San Antonio Trash Pickup Schedule, Recycling, Organics & Bulk 2026

Your complete guide to San Antonio Solid Waste Management Department services — weekly trash, recycling, and organics on separate days, brush & bulk twice a year, the Environmental Recycling Center, and drop-off locations across the city.

City of San Antonio · Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) · Updated March 2026 · ~360,000 residential households served

⭐ Collection Day Finder

Find Your San Antonio Collection Day

San Antonio trash and recycling/organics run on different days of the week. Select your trash day below for a quick overview — then use the My Collection Day tool for your exact recycling and organics day.

👈 Select your trash day above for a quick summary — then look up your exact recycling and organics day below.

⚠ Your trash day and recycling/organics day are different. Use My Collection Day at sa.gov or the 311SA app (iOS/Android) to see all three service days for your exact address. Or call 3-1-1 (210-207-6000).  See all contact options ↓

At a Glance

San Antonio Waste Collection — Quick Facts

The City of San Antonio Solid Waste Management Department (SWMD) provides waste collection to over 360,000 residential single-family households citywide. San Antonio is one of the few major US cities where trash and recycling/organics are collected on different days of the week — meaning you set out different carts on different days. All fees are billed through your CPS Energy utility bill.

🗑
Garbage
Weekly
Brown cart • Fee based on cart size
♻
Recycling
Weekly
Blue cart • Different day than trash
🌿
Organics
Weekly
Green cart • Same day as recycling
🌿
Brush & Bulk
Twice a year
Rotating schedule • Door hanger notice
🔌
Drop-Off Centers
Year-round
ERC + 4 bulky centers + brush centers
⚠ City of San Antonio limits only. SWMD serves single-family residential addresses within San Antonio city limits. Converse, Universal City, Schertz, Live Oak, Windcrest, and other Bexar County municipalities use separate providers. Private/gated communities, multifamily buildings (5+ units), and some planned developments require a Property Assessment — call 3-1-1 or 210-207-6000 to request one. The Environmental Fee on your CPS Energy bill funds free HHW disposal services.
🔗 Related Guide Want to understand how US trash collection works? Read: How Trash Collection Works in the US (Schedules, Times & Rules)
Three Carts on Two Different Days

San Antonio’s Three Carts — Brown, Blue & Green

San Antonio provides three carts to every eligible household. The critical difference from most US cities: your brown trash cart is collected on a different day from your blue recycling and green organics carts. Recycling and organics are always collected on the same day as each other, by two different trucks.

🗑

🧲 Brown Cart — GARBAGE

All household trash. Rate depends on cart size (48/64/96 gal). Up to 3 carts max. Set out on your trash day.

Lids open toward street; wheels against curb.

Weekly • Your trash day
♻

🔵 Blue Cart — RECYCLING

Single-stream recyclables. Set out on your recycling/organics day (different from trash day). Items clean, dry, loose — no bags.

Free • 48 or 96-gal sizes.

Weekly • Your recycling/organics day
🌿

🟢 Green Cart — ORGANICS

Food waste, yard trimmings, and all organic material. Same day as blue recycling cart, different truck.

Free • San Antonio is one of few US cities with curbside organics.

Weekly • Same day as blue cart
⚠ Trash day ≠ Recycling/Organics day. This is the most important thing to know about San Antonio waste collection. Your brown garbage cart and your blue/green carts are picked up on different days of the week. Use the My Collection Day tool at sa.gov to see all three service days for your address. Setting out the wrong cart on the wrong day is a common mistake — items outside a cart on the wrong day will not be collected.

