs. Loose, never bagged.

Every other week • Green or Orange week
🌿

Yard Waste

Grass, leaves, branches. Paper yard bags or ≤32 gal labeled container. No plastic bags ever.

Weekly • April through December

⏰ Set-Out Rules — All Carts & Yard Waste

  • All carts and yard waste must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day.
  • Do not set out carts or items the night before your collection day (unless it is after midnight).
  • Cart handles must face your property; the silver bar must face the street.
  • Keep carts within 6 feet of the curb and at least 3 feet from mailboxes, cars, and other carts.
  • Do not block sidewalks, driveways, or fire hydrants.
  • Remove carts from the curb by midnight on your collection day.
  • All garbage must be bagged inside the gray cart. Do not leave loose trash bags outside of carts.
2026 Holiday Schedule — New

Charlotte Holiday Trash Collection Schedule 2026

Charlotte Solid Waste Services introduced a new holiday collection model for 2026, announced in late December 2025. The key change: MLK Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day (Monday holidays) now follow a different pattern — no Monday collection, crews work Tuesday through Friday to complete all routes, and no yard waste is collected those weeks. Other holidays are handled differently depending on the day they fall.

Holiday2026 DateImpactWhat Happens
New Year’s DayThu, Jan 1Thu/Fri DelayThu → Fri  |  Fri → Sat  |  Mon–Wed: normal. No Saturday collection.
MLK DayMon, Jan 19New 2026 PatternNo Monday collection. Crews work Tue–Fri to complete all routes. No yard waste Jan 19–23. No Saturday collection. Leave carts out until collected.
Presidents’ DayMon, Feb 16NormalNo delay. Full service all routes.
Good FridayFri, Apr 3NormalNo delay. Full service all routes.
Memorial DayMon, May 25New 2026 PatternNo Monday collection. Crews work Tue–Fri to complete all routes. No yard waste May 25–29. No Saturday collection. Leave carts out until collected.
JuneteenthFri, Jun 19NormalNo delay. Full service all routes.
Independence DaySat, Jul 4NormalFalls on Saturday — no weekday impact.
Labor DayMon, Sep 7New 2026 PatternNo Monday collection. Crews work Tue–Fri to complete all routes. No yard waste Sep 7–11. No Saturday collection. Leave carts out until collected.
Indigenous Peoples’ DayMon, Oct 12NormalNo delay. Full service all routes.
Veterans’ DayWed, Nov 11NormalNo delay. Full service all routes.
Thanksgiving DayThu, Nov 26Thu/Fri DelayThu → Fri  |  Fri → Sat  |  Mon–Wed: normal.
Christmas DayFri, Dec 25Fri DelayFri → Sat  |  Mon–Thu: normal that week.
⚠ NEW for 2026 — MLK Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day work differently. In previous years these Monday holidays caused a full-week one-day delay. Starting in 2026: Monday routes are simply not collected on those holidays. Crews instead start Tuesday and work through Friday to complete all routes, including Monday’s. No Saturday collection occurs. Yard waste is suspended entirely during those weeks. If your collection day is Monday: leave your carts at the curb — crews will return as soon as possible that week (could be Tuesday through Friday). Do not report a missed pickup on the holiday itself — give it 48 hours first.
💡 Recycling weeks and holiday delays: If your collection slides to Saturday because of a Thursday/Friday holiday (New Year’s, Thanksgiving, Christmas), your recycling week stays the same — it is still collected if that week is your Green or Orange week. Confirm your recycling week at any time in CLT+ or by calling 311.
Recycling — Green Cart

Charlotte Recycling — Only 6 Items Accepted Curbside

Charlotte has one of the most focused curbside recycling programs in the US: exactly 6 materials are accepted in the green cart. Everything else — no matter how recyclable it seems — goes in the gray trash cart or at a Mecklenburg County drop-off center. This keeps contamination low and recycling quality high.

Your address is assigned to either a Green week or Orange week recycling schedule — confirm yours at CLT+ or by texting your collection day to 73224. Items must be placed clean, empty, dry, and loose in the cart — never in bags. Keep the cart lid closed.

