Durham Trash Pickup Schedule, Recycling & Bulk 2026
Find your Durham collection day, recycling week, yard waste subscription options, free bulky item pickup, and 2026 holiday schedule.
City of Durham · Department of Solid Waste Management · Updated 2026
Find Your Durham Collection Day
Durham collects garbage weekly and recycling every other week, both by address. Select your regular garbage day to see your full schedule.
👈 Select your day above to see your full Durham collection schedule.
⚠ Not sure of your day? Use the official Durham Rollout address lookup at durhamnc.gov/3025 or call Durham One Call at 919-560-1200. See all contact options ↓
Durham Waste Collection — Quick Facts
The City of Durham’s Department of Solid Waste Management provides weekly garbage and biweekly recycling curbside collection to single-family homes and buildings with four or fewer contiguous units within city limits. Service is address-based — use the Durham Rollout app or address lookup to confirm your exact days and recycling week.
Durham’s Three Carts — Green, Blue, and Brown
Durham uses three color-coded rollout carts. Garbage and recycling are collected on the same weekday, with recycling on alternating weeks. Yard waste (brown cart) is an optional, paid subscription service and runs biweekly on the same week as recycling. Automated trucks service most routes — proper cart placement is critical.
Green Cart — Garbage
All household garbage bagged and inside the cart. Lid fully closed. Collected weekly on your address day.
Weekly • 65- or 96-gallonBlue Cart — Recycling
Single-stream. All items loose, clean, dry. Never bag recyclables. Collected every other week (same day as garbage).
Every other week • Up to 4 freeBrown Cart — Yard Waste
Subscription service. Biweekly collection (same week as recycling). Leaves, grass, branches. No plastic bags inside.
Every other week • $90/yr subscription⏰ Cart Placement Rules (Rule of 3s)
- All carts and bulky items at curb by 5:00 AM on collection day. Yard waste by 6:00 AM. Set out the night before to be safe.
- Remove carts from curb within 24 hours after collection.
- At least 3 feet from mailboxes, fire hydrants, trees, and utility poles.
- At least 3 feet apart from each other (garbage and recycling carts).
- No more than 3 feet from the curb.
- Lid must be fully closed. Materials left beside the cart will not be collected.
- Do not place carts behind parked vehicles or under low wires.
🗒 Cart Sizes & Additional Carts
- Garbage: 65-gallon or 96-gallon. Maximum 2 carts per household; extra cart is $1.50/month ($18/year).
- Recycling: Up to 4 blue carts at no extra charge per household. Request additional carts via Durham One Call.
- Yard Waste: Up to 3 additional brown carts at $1.50/month each (subscription required).
Durham Holiday Trash Collection Schedule 2026
When a holiday falls on or before your regular collection day during the week, collection is typically delayed by one business day for that day and all days after it in that week. Durham’s address-based schedule tool and Rollout app update automatically with holiday-adjusted dates — always verify there through the official portal.
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Typical Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thu, Jan 1 | 1-Day Delay | Thu → Fri | Fri → Sat | Mon–Wed: normal |
| MLK Day | Mon, Jan 19 | 1-Day Delay | Mon → Tue • All days that week shift one day later |
| Good Friday | Fri, Apr 3 | 1-Day Delay | Fri → Sat • WDRC/HHW closed Fri, open Sat |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 25 | 1-Day Delay | Mon → Tue • All days that week shift one day later |
| Independence Day | Sat, Jul 4 | Normal | Falls on Saturday — no weekday impact |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sep 7 | 1-Day Delay | Mon → Tue • All days that week shift one day later |
| Veterans’ Day | Wed, Nov 11 | 1-Day Delay | Wed → Thu • Thu → Fri • Fri → Sat • Mon–Tue normal |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 26 | 1-Day Delay | Thu → Fri • Fri → Sat • Mon–Wed normal |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 | 1-Day Delay | Fri → Sat • Mon–Thu normal that week |
Durham Recycling — What Goes in the Blue Cart
Durham collects single-stream recycling every other week in blue rollout carts. All items must be clean, dry, and placed loose in the cart — never bag recyclables in plastic bags. Shredded paper is not accepted in the blue cart; it goes in the green garbage cart.