⏰ Set-Out Rules — All Three Carts

  • All carts must be at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on your collection day.
  • Place carts with lids opening toward the street and wheels against the curb.
  • Maintain at least 3 feet of clearance between carts and from other objects.
  • Do not place carts behind large vehicles or next to fixed objects that block truck access.
  • Cart lids must be fully closed. Do not overfill.
  • No material outside the cart will be collected during regular service. Extra bags, boxes, or items next to a cart will be left behind.
  • Remove carts from the curb as soon as possible after collection.
  • For residents who cannot bring carts to the curb, SWMD offers a free Assistance Program — call 3-1-1 or 210-207-6000.
🔗 Related Guide See how US cities compare on trash and recycling systems: Trash and Recycling Guide in the US (Rules, Pickup & Recycling Explained 2026)
Service Rates — CPS Energy Bill

San Antonio Solid Waste Rates — Billed via CPS Energy

Solid waste fees in San Antonio are billed monthly through your CPS Energy utility bill, not a separate city bill. Your rate is determined by the size of your brown garbage cart. Blue recycling and green organics carts are free regardless of size. You may have up to 3 carts each for trash, recycling, and organics.

CartSizeMonthly FeeNotes
🧲 Brown (Garbage)48-gallon (Small)$14.76/monthBest for small households
🧲 Brown (Garbage)64-gallon (Medium)$20.26/monthDefault size for new customers
🧲 Brown (Garbage)96-gallon (Large)$30.75/monthFor large households
🔵 Blue (Recycling)48 or 96-gallonFreeNo charge regardless of size
🟢 Green (Organics)Available sizesFreeNo charge regardless of size
⚠ Environmental Fee$3.00/monthFunds free HHW disposal at drop-off centers
🌳 Parks Fee$2.00/monthIncluded on CPS Energy bill
💡 Consider downsizing your brown cart. If you regularly recycle and compost, you may find your brown garbage cart is never full. Downsizing from a 96-gal to a 64-gal or 48-gal cart saves $10–$16 per month. Call 3-1-1 to request a cart size change. The smaller the cart, the lower the fee — and better use of the free blue and green carts means less waste going to the landfill.
Holiday Schedule

San Antonio Holiday Collection Schedule 2026

When a City-observed holiday falls on a weekday, collection for that day shifts one day later, and all subsequent days in that week also shift one day later. Friday routes move to Saturday. The delay applies to both trash collection and recycling/organics collection. Check the official holiday schedule at 311.sanantonio.gov/holiday-waste-collection-schedule before any holiday week. SWMD also mails a printed holiday calendar to all households annually.

Holiday2026 DateImpactWhat Happens
New Year’s DayThu, Jan 11-Day DelayThu → Fri  |  Fri → Sat  |  Mon–Wed: normal
MLK DayMon, Jan 19Full Week DelayAll Mon–Fri routes shift one day later. Mon→Tue through Fri→Sat.
Presidents’ DayMon, Feb 16VerifyCheck sa.gov/swmd holiday schedule — some San Antonio holidays vary by year.
Memorial DayMon, May 25Full Week DelayAll Mon–Fri routes shift one day later.
Independence DaySat, Jul 4NormalFalls on Saturday — no weekday impact.
Labor DayMon, Sep 7Full Week DelayAll Mon–Fri routes shift one day later.
Veterans’ DayWed, Nov 11VerifyCheck sa.gov/swmd holiday schedule for confirmed 2026 status.
Thanksgiving DayThu, Nov 261-Day DelayThu → Fri  |  Fri → Sat  |  Mon–Wed: normal
Christmas DayFri, Dec 251-Day DelayFri → Sat  |  Mon–Thu: normal that week
💡 SWMD mails a printed holiday calendar annually. Every San Antonio household should receive a printed holiday collection calendar by mail each year. If you didn’t receive yours, call 3-1-1 or follow @sasolidwaste on Facebook, which posts real-time holiday alerts and delay notifications. You can also check the official holiday page at 311.sanantonio.gov.
🔗 Related Guide Holiday collection delays compared across the US: Holiday Trash Pickup in the US (Schedule Changes & Delays Explained)
Recycling — Blue Cart

San Antonio Recycling — What Goes in the Blue Cart

San Antonio uses single-stream recycling at the South Texas Recycling Center. All recyclables go in the blue cart together — no sorting. Items must be clean, dry, and loose. Never use plastic bags in the recycling cart. Contamination — placing wrong items in the blue cart — is expensive for the city, and repeated contamination at an address can result in fines.

