Last updated: June 2026 | Reviewed by Fran A., Editor-in-Chief
Easter is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the United States — but when it comes to trash pickup, it works very differently from Thanksgiving or Christmas. A lot of people assume collection is suspended on Easter Sunday and leave their bins inside. Others put them out expecting a normal pickup and end up confused when nothing shows.
In 2026, Easter Sunday falls on April 5. This guide explains exactly what happens to garbage collection that day, why Easter is a special case, and what your actual schedule looks like — city by city.
⚠️ Important Disclaimer
Garbage collection schedules are set locally by your city or private waste hauler. The information below reflects general publicly stated policies as of mid-2026.
Always verify your specific pickup day at your city’s official sanitation website or by calling 311 before the holiday.
The Key Fact About Easter and Trash Pickup
Here is the most important thing to understand before reading any further:
Easter is not a federal holiday in the United States.
That single fact changes everything. Because Easter is not on the federal holiday calendar, most city-run sanitation departments and private waste haulers do not suspend or delay collection on Easter Sunday.
Add to that the fact that Easter always falls on a Sunday — and most cities don’t run residential garbage collection on Sundays to begin with — and the result is clear:
For the vast majority of Americans, Easter Sunday has zero impact on their trash pickup schedule. Your collection runs on its regular weekday schedule the week of Easter.
The confusion is understandable. Easter feels like a major national holiday because schools close, businesses shut, and families gather. But from a sanitation standpoint, it is treated like any other Sunday.
When Is Easter 2026?
Easter Sunday 2026 falls on Sunday, April 5, 2026.
Good Friday (April 3) and Easter Monday (April 6) surround it. Neither is a federal holiday in the U.S., though some states and employers observe them.
The full Easter week in 2026:
| Day | Date | Federal Holiday? | Trash Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | March 30 | No | ✅ Normal collection |
| Tuesday | March 31 | No | ✅ Normal collection |
| Wednesday | April 1 | No | ✅ Normal collection |
| Thursday | April 2 | No | ✅ Normal collection |
| Good Friday | April 3 | No | ✅ Normal collection (most cities) |
| Saturday | April 4 | No | ✅ Normal (Sat routes where applicable) |
| Easter Sunday | April 5 | No | ✅ No residential pickup on Sundays |
| Easter Monday | April 6 | No | ✅ Normal collection |
Is Trash Pickup Delayed on Easter Sunday 2026?
For the vast majority of U.S. cities: no delay, no suspension.
Easter Sunday is not a federal holiday. City sanitation crews work their normal weekday schedule the week of April 5. Your pickup day — whether it’s Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday — runs as usual.
There are two exceptions worth knowing about:
Exception 1 – Cities That Observe Good Friday
A small number of U.S. cities — particularly in states with historically Catholic populations such as Louisiana, parts of New Jersey, and some areas of New England — observe Good Friday (April 3, a Friday) as a local holiday. If your city observes Good Friday:
- Friday routes that week may be delayed or suspended
- Check whether your city officially lists Good Friday as an observed holiday for sanitation purposes
- This is uncommon at the municipal sanitation level even where Good Friday is a recognized state holiday
Exception 2 – Private Haulers With Easter Policies
Some private waste haulers — particularly smaller regional companies — may choose to give crews Easter Sunday off or adjust routes around the holiday weekend. Since Easter is always on a Sunday and residential routes don’t run on Sundays anyway, this rarely affects weekday collection. But if your hauler sends you a holiday notice mentioning Easter, follow their specific guidance.
Easter Trash Pickup 2026 – City by City
Note: The entries below confirm that Easter Sunday does not affect weekday collection in each city. If your city observes Good Friday as a local sanitation holiday, that is noted separately.
New York City, NY
Provider: NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY)
Easter Sunday is not an observed holiday for DSNY. All weekday routes the week of April 5 run on their normal schedule. Good Friday is not a DSNY suspension day.
Where to verify: nyc.gov/sanitation or NYC 311 app
Los Angeles, CA
Provider: LA Sanitation (LASAN)
Easter is not on LASAN’s observed holiday list. Collection runs normally all week of April 5. Good Friday is not observed for sanitation purposes.
Where to verify: lacitysan.org or MyLA311 app
Chicago, IL
Provider: City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation
Chicago does not observe Easter or Good Friday for sanitation purposes. All routes the week of Easter run on their normal schedule.
Where to verify: chicago.gov/streets or CHI311 app
Houston, TX
Provider: City of Houston Solid Waste Management
Houston does not observe Easter or Good Friday as a sanitation holiday. Weekday collection runs normally the week of April 5. Check your district if served by a private contractor.