✅ Accepted in the Blue Cart
- Paper: clean, dry newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, office paper, paperboard • No shredded paper, no wet paper, no wax-coated boxes
- Cardboard: flattened; must fit inside cart with lid closed
- Plastic: bottles, jugs, tubs, containers (rinsed) • Remove spray nozzles/pumps
- Metal: aluminum & steel cans (rinsed), empty aerosol cans
- Glass: bottles and jugs only (rinsed) • No drinking glasses, mirrors, or ceramics
- No item longer than 2 feet or heavier than 40 pounds
🚫 Never in the Blue Cart
- Plastic bags → store drop-off locations
- Shredded paper → green garbage cart
- Aerosol cans (full / non-empty)
- All batteries → HHW facility
- Ceramics, drinking glasses, mirrors
- Clothing or textiles
- Diapers
- Disposable cups (paper or plastic)
- Empty motor oil containers
- Food containers with debris
- Styrofoam
- Window blinds
- Hardback books → donate
- Fluorescent bulbs → HHW facility
Durham Yard Waste Collection — Optional Subscription
Yard waste collection is an optional, fee-based subscription service for city residents who receive City water service (or who apply directly). As of August 2025, collection switched to every other week (biweekly), collected on the same week as recycling. Subscription cost is approximately $90/year, billed annually.
🌿 How to Subscribe to Yard Waste Service
- If you are a City Water customer: complete the application at durhamnc.gov/891 (English or Spanish).
- If you use a well (no City water): download the application, complete, and submit with annual payment by mail or in-person at 1833 Camden Avenue.
- Service auto-renews each fiscal year. To cancel, contact Durham One Call by the deadline posted on the city website.
🍂 Yard Waste Set-Out Rules
- Yard waste in brown cart must be at curb by 6:00 AM on your yard waste day.
- Accepted: leaves, grass clippings, small branches (max 4 ft long, bundled).
- No plastic bags inside the brown cart. No dirt, rocks, or soil.
- Subscribers are entitled to two free bulky brush pickups per year — up to 4 cubic yards each; call 919-560-1200 to schedule.
- Yard waste is not accepted in the green garbage cart.
Free Bulky Item Pickup in Durham — By Request Only
Durham offers free curbside bulky item pickup by request: up to 3 items per week at no charge. More than 3 items incurs additional fees (city will contact you to discuss payment). You must schedule a request before putting items out — items do not get automatically picked up.
📅 How to Schedule Bulky Pickup
- Submit a request via the Durham Rollout app, online at durhamnc.gov/3025, or by calling Durham One Call at 919-560-1200. Have a list of items ready.
- Place items curbside by 5:00 AM on the scheduled pickup day. Keep items clear of all obstructions — cars, mailboxes, fences, poles, anything of value.
- City trucks use a mechanical boom arm. Do not place items under low wires or tree limbs, or near water meters, fire hydrants, or sprinkler systems.
- Items not accepted curbside (building materials, tires, electronics, TVs, glass, propane tanks, tree stumps) must go to the Waste Disposal & Recycling Center, 2115 E. Club Blvd.
✅ Accepted Bulky Items
- Furniture: sofas, chairs, tables, dressers
- Mattresses and box springs
- Large appliances (washers, dryers, refrigerators) — Freon-containing items need certification tag
- Exercise equipment, grills, bicycles
- Carpets (set out as bulky, not in cart)
- Vacuum cleaners, small appliances
🚫 Not Accepted Curbside → WDRC
- Building or construction materials
- Car parts
- Electronics / TVs / monitors
- Glass, mirrors, windows
- Propane tanks
- Tree stumps
- Tires
- Wood / lumber / pallets
- Dirt or loose leaves
Waste Disposal & Recycling Center / HHW — 2115 E. Club Blvd
The City of Durham operates a combined Waste Disposal & Recycling Center, Yard Waste Facility, and Household Hazardous Waste Center at 2115 East Club Boulevard. All three are co-located and open to City of Durham and Durham County residents. Commercial users may use the Waste Disposal Center but not the HHW facility.
⏰ Hours
Monday–Friday: 7:30 AM–4:00 PM
Saturday: 7:30 AM–12:00 noon
Customers must be inside gate at least 15 minutes before closing.
Closed for major city holidays. Check durhamnc.gov/3025 before visiting.
🚫 Tips to Avoid Peak Wait Times
Peak times are 7:30–9:00 AM and 11:00 AM–1:00 PM. Visit mid-morning or early afternoon for shorter waits.
All loads must be covered/secured. Vehicles weighed at scale house before unloading. Payment by credit/debit card or disposal account.
✅ Accepted at HHW Center (Free for Residents)
- Paint: latex (dry it out first) and oil-based
- Pesticides and herbicides
- Solvents and cleaning chemicals
- Automotive fluids (motor oil, antifreeze)
- Fluorescent bulbs and CFLs
- All batteries including lithium-ion
- Electronics (TVs, computers, phones)
- Medications (prescription and OTC)
- Smoke detectors
🚫 Not Accepted at HHW
- Commercial, medical, or radioactive waste
- Schools and businesses → separate programs
- Latex paint (dry in sun with kitty litter/sawdust, then trash)
- Explosive materials
- Liquid waste in large volumes
♻ Swap Shop
The Waste Disposal & Recycling Center operates a Swap Shop where residents can drop off reusable items in good working condition and pick up free items left by others. A great option before discarding usable household goods.
What to Do If Your Trash Was Missed in Durham
- Verify your cart was set out correctly: by 5:00 AM (yard waste by 6:00 AM), lid closed, at least 3 feet from obstacles, within 3 feet of the curb, not behind a parked vehicle. Check if a tag was left on the cart explaining why it was not serviced.
- Check for a holiday delay. When a holiday falls on or before your collection day, service shifts one day later for the rest of that week. Use the Durham Rollout app or address lookup to confirm.
- Wait until 4:30 PM on your collection day before reporting — drivers sometimes run late. For yard waste misses, report no later than Monday after the miss by 4:30 PM or it may not be recovered.
- Report via Durham One Call: call 919-560-1200, use the Rollout app, or submit online at durhamnc.gov/4454. Durham will attempt to make up the collection before your next regular service day.
Durham Waste & Recycling Tips Every Resident Should Know
🏠 New to Durham?
Use the Durham Rollout app (iOS and Android) or the address lookup at durhamnc.gov/3025 to find your garbage day, recycling week, and yard waste days. If you have a City-issued blue cart at your address, you’re enrolled for recycling. Yard waste requires a separate subscription. Use the Waste Wizard on the city website to look up how to dispose of specific items.
🚫 5 Common Mistakes Durham Residents Make
- Putting recyclables in plastic bags — always place items loose in the blue cart
- Putting shredded paper in the blue recycling cart — it goes in the green garbage cart
- Assuming yard waste is automatic — it requires a paid subscription; without it, yard waste in the green cart will not be collected
- Setting bulky items out without a request — Durham’s bulky service is by request only, not automatic
- Missing the 4:30 PM report deadline for yard waste misses — report by Monday after the miss or it may not be recovered
📷 Durham Rollout App
Download the free Durham Rollout App (iOS and Android) to find your exact collection schedule, receive collection reminders, get holiday delay notifications, look up how to dispose of specific items, and request bulky item pickup. Durham One Call is the city’s primary customer service channel: 919-560-1200, Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–5:00 PM.
Contact Durham Solid Waste
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| Durham One Call | 📞 919-560-1200 • Mon–Fri 8:00 AM–5:00 PM • Missed pickups, bulky requests, cart issues, yard waste subscription, schedule questions |
| Schedule Lookup & App | durhamnc.gov/3025 • Durham Rollout App (iOS & Android) • Address lookup, recycling weeks, holiday schedule, reminders |
| Waste & HHW Center | 2115 E. Club Blvd • Mon–Fri 7:30 AM–4:00 PM • Sat 7:30 AM–noon • Must be inside gate 15 min before close |
| Solid Waste Dept | 1833 Camden Avenue • Mon–Thu 8:30 AM–4:00 PM • durhamnc.gov/832 |
| Durham County (unincorporated) | dconc.gov • 3 convenience sites: Bahama (919-477-8552), Redwood (919-682-8200), Parkwood (919-560-0460) |
Frequently Asked Questions — Durham Trash Pickup
Official Durham Schedule Lookup & Resources
The Durham Rollout address lookup and app are the primary official tools for confirming your exact garbage day, recycling week, yard waste days, and holiday-adjusted schedule.
🔍 Official Durham Solid Waste Resources
All of the following are official City of Durham resources:
🔍 Find Your Collection Day 📞 Durham One Call: 919-560-1200| Collection Day & Holiday Lookup | durhamnc.gov/3025 — address lookup, recycling weeks, holiday-adjusted schedule, Rollout app |
| Solid Waste Main Page | durhamnc.gov/832 — all service links, updates, cart info |
| Recycling Guidelines | durhamnc.gov/866 • Waste Wizard: search any item at durhamnc.gov/862 |
| Yard Waste Subscription | durhamnc.gov/891 — apply online or call Durham One Call |
| Bulky Item Request | durhamnc.gov/855 or call 919-560-1200 |
| Waste Disposal & HHW Center | 2115 E. Club Blvd • Mon–Fri 7:30 AM–4:00 PM • Sat 7:30 AM–noon • durhamnc.gov/898 |
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