✅ Accepted in the Blue Cart

  • Glass: containers, jars, bottles — all colors, rinsed
  • Metal: aluminum containers, metal food cans, aerosol cans (empty)
  • Plastic: bottles and containers — rinsed
  • Paper: all types including newspaper, office paper, magazines, junk mail
  • Cardboard: corrugated boxes (flattened), cereal boxes, paperboard — dry

🚫 Never in the Blue Cart

  • Plastic bags or film → retail store drop-off
  • Styrofoam / polystyrene
  • Food, liquids, or food-soiled containers
  • Electronics → Environmental Recycling Center (ERC)
  • Hazardous materials → ERC or HHW events
  • Tanglers: cords, hoses, wire hangers
  • Any recyclables in plastic bags
⚠ “When in doubt, throw it out.” SWMD’s official guidance: if you’re unsure whether an item is recyclable, place it in the brown garbage cart. Contaminating the blue cart with wrong materials sends entire truckloads to the landfill. Repeated contamination at an address results in a warning tag on your cart, and can escalate to fines. Visit sarecycles.org for the complete accepted materials list and a searchable guide.
🔗 Related Guide Learn the most common recycling mistakes and how to avoid them: How to Recycle Properly in the US (Rules, Bins & Common Mistakes)
Organics & Composting

San Antonio Organics — Green Cart (Same Day as Recycling)

San Antonio is one of the few major US cities with a curbside organics/composting program for all residential customers. The green cart is collected on the same day as your blue recycling cart (but by a different truck) — which is a different day from your brown garbage cart. Organic material collected is composted into nutrient-rich soil given back to the community.

✅ Goes in the Green Cart

  • All food waste: fruits, vegetables, meat, bones, dairy, eggshells, bread, pasta, cooked food
  • Food-soiled paper: paper napkins, paper plates, paper towels, cardboard food containers
  • Yard trimmings: grass clippings, leaves, branches (small)
  • Houseplants and flowers
  • Coffee grounds and filters
  • Tea bags (paper, not nylon)

🚫 Never in the Green Cart

  • Plastic bags or any plastic packaging
  • Glass, metal, or non-organic materials
  • Pet waste or diapers
  • Cooking oils (small amounts OK, large amounts no)
  • Recyclable paper (clean paper/cardboard → blue cart)
💡 Keep the green cart clean. In San Antonio’s hot climate, food waste in the green cart can attract insects and create odors quickly. Line the cart with newspaper or a paper bag to make cleanup easier. Rinse the cart periodically after collection. Freeze food scraps before cart day if needed to reduce odor. The composted material from San Antonio’s organics program is distributed back to the community as high-quality compost.
Brush & Bulk — Twice a Year

San Antonio Brush & Bulk Collection — Free, Twice Per Year

SWMD provides free brush and bulky item collection twice per year for every residential route, on a rotating schedule. Unlike most cities that use appointment-based systems, San Antonio uses a pre-assigned zone schedule. You are notified of your collection week 7 to 10 days in advance by door hanger. Do not place brush or bulk items at the curb before receiving your door hanger notification.

🌿 Brush Collection Rules

  • Accepted: shrubs, tree branches, and woody vines. No grass clippings, leaves, or yard waste in the brush pile (these go in the green organics cart).
  • Place brush in a pile at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on Monday of your designated collection week.
  • Pile must be within 8 feet of the curb and must not be in front of parked cars or under low-hanging trees or utility lines.
  • Maximum pile size: approximately 8 cubic yards.
  • Do not mix any other material into the brush pile. Mixing results in a $2,000 fine.