📦

Cardboard
Flattened, dry

🍷

Cans
Aluminum & steel

🧂

Cartons
Milk, juice, soup

📑

Paper
Newspaper, office paper

🍷

Glass Bottles
& jars, rinsed

🧦

Plastic Bottles
& jugs with necks only

⚠ “When in doubt, throw it out.” Charlotte’s recycling campaign uses this motto because wishful recycling — putting items in the green cart that aren’t on the 6-item list — contaminates entire loads at the Metrolina Recycling Facility. Only plastic bottles and jugs with necks are accepted. Flat plastic containers (clamshells, tubs, lids, cups) do NOT go in the green cart — they go in the gray trash cart, or take them to a Mecklenburg County full-service drop-off center which accepts rigid plastics in their enhanced recycling area.

✅ The 6 Accepted Items — Details

  • Cardboard: corrugated boxes (flattened), cereal boxes, paper towel rolls, paperboard — must be dry
  • Cans: aluminum and steel/tin cans — rinsed
  • Cartons: milk, juice, broth, soup cartons — rinsed
  • Paper: newspaper, magazines, office paper, junk mail, catalogs — no shredded paper
  • Glass bottles and jars: all colors, rinsed, lids off
  • Plastic bottles and jugs with necks only: water bottles, soda bottles, milk jugs, detergent jugs, shampoo bottles — rinsed, caps off

🚫 Never in the Green Cart

  • Plastic bags, wrap, or film → retail store drop-off
  • Plastic tubs, clamshells, cups, or lids (no neck) → Mecklenburg drop-off or gray cart
  • Styrofoam of any kind → Mecklenburg enhanced recycling
  • Electronics → Mecklenburg County drop-off
  • Shredded paper → gray trash cart
  • Food-soiled items → gray trash cart
  • Tanglers: cords, hoses, wire hangers
  • Light bulbs of any kind
💡 Extra recyclables that don’t fit? Place overflow recycling in a clear plastic bag tied closed, and set it beside your green cart on your recycling day. SWS will collect it. Do not use an opaque or colored bag for this purpose. You can also take rigid plastics, electronics, and other items to a Mecklenburg County full-service drop-off center (Mon–Sat, 7 a.m.–4 p.m.).
Yard Waste

Charlotte Yard Waste Collection — Paper Bags Required

Charlotte collects yard waste weekly on the same day as your garbage, seasonally from approximately April through December. Plastic bags are never accepted for yard waste in Charlotte — use paper yard bags or an approved container. This is strictly enforced.

🌿 What’s Accepted & Packaging Rules

  • Accepted: grass clippings, leaves, brush, small branches, garden trimmings
  • Use paper yard waste bags (available at hardware stores) or a personal container no larger than 32 gallons clearly labeled “YARD WASTE”
  • No plastic bags of any kind — yard waste in plastic bags will not be collected
  • Bags and containers must not exceed 50 pounds
  • Branches: tied in bundles, no longer than 4 feet, no larger than 4 inches in diameter
  • Brush piles: single pile per week, no taller than 4 feet high × 4 feet wide × 5 feet long
  • Separate all yard waste from garbage and recycling carts

🍂 Fall Leaf Collection & Winter Schedule

Charlotte runs an enhanced leaf collection program in fall. Leaves bagged in paper bags are collected on your regular yard waste day. The City also periodically runs leaf vacuum collection — check charlottenc.gov/yard-waste for fall 2026 leaf season announcements. Note: yard waste is suspended during the three Monday holiday weeks (MLK Day week, Memorial Day week, and Labor Day week) under the new 2026 holiday policy.

🎄 Christmas Tree Collection

Charlotte collects Christmas trees curbside on your regular collection day from approximately December 26 through January 16, 2026. Place your tree at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day. The tree must be completely stripped of all decorations, lights, tinsel, and bags. Trees can also be dropped off for free chipping at Mecklenburg County full-service drop-off centers.

Bulky Item Pickup

Charlotte Bulky Item Pickup — Schedule via CLT+ or 311

The City of Charlotte offers free curbside bulky item pickup for eligible residential addresses receiving City garbage service. Appointments are required — items set out without a confirmed request may not be collected. Allow up to 5 business days after scheduling for collection. There is no stated annual limit for the number of pickups.

📅 How to Schedule Bulky Pickup

  1. Schedule online via CLT+ at servicerequest.charlottenc.gov/service/BULKITEM, through the CLT+ app (iOS/Android), or by calling 311 (704-336-7600). Submit your request before placing items curbside.
  2. Once confirmed, place items at the curb no earlier than the day before your appointment and no later than 6:00 a.m. on the confirmed collection date.
  3. Keep 3 feet of clearance between items and between items and carts, mailboxes, and vehicles so crews can work safely.
  4. Items must generally weigh 75 pounds or less each. Items requiring special preparation (glass taped with an X, appliances with doors removed and fuel removed, etc.) must be properly prepared before pickup.