Where to verify: houstonsolidwaste.org
Phoenix, AZ
Provider: City of Phoenix Public Works
Phoenix does not observe Easter or Good Friday for garbage collection. All routes run on their normal schedule the week of April 5.
Where to verify: phoenix.gov/publicworks
Philadelphia, PA
Provider: Philadelphia Streets Department
Philadelphia does not observe Easter or Good Friday as a sanitation holiday. Collection runs normally all week of Easter.
Where to verify: phila.gov/streets
San Antonio, TX
Provider: City of San Antonio Solid Waste Management
San Antonio does not observe Easter or Good Friday. Weekday routes run normally the week of April 5.
Where to verify: sanantonio.gov/swmd
San Diego, CA
Provider: City of San Diego Environmental Services
San Diego does not observe Easter or Good Friday for sanitation purposes. All weekday collection runs normally the week of April 5.
Where to verify: sandiego.gov/environmental-services
Dallas, TX
Provider: City of Dallas Sanitation Services
Dallas does not observe Easter or Good Friday. Collection runs on its normal schedule the week of April 5.
Where to verify: dallascityhall.com/sanitation
Jacksonville, FL
Provider: City of Jacksonville Solid Waste Division
Jacksonville does not observe Easter or Good Friday as a sanitation holiday. All weekday routes run normally the week of April 5.
Where to verify: coj.net/solid-waste
Austin, TX
Provider: Austin Resource Recovery
Austin does not observe Easter or Good Friday. Collection runs normally all week of April 5.
Where to verify: austintexas.gov/arr
Fort Worth, TX
Provider: City of Fort Worth Environmental Services
Fort Worth does not observe Easter or Good Friday for sanitation purposes. All routes run normally the week of April 5.
Where to verify: fortworthtexas.gov/environmental
Columbus, OH
Provider: City of Columbus Refuse Collection
Columbus does not observe Easter or Good Friday. Weekday collection runs on its normal schedule the week of April 5.
Where to verify: columbus.gov/refuse
Charlotte, NC
Provider: City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services
Charlotte does not observe Easter or Good Friday as a sanitation holiday. All routes run normally the week of April 5.
Where to verify: charlottenc.gov/solidwaste
Indianapolis, IN
Provider: Indianapolis Department of Public Works
Indianapolis does not observe Easter or Good Friday. Collection runs normally all week of April 5.
Where to verify: indy.gov/dpw
San Francisco, CA
Provider: Recology (contracted)
Recology observes only Thanksgiving and Christmas. Easter and Good Friday are not suspension days — all weekday routes run normally the week of April 5.
Where to verify: recology.com/san-francisco
Seattle, WA
Provider: Seattle Public Utilities / contracted haulers by zone
Seattle does not observe Easter or Good Friday for sanitation purposes. All weekday collection runs normally the week of April 5. Verify your specific hauler if collection is contracted.
Where to verify: seattle.gov/utilities
Denver, CO
Provider: Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI)
Denver does not observe Easter or Good Friday. Collection runs on its normal schedule the week of April 5.
Where to verify: denvergov.org/trash
Nashville, TN
Provider: Nashville Metro Public Works
Nashville does not observe Easter or Good Friday as a sanitation holiday. All weekday routes run normally the week of April 5.
Where to verify: nashville.gov/public-works
Washington, DC
Provider: DC Department of Public Works (DPW)
DPW does not observe Easter or Good Friday. Collection runs normally all week of April 5.
Where to verify: dpw.dc.gov
Las Vegas, NV
Provider: Republic Services (contracted)
Republic Services does not observe Easter or Good Friday. All weekday routes run normally the week of April 5.
Where to verify: republicservices.com
Portland, OR
Provider: City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services
Portland does not observe Easter or Good Friday for sanitation purposes. Weekday collection runs normally the week of April 5.
Where to verify: portland.gov/bes
Memphis, TN
Provider: City of Memphis Division of Public Works
Memphis does not observe Easter or Good Friday. All routes run on their normal schedule the week of April 5.
Where to verify: memphistn.gov/public-works
Louisville, KY
Provider: Louisville Metro Government Waste Management
Louisville does not observe Easter or Good Friday. Collection runs normally the week of April 5.
Where to verify: louisvilleky.gov/government/waste-management
Baltimore, MD
Provider: Baltimore City Department of Public Works
Baltimore does not observe Easter or Good Friday as a sanitation holiday. All weekday routes run normally the week of April 5.
Where to verify: publicworks.baltimorecity.gov
Milwaukee, WI
Provider: City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works
Milwaukee does not observe Easter or Good Friday. Collection runs on its normal schedule the week of April 5.
Where to verify: city.milwaukee.gov/dpw
Easter Week 2026 – Quick Reference Chart
✅ = Normal schedule | ⚠️ = Check locally | ❌ = No residential service
| City | Good Friday Apr 3 | Easter Sunday Apr 5 | Easter Week Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York City, NY | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Los Angeles, CA | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Chicago, IL | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Houston, TX | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Phoenix, AZ | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Philadelphia, PA | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| San Antonio, TX | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| San Diego, CA | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Dallas, TX | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Jacksonville, FL | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Austin, TX | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Fort Worth, TX | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Columbus, OH | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Charlotte, NC | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Indianapolis, IN | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| San Francisco, CA | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Seattle, WA | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Denver, CO | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Nashville, TN | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Washington, DC | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Las Vegas, NV | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Portland, OR | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Memphis, TN | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Louisville, KY | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Baltimore, MD | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
| Milwaukee, WI | ✅ Normal | ❌ No Sunday service | ✅ Full week normal |
Does Easter Affect Recycling or Yard Waste Pickup?
Since Easter Sunday is not a federal holiday and most cities don’t adjust their schedules around it, recycling and yard waste collection run normally the week of April 5, 2026 in the vast majority of U.S. cities.
The only exception would be if your city explicitly observes Good Friday as a sanitation holiday — in which case Friday recycling routes would be affected the same way as regular trash. This is rare at the municipal level; verify at your city’s official website if you’re in a state that recognizes Good Friday.
What About Easter Monday?
Easter Monday (April 6, 2026) is not a federal holiday in the United States. Monday routes run on their normal schedule. This is another common point of confusion — Easter Monday is recognized as a public holiday in many other countries (UK, Canada, Australia), which leads some Americans to assume it applies here too. It does not.
If your pickup is Monday, your bin goes out as usual on the morning of April 6.
Frequently Asked Questions – Easter Trash Pickup 2026
Is garbage pickup running on Easter Sunday 2026?
Easter Sunday (April 5, 2026) is not a federal holiday in the U.S. However, since it falls on a Sunday — and most U.S. cities don’t run residential garbage collection on Sundays — there is no collection that day regardless. Your regular weekday pickup schedule is completely unaffected.
Does Easter delay my trash pickup in 2026?
No. For the vast majority of U.S. cities, Easter causes no delay to the regular weekly collection schedule. Your pickup runs on its normal day the week of April 5.
Why is there no trash pickup on Easter if it’s a major holiday?
There are two reasons. First, Easter is not a federal holiday in the United States, so there is no official requirement for cities to suspend services. Second, Easter always falls on a Sunday, when residential collection doesn’t run anyway. The combination means the holiday has no practical impact on most collection schedules.
Does Good Friday affect trash pickup in 2026?
In most U.S. cities, no. Good Friday (April 3, 2026) is not a federal holiday. Some states recognize it as a state holiday, but it is rarely observed at the municipal sanitation level. Check your city’s official list of observed sanitation holidays to be sure.
Is Easter Monday a holiday that affects trash pickup?
No. Easter Monday is not a federal holiday in the United States. Monday routes the week of April 6 run on their normal schedule.
My private hauler sent a notice about Easter — what does that mean?
Some private waste haulers send courtesy notices before major religious holidays even when their schedule doesn’t change. Read the notice carefully — it will specify whether any routes are actually affected. If it says no schedule change, your normal pickup day applies.
What other holidays in 2026 actually do delay trash pickup?
The holidays that cause the most widespread delays in 2026 are: New Year’s Day (Jan 1), MLK Day (Jan 19), Memorial Day (May 25), Labor Day (Sep 7), Thanksgiving (Nov 26), and Christmas Day (Dec 25). See the full list in our 2026 Holiday Garbage Collection Schedule.
Related Guides
- 2026 Holiday Garbage Collection Schedule – All U.S. Cities
- Holiday Week Trash Schedule 2026 – All Changes in One Place
- When Trash Is Delayed by a Holiday: How to Find Your New Day
- Memorial Day Trash Pickup 2026 – Is Collection Running?
- Thanksgiving Garbage Collection 2026 – What Happens to Your Trash?
- Is Trash Pickup Delayed on Christmas Day 2026?
This page is reviewed and updated annually. Last review: June 2026. If you notice an error for your city, contact us and we’ll update it within 48 hours.
Written and maintained by Fran A., Founder & Editor-in-Chief — trashpickupscheduleday.com