📦 Bulk Item Collection Rules

  • Accepted bulk items: furniture, mattresses, carpeting, large appliances, barbecue grills, water heaters, TVs, car tires, and other large household items.
  • Place bulk items at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on Monday of your designated collection week.
  • Items must be within 8 feet of the curb, in an open, accessible area.
  • Place items in front of your property — not on vacant lots or neighboring properties.
  • Do not mix household trash, hazardous materials, or construction debris with bulk items. Mixing results in a $2,000 fine.
  • For additional or out-of-cycle brush or bulk collection, call 3-1-1 or 210-207-6000 — a fee applies based on pile size.
⚠ $2,000 fine for contamination in brush/bulk piles. Placing household hazardous waste, regular trash, chemicals, construction materials, or any prohibited items in your brush or bulk pile will result in a $2,000 fine plus an additional disposal fee. These fines are actively enforced. When in doubt, bring items to a drop-off center instead.
🔗 Related Guide How bulk trash pickup works across the US: Bulk Trash Pickup in the US (Rules, Scheduling & What’s Accepted)
Drop-Off Centers

San Antonio Drop-Off Centers — Bulky, HHW & Brush Year-Round

Between your twice-yearly brush and bulk collections, or for hazardous materials, San Antonio residents can use the city’s permanent drop-off facilities. The Environmental Recycling Center (ERC) is the primary HHW and e-waste facility. Four additional Bulky Waste Drop-Off Centers accept large items. Multiple Brush Drop-Off Centers operate year-round. All facilities require your CPS Energy bill (showing the $3 Environmental Fee) and a photo ID to prove residency.

⚡ Environmental Recycling Center (ERC) — HHW & Electronics

Address: 7030 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238

Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Bring: Most recent CPS Energy bill (showing Environmental Fee) + photo ID

Accepted: All electronics (TVs, computers, phones, printers), oil-based paints, automotive fluids, pesticides, pool chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, batteries, propane tanks, and all household hazardous waste. Latex paint is NOT hazardous — dry it and place in the brown garbage cart.

HHW neighborhood events: 3 times per year at rotating locations, 8 a.m.–noon. Check sa.gov/swmd/HHW/Monthly for current locations.

🗑 Bulky Waste Drop-Off Centers — 4 Locations

Hours (all 4 centers): Tuesday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.  •  Saturday, 8:00 a.m.–noon. Closed Sundays, Mondays, and City holidays.

Limits: Bulky items up to 4 cubic yards per visit. Construction debris up to 1 cubic yard per visit. No household trash. CPS Energy bill + photo ID required.

Find current drop-off center addresses at sa.gov/swmd/drop-off-centers or call 3-1-1.

🌿 Brush Drop-Off Centers

Hours: Monday–Sunday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (June & July: open until 6:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays). Closed City holidays.

Free coarse mulch is available while supplies last. Bulk loading is also free. Fine mulch is available for purchase at $0.03 per pound (minimum 20-pound increments). SWMD rate-payers are charged per 20-pound increments; non-residents and commercial customers pay per ton.

Find brush drop-off center locations at sa.gov/swmd/brush-drop-off-centers or call 3-1-1.

Missed Pickup

What to Do If Your Collection Wasn’t Made in San Antonio

  1. Confirm your correct collection days. Remember: your trash day and your recycling/organics day are different. Use the My Collection Day tool at sa.gov/swmd/mycollectionday to confirm both service days for your address.
  2. Check for a holiday delay. San Antonio delays collection when a City holiday falls on a weekday. All subsequent days in that week shift one day later. Check the official holiday schedule at 311.sanantonio.gov or follow @sasolidwaste on Facebook for alerts.
  3. Verify set-out compliance: cart at curb by 7 a.m.; lid opening toward street; wheels against curb; lid closed; no material outside the cart; at least 3 feet clearance. If your recycling or organics cart was rejected due to contamination, a tag will have been left on your cart explaining the reason.
  4. Do not re-fill your cart and report it as missed. Doing so is a fineable offense. Only report a miss if the cart was properly set out and not collected.
  5. Report within 1–2 business days by calling 3-1-1 (210-207-6000), using the 311SA app (iOS/Android), or submitting online at 311.sanantonio.gov. SWMD will investigate and collect within 1–2 business days if the complaint is valid.
Local Tips

San Antonio Trash & Recycling Tips Every Resident Should Know

🏠 New to San Antonio or Just Moved In?