✅ Accepted Bulky Items

  • Furniture: sofas, tables, dressers (drawers emptied)
  • Mattresses and box springs
  • Appliances: washers, dryers, stoves, fridges (doors removed, fuel emptied)
  • Electronics: TVs, computers, monitors
  • Lawn equipment (fuel and batteries removed)
  • Carpet, rugs, linoleum (rolled and cut)
  • Doors, windows, mirrors (glass taped in an X)
  • Lumber, pallets, and wood (nails removed, flattened)
  • Toilets (empty and clean)
  • Grills (propane tank removed)
  • Up to 8 passenger-vehicle tires (rims removed)

🚫 Not Accepted in Bulky Pickup

  • Construction or demolition debris (drywall, roofing, siding, insulation)
  • Concrete, bricks, rocks, dirt, or sand
  • Central HVAC or furnace units
  • Pressurized tanks (propane, oxygen)
  • Fire extinguishers
  • Hazardous waste: wet paint, solvents, liquids
  • Auto parts, motors, tires on rims
  • Tree stumps, railroad ties, chain-link fencing
  • Yard waste or plant material → yard waste program
  • Shopping carts
💡 Tires are accepted in Charlotte bulky pickup! Up to 8 passenger-vehicle tires per collection are accepted — but rims must be removed first. Tires on rims are not accepted. This is notable because many other US cities do not accept tires in any curbside program. Schedule through CLT+ or 311.
Mecklenburg County Drop-Off Centers

Mecklenburg County Full-Service Drop-Off Centers — HHW, E-Waste & More

Charlotte and all Mecklenburg County residents can use any of the four Mecklenburg County full-service drop-off centers, open Monday through Saturday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. These accept far more than curbside recycling, including electronics, hazardous waste, enhanced recyclables, food scraps, and bulky items. No appointment needed for most materials.

🚩 Foxhole Disposal & Recycling Center

17131 Lancaster Highway, Charlotte, NC 28277

Mon–Sat • 7 a.m.–4 p.m.

🚩 Hickory Grove Disposal & Recycling Center

8007 Pence Road, Charlotte, NC 28215

Mon–Sat • 7 a.m.–4 p.m. • Food scraps accepted

🚩 Compost Central Disposal & Recycling Center

140 Valleydale Road, Charlotte, NC 28214

Mon–Sat • 7 a.m.–4 p.m. • Food scraps accepted • Paper shredding events (3rd Saturday, spring & fall)

🚩 North Mecklenburg Disposal & Recycling Center

12300 N. Statesville Road, Huntersville, NC 28078

Mon–Sat • 7 a.m.–4 p.m.

✅ Accepted at All Four Full-Service Centers

  • Enhanced recycling: rigid plastics (buckets, crates, lawn furniture, garbage cans), textiles, bicycles, wood
  • Electronics & e-waste: all types
  • Household hazardous waste (HHW): paints, chemicals, motor oil, propane, antifreeze
  • Yard waste: first 5 bags free, $8 for larger loads
  • Bulky items: furniture, appliances, large items
  • Food scraps for composting: Compost Central and Hickory Grove only
  • Styrofoam: clean white foam (via Foam-a-Saurus Rex)
  • Rechargeable batteries (HHW area)
  • Mulch and compost for purchase at all four sites — see meckmulchmadness.com
💡 Paper shredding events. Mecklenburg County hosts free paper shredding events every 3rd Saturday at Compost Central Disposal & Recycling Center during spring (March–June) and fall (September–November). Time slots open on the first day of each month. Check wipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov for upcoming dates.
Missed Pickup

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

  1. Wait until the end of the service day. Collection times vary — routes can run late. Do not report a missed pickup before the end of the business day.
  2. Confirm your correct collection day and recycling week. Use CLT+ at servicerequest.charlottenc.gov or call 311. Verify you’re on the correct Green or Orange recycling week.
  3. Check for a holiday. MLK Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day now mean no Monday collection — crews return Tuesday through Friday. Do not report a missed pickup on those Mondays — give it 48 hours.
  4. Verify set-out rules: carts out by 6:00 a.m., handles toward house, silver bar toward street, within 6 ft of curb, at least 3 ft from obstacles.
  5. Report within 48 hours via CLT+, the CLT+ app, or by calling 311 (704-336-7600). Reporting after 48 hours may mean a delayed or missed return trip.
Local Tips

Charlotte Trash & Recycling Tips Every Resident Should Know

🏠 New to Charlotte or Just Moved In?

Download the CLT+ app (iOS/Android) immediately. Enter your address to confirm your collection day and whether you’re on a Green or Orange recycling week. You can also text your collection day (e.g. “Monday”) to 73224 for free automatic text reminders before each collection. All three carts should already be at your address — call 311 if any are missing. Note the new 2026 holiday schedule: MLK Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day weeks have no Monday service and no yard waste all week.

⌨ Charlotte’s Green vs. Orange Recycling Week

Unlike most US cities that use “A/B weeks” or “Week 1/Week 2,” Charlotte uses color names: Green week and Orange week. These rotate every two weeks on a fixed calendar. If you switch from a Green week one collection to Orange the next, that’s correct. Use CLT+ anytime to see your current week and next recycling date. If you’ve missed several weeks, the color pattern resets — always verify in CLT+ rather than guessing.

🚫 5 Mistakes Charlotte Residents Make

  • Putting plastic tubs, clamshells, cups, or lids in the green recycling cart — only plastic bottles and jugs with necks are accepted
  • Using plastic bags for yard waste — paper bags or labeled 32-gal containers only
  • Setting out bulky items without a CLT+ or 311 appointment — they may not be collected
  • Putting shredded paper in the green recycling cart — it goes in the gray trash cart or take it to a Compost Central or Hickory Grove paper shredding event
  • Expecting Monday service during MLK Day, Memorial Day, or Labor Day weeks under the new 2026 schedule — Monday routes don’t run, crews catch up Tue–Fri
Contact

Contact Charlotte SWS & Charlotte 311

ContactDetails
Charlotte 311Dial 3-1-1 inside Charlotte, or 704-336-7600 from outside — missed pickups, bulky scheduling, cart issues, all non-emergency city services
CLT+ (App & Web)servicerequest.charlottenc.gov · Free iOS & Android app — schedule lookup, recycling week (Green/Orange), bulky item requests, missed pickup reports
Text AlertsText your collection day (e.g. “Monday”) to 73224 — free automatic text reminders before each collection day, service disruption alerts, recycling tips
SWS Main Pagecharlottenc.gov/trash-and-recycling — service guidelines, holiday schedule, collection calendar
2026 Holiday Schedulecharlottenc.gov — 2026 Holiday Collection Schedule — official confirmed holiday dates and new collection patterns
Mecklenburg County Drop-Offswipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov — all 4 full-service drop-off centers, HHW, e-waste, enhanced recycling, food scraps, shredding events
Bulky Item Scheduleservicerequest.charlottenc.gov/service/BULKITEM — schedule a free bulky item pickup online
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions — Charlotte Trash Pickup