Use the My Collection Day tool at sa.gov/swmd/mycollectionday immediately to find both your trash day and your recycling/organics day — they are different days of the week. Download the 311SA app for schedule lookups, holiday alerts, and missed pickup reports. Your three carts should be at your address — call 3-1-1 if any are missing. Newly constructed homes: call 3-1-1 for cart delivery. Note: fees are on your CPS Energy bill, not a separate city bill. The $3 Environmental Fee on your CPS bill gives you free access to the ERC and drop-off centers.

☀ San Antonio Summer Heat (May–October)

  • San Antonio regularly reaches 100°F+ in summer. Collection trucks operate year-round in extreme heat.
  • Keep all cart lids fully closed at all times — open lids attract insects and create odors rapidly in the heat.
  • Rinse food containers thoroughly before placing in recycling to minimize odors in the blue cart during summer.
  • For the green organics cart, freeze food scraps before your collection day if odor is an issue.

🚫 5 Mistakes San Antonio Residents Make

  • Setting out the brown trash cart on recycling/organics day (or vice versa) — different days; always check My Collection Day for both service days
  • Putting anything in or near a brush/bulk pile that isn’t brush or bulk — $2,000 fine per violation
  • Placing recyclables in plastic bags inside the blue cart — bags cause contamination; loose only
  • Taking latex paint to the ERC — latex paint is NOT hazardous; dry it completely and put in the brown cart
  • Expecting recycling/organics to come on the same day as trash — they don’t; look up your days in the My Collection Day tool
Contact

Contact SWMD & 311

ContactDetails
311 / SWMD Customer ServiceDial 3-1-1 inside San Antonio, or 210-207-6000 from outside — missed pickups, schedule questions, cart requests, all SWMD services. Open 7 days a week.
311SA App & Web311.sanantonio.gov · 311SA app (iOS & Android) — report missed pickups, request services, track requests
My Collection Day (Address Lookup)sa.gov/swmd/mycollectionday — enter address to see all service days (trash, recycling, organics, brush/bulk)
SWMD Main Websitesa.gov/swmd — all services, rates, holiday schedule, drop-off centers, HHW events
Environmental Recycling Center (ERC)7030 Culebra Road · Tue–Sat 8am–5pm · Bring CPS bill + photo ID · HHW, electronics, e-waste. Latex paint NOT accepted here.
Bulky Drop-Off Centers (4 locations)sa.gov/swmd/drop-off-centers — Tue–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat 8am–noon; max 4 cu yd; CPS bill + photo ID
Holiday Schedule311.sanantonio.gov/holiday-waste-collection-schedule · Follow @sasolidwaste on Facebook for real-time alerts
SA Recyclessarecycles.org — complete recycling guide, what goes where, education resources, new customer info
SWMD Emailswmdinfo@sanantonio.gov · Administration office: 4410 W. Piedras, San Antonio, TX 78228
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions — San Antonio Trash Pickup

Your trash collection day depends on your address. Use the My Collection Day tool at sa.gov/swmd/mycollectionday, the 311SA app, or call 3-1-1 (210-207-6000). Important: your trash day (brown cart) and your recycling/organics day (blue and green carts) are different days of the week. Both service days are shown in the My Collection Day tool. Collection runs on 4 routes: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday/Friday.
San Antonio uses separate trucks and routes for garbage versus recycling and organics. The brown trash cart runs on one weekday; the blue recycling cart and green organics cart run on a different weekday (both on the same day as each other). This allows SWMD to optimize routes across the 360,000+ households it serves. Use the My Collection Day tool to see both service days for your exact address — you’ll need to set out different carts on different days of the week.
Yes. Your blue recycling cart and green organics cart are collected on the same day of the week — but by two different trucks. This day is different from your brown trash cart collection day. So in a typical week, you set out your brown cart on one day and your blue and green carts on another day. All three services are weekly, year-round.
When a City holiday falls on a weekday, all collection for that day and subsequent days in the week shifts one day later. Friday routes move to Saturday. Confirmed 2026 holidays with delays include New Year’s Day (Jan 1, Thu), MLK Day (Jan 19, Mon), Memorial Day (May 25, Mon), Labor Day (Sep 7, Mon), Thanksgiving (Nov 26, Thu), and Christmas (Dec 25, Fri). For some holidays (Presidents’ Day, Veterans’ Day), check the official schedule at 311.sanantonio.gov/holiday-waste-collection-schedule. SWMD also mails a printed holiday calendar to all households annually.
SWMD provides free brush and bulky item collection twice per year for each residential route on a rotating schedule. You receive a door hanger notification 7–10 days before your collection week. Place brush and bulk separately at the curb by 7 a.m. on Monday of your designated week, within 8 feet of the curb. Maximum pile size: approximately 8 cubic yards. Do not mix household trash, hazardous materials, or construction debris in brush or bulk piles — $2,000 fine. For out-of-cycle collection, call 3-1-1 (fee applies based on pile size).
All solid waste fees are billed monthly through your CPS Energy utility bill — not a separate city bill. Rates are based on your brown trash cart size: 48-gal (Small) $14.76/month, 64-gal (Medium) $20.26/month, 96-gal (Large) $30.75/month. Blue recycling and green organics carts are free regardless of size. A $3 Environmental Fee (funds free HHW access) and a $2 Parks fee are also included on your CPS Energy bill.
Take HHW and electronics to the Environmental Recycling Center (ERC) at 7030 Culebra Road — open Tuesday–Saturday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Bring your CPS Energy bill and photo ID. Accepted: electronics (TVs, computers, phones), oil-based paints, automotive fluids, pesticides, batteries, fluorescent bulbs. Note: latex paint is NOT hazardous — dry it completely with kitty litter and place in the brown garbage cart. SWMD also hosts HHW neighborhood events 3 times per year at rotating locations.
Call 3-1-1 (210-207-6000), use the 311SA app, or submit online at 311.sanantonio.gov within 1–2 business days. SWMD will investigate and collect within 1–2 business days if valid. First confirm your correct service days in My Collection Day — remember, trash and recycling/organics are different days. Check for a holiday delay and verify your cart was properly set out (at curb by 7 a.m., lid toward street, wheels against curb, lid closed, nothing outside cart). Do not re-fill your cart and then report a miss — this is a fineable offense.
Official Source

Still Can’t Find Your Collection Day?

Use the My Collection Day tool at sa.gov/swmd/mycollectionday for both your trash day and your recycling/organics day. Confirm this is your most important first step — the two service days being different is the most common point of confusion for San Antonio residents. Calling 3-1-1 is the most direct option for any service questions.

🔍 Official San Antonio SWMD Lookup & Contact

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

🔍 My Collection Day Tool 📞 Call 311 — 210-207-6000
My Collection Daysa.gov/swmd/mycollectionday — shows all service days (trash, recycling, organics, brush/bulk) by address.
311SA App & Web311.sanantonio.gov · 311SA app (iOS & Android) — missed pickups, service requests, all 311 services. 7 days/week.
Holiday Schedule311.sanantonio.gov/holiday-waste-collection-schedule — official confirmed holiday delays.
SA Recyclessarecycles.org — what goes where guide, recycling education, new customer info.
ERC (HHW & Electronics)7030 Culebra Rd · Tue–Sat 8am–5pm · Bring CPS bill + photo ID. HHW events 3×/year at rotating locations.

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

Outside San Antonio city limits? Converse, Universal City, Schertz, Live Oak, Windcrest, Kirby, and other Bexar County municipalities have their own waste collection providers. Contact your specific city or use a private hauler. San Antonio’s drop-off centers at sa.gov/swmd are open to SWMD rate-payers (those with the $3 Environmental Fee on their CPS Energy bill).
Nearby Cities

Trash & Recycling Schedules for Cities Near San Antonio

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

🏭 Austin 🏭 Houston 🏭 Dallas 🏭 Fort Worth 🏭 Memphis