Your collection day depends on your specific address. Use the Collection Day Finder above, CLT+ at servicerequest.charlottenc.gov, the CLT+ app (iOS/Android), or call 311 (704-336-7600). You can also text your day (e.g. “Monday”) to 73224 for text alerts. Garbage and yard waste are collected weekly; recycling is every other week on your Green or Orange week. Only City of Charlotte addresses receive SWS service — Mecklenburg County towns use separate providers.
Charlotte assigns each address to either a Green week or Orange week recycling schedule — recycling is collected every other week on the assigned week. These color names rotate on a fixed two-week calendar. Use CLT+ at servicerequest.charlottenc.gov or text your collection day to 73224 to confirm which week you’re on and see your next recycling date. If you’ve been unsure which week it is, always verify in CLT+ rather than guessing.
Charlotte only accepts 6 items curbside in the green recycling cart: (1) cardboard (flattened, dry), (2) aluminum and steel cans, (3) cartons (milk, juice, soup), (4) paper (newspaper, magazines, office paper), (5) glass bottles and jars (rinsed), (6) plastic bottles and jugs with necks only (rinsed, caps off). That’s it. When in doubt, throw it out — wishful recycling contaminates entire loads. Take rigid plastics, electronics, and other recyclables to a Mecklenburg County full-service drop-off center.
Yes, with a new schedule for 2026. MLK Day (Jan 19), Memorial Day (May 25), and Labor Day (Sep 7) — all Monday holidays — now follow a new pattern: no Monday collection, crews work Tuesday through Friday to complete all routes, no Saturday collection, and no yard waste those weeks. Leave carts out until collected. New Year’s Day (Jan 1, Thu) and Thanksgiving (Nov 26, Thu) cause a one-day delay for Thursday and Friday routes. Christmas (Dec 25, Fri) shifts Friday to Saturday. Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and Veterans’ Day have no delays in 2026.
Schedule via CLT+ at servicerequest.charlottenc.gov/service/BULKITEM, the CLT+ app, or call 311 (704-336-7600). Submit your request before placing items curbside. Allow up to 5 business days for collection. Place items out no earlier than the day before your confirmed date and by 6:00 a.m. on collection day. Keep 3 feet of clearance between items. Items must weigh ≤75 lbs each. Up to 8 passenger tires (rims removed) are accepted. Electronics, mattresses, and properly prepared appliances are all accepted.
No. Charlotte does not accept yard waste in plastic bags under any circumstances. Use large paper yard waste bags (available at hardware stores) or a personal container no larger than 32 gallons clearly labeled “YARD WASTE.” Bags and containers must not exceed 50 pounds. Branches must be cut to 4 feet or less and tied in bundles. Yard waste is also suspended during MLK Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day weeks under the new 2026 holiday schedule.
Take them to any of the four Mecklenburg County full-service drop-off centers: Foxhole (17131 Lancaster Hwy), Hickory Grove (8007 Pence Rd), Compost Central (140 Valleydale Rd), or North Mecklenburg (12300 N. Statesville Rd). All are open Monday–Saturday 7 a.m.–4 p.m. Accepted: HHW (paint, chemicals, motor oil), electronics, enhanced recyclables (rigid plastics, foam, textiles), food scraps (at Compost Central and Hickory Grove), and more. No appointment needed for most items. Visit wipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov.
Wait until the end of the service day before reporting — routes can run late. Then report via CLT+ at servicerequest.charlottenc.gov, the CLT+ app, or call 311 (704-336-7600). Report within 48 hours for best results. First verify your collection day and recycling week in CLT+, check for a holiday delay, and confirm carts were out by 6 a.m. with handles toward your house, silver bar toward the street, and 3 feet from obstacles.
The City of Charlotte SWS only serves Charlotte city addresses. If you live in Davidson, Cornelius, Huntersville, Pineville, Mint Hill, or Matthews, contact your specific Town Hall for curbside collection information — each uses a separate contracted provider (most use Waste Pro). If you live in unincorporated Mecklenburg County, you must contract a private hauler. All Mecklenburg County residents can use the four County full-service drop-off centers regardless of where they live.
Official Source

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 the official CLT+ tool to look up your exact schedule. CLT+ shows your collection day, recycling week (Green or Orange), and lets you schedule bulky pickups and report issues directly.

🔍 Official Charlotte SWS Lookup & Contact Options

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

🔍 Open CLT+ Service Portal 📞 Call 311 — 704-336-7600
CLT+ App & Webservicerequest.charlottenc.gov — address lookup, Green/Orange recycling week, bulky item scheduling, missed pickup reports. Free iOS & Android app available.
Charlotte 311Dial 3-1-1 inside Charlotte or 704-336-7600 from outside — schedule queries, missed pickup reports, cart requests, bulky item scheduling.
Text AlertsText your collection day to 73224 — automatic weekly reminders before each collection day plus service disruption alerts.
2026 Holiday Schedulecharlottenc.gov — 2026 Holiday Schedule — official confirmed dates including the new Monday holiday pattern for 2026.
Mecklenburg Drop-Offswipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov — 4 full-service drop-off centers, HHW, e-waste, food scraps, enhanced recycling. Mon–Sat 7 a.m.–4 p.m.

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

Outside Charlotte city limits? Towns of Davidson, Cornelius, Huntersville, Pineville, Mint Hill, and Matthews each use separate providers. Unincorporated Mecklenburg County requires private haulers. All county residents may use Mecklenburg County full-service drop-off centers at wipeoutwaste.mecknc.gov.
Nearby Cities

Trash & Recycling Schedules for Cities Near Charlotte

Looking for waste collection information in another southeastern city? Here are the five closest cities we’ve already covered: