St. Louis Trash Pickup Schedule, Recycling & Bulk 2026
Find your St. Louis collection schedule, recycling service, B.O.A.T.-E pickup, yard waste, and holiday adjustments for 2026.
City of St. Louis · Refuse Division · Mon/Thu or Tue/Fri schedules · Updated April 2026
Find Your St. Louis Collection Schedule
Your collection days depend on your address. St. Louis uses either a Monday & Thursday or Tuesday & Friday schedule. Use the official City address lookup or select your schedule below.
👈 Select your schedule above to see your complete St. Louis collection details.
⚠ Not sure which schedule you have? Use the official City of St. Louis My Pickup address lookup to confirm your exact collection days, bulk pickup week, and yard waste schedule. See all contact options ↓
St. Louis Waste Collection — Quick Facts
The City of St. Louis Refuse Division provides residential refuse, yard waste, recycling, and monthly bulk pickup to all City of St. Louis residences. Services are covered by a $14/month/unit solid waste services fee collected quarterly on your water bill. Collection uses either alley dumpsters (in areas with alleys) or roll carts (in areas without alleys). All services are twice weekly — either Monday & Thursday or Tuesday & Friday.
St. Louis Collection System — Alley Dumpsters & Roll Carts
St. Louis uses a twice-weekly collection schedule: your block is assigned either Monday & Thursday or Tuesday & Friday. Depending on your neighborhood, you have either alley dumpsters (shared containers in the alley behind your home) or roll carts (individual carts in front of your home). Each stream has its own dedicated container.
Trash
Brown alley dumpster or green roll cart. Bagged household waste. Collected twice weekly.
Twice weeklyRecycling
Blue dumpster or blue roll cart. Single-stream. Roll cart recycling is collected weekly. Alley recycling ended August 2025 — use drop-off locations.
Weekly (roll carts) • Drop-off for alleysYard Waste
Green yard waste dumpster or roll cart. No bags for alley service. Seasonal: Spring through Fall. Resumes March 2026.
Weekly (seasonal)⏰ Collection Service Details
- Alley service: Trash dumpster emptied on the first collection day of the week (Mon or Tue). Yard waste dumpster emptied on the second collection day (Thu or Fri). Do not move or turn alley dumpsters. Do not overload — overloaded containers will not be emptied.
- Roll cart service: Regular household garbage collected on the first collection day (Mon or Tue). Yard waste is collected from your green roll cart on Wednesdays for roll cart customers (not on your regular trash day). Recycling is collected weekly.
- Do not place commercial refuse in City containers — violators will be cited.
- Do not place yard waste in trash containers or regular trash with yard waste.
- Emergency/weather schedule changes are posted on @StlStreets on X/Twitter.
St. Louis Holiday Trash Collection Schedule 2026
St. Louis observes most major federal and city holidays with adjusted collection schedules. During a holiday week, your normal collection days shift to alternate days of the week. The exact adjusted dates vary by whether you have a Mon/Thu or Tue/Fri schedule. Download the detailed PDF schedules from the City’s website for your specific adjusted dates. Yard waste is not picked up during holiday weeks.
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thu, Jan 1 | Adjusted | Collection shifts; see City holiday PDF for your exact dates |
| MLK Day | Mon, Jan 19 | Adjusted | Mon/Thu customers: collection shifts to Tue & Thu that week |
| Presidents’ Day | Mon, Feb 16 | Adjusted | Mon/Thu: Tue Feb 17 & Thu Feb 19 • Tue/Fri: Wed Feb 18 & Fri Feb 20 |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 25 | Adjusted | Collection shifts for the week; see City holiday PDF |
| Independence Day | Sat, Jul 4 | Likely Normal | Falls on Saturday — check City holiday PDF to confirm; past Sat/Sun holidays had no impact |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sep 7 | Adjusted | Collection shifts for the week; see City holiday PDF |
| Veterans Day | Wed, Nov 11 | Adjusted | Collection shifts for the week; see City holiday PDF |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 26 | Adjusted | Both Thu holiday and Fri after Thanksgiving cause adjustments |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25 | Adjusted | Collection shifts for the week; see City holiday PDF |
St. Louis Recycling — Blue Bin & Drop-Off Locations
St. Louis uses single-stream recycling in the blue bin or blue roll cart. All recyclables go in one container — loose, clean, and dry. Important update as of August 15, 2025: Alley recycling dumpsters have been discontinued. Residents with alley service must now use the City’s drop-off recycling locations. Roll cart recycling continues weekly. Visit stlcityrecycles.com for the full guide with photos.
✅ Accepted in the Blue Bin/Roll Cart
- Paper: newspapers, magazines, catalogs, office paper, mail, books, paper bags
- Cardboard — flattened (corrugated, cereal boxes, cardboard packaging)
- Aluminum and steel cans (food, beverage, empty aerosol)
- Glass food and beverage bottles and jars — all colors, rinsed
- Rigid plastic bottles, jugs, and containers — rinsed
- Cartons from shelf or refrigerated sections: milk, juice, broth, soup (not frozen cartons)
- Tub lids (butter tubs, sour cream lids) — cleaned out and un-crushed
🚫 Never in the Blue Bin
- Plastic bags or film → grocery store drop-off
- Styrofoam / polystyrene → trash
- Food or food-soiled items → trash
- Electronics or batteries → HHWSTL or bulk/B.O.A.T.-E pickup
- Frozen food cartons → trash
- Tanglers: hoses, cords, wire → trash
- Ceramics or drinking glasses → trash
- Yard waste → yard waste container
🚩 Drop-Off Recycling Locations (for Alley Service Residents)
Residents whose alleys previously had recycling dumpsters must now use the City’s free drop-off recycling locations. These include fire station drop-off sites and street receptacle locations across the city. Find the nearest drop-off site at stlcityrecycles.com or by searching the City’s waste management resources at stlouis-mo.gov.
Yard Waste Collection in St. Louis
Yard waste is collected weekly on a seasonal basis. Collection is discontinued during winter months and resumes the first full week of March each year. For 2026, yard waste collection resumed around the week of March 9, 2026. Yard waste is not picked up during holiday weeks. By Missouri law, it is illegal to place yard waste in your regular trash container.
📅 Yard Waste Schedule 2026
- Winter suspension: Discontinued during winter months (December–February)
- Spring resumption 2026: First full week of March
- Fall suspension: Ends in late fall/December (City announces exact end date)
- Roll cart customers: Yard waste is collected on Wednesdays from the green roll cart (separate from your trash day)
- Alley customers: Yard waste is collected from the alley yard waste container on your second collection day of the week (Thursday or Friday)
🌿 Yard Waste Preparation Rules
- Alley service: Place yard waste loose (not bagged) in the green alley yard waste dumpster. Do not mix with trash.
- Roll cart service: Place yard waste in your green roll cart. Paper bags are acceptable; plastic bags are not.
- Tree limbs must be under 3 feet in length and under 1 foot in diameter. Larger limbs are not collected curbside — take to a transfer station.
- Do not place furniture, bulky items, or regular garbage with yard waste.
🍂 Free Compost & Wood Chips for Residents
The City of St. Louis Forestry Division offers free compost and wood chips to residents at designated pickup sites. Yard waste collected by the City is composted and made available back to residents. Find current compost pickup locations at stlouis-mo.gov under Waste Management & Recycling.
🍂 Fall Leaf Pickup
In addition to regular yard waste collection, the City offers a special fall leaf pickup program. Fall leaf removal runs from the first Monday in November through December 31 on the regularly scheduled street sweeping days. Place bagged leaves at the curb for pickup during this period.
🎄 Christmas Tree Recycling
The City offers free Christmas tree recycling at three park drop-off locations: Forest Park, O’Fallon Park, and Carondelet Park. Trees are accepted from December 26 through January 31. Trees must be bare — remove all decorations, lights, tinsel, stands, and plastic wrapping before dropping off.
Monthly Bulk & B.O.A.T.-E Pickup in St. Louis
The City of St. Louis provides free monthly bulk item and B.O.A.T.-E pickup for all residential customers. B.O.A.T.-E stands for Batteries, Oil, Appliances, Tires, Electronics. Service is included in your $14/month solid waste fee. Each neighborhood is assigned a specific week of the month for this service. Allow the Refuse Division the entire week to complete the pickup.
📅 How to Use Monthly Bulk & B.O.A.T.-E Pickup
- Use the My Pickup address lookup to find which Monday of the month your bulk pickup week falls on. Your bulk pickup is scheduled for that indicated Monday’s week.
- Place items in the alley or at the curb (not in the dumpster or roll cart) at the start of your bulk pickup week.
- Do not block the alley with bulky items. Keep items off to the side.
- Do not place regular garbage with bulky items.
- If items are not picked up by end of week, report to Citizens’ Service Bureau at (314) 622-4800.
✅ Accepted for Bulk & B.O.A.T.-E Pickup
- Furniture: sofas, chairs, tables, dressers, bed frames
- Mattresses and box springs
- Large appliances: stoves, washers, dryers, fridges, AC units
- Carpeting and rugs
- Batteries (B): all household and automotive batteries
- Oil (O): used motor oil
- Appliances (A): all large and small appliances
- Tires (T): vehicle tires
- Electronics (E): computers, printers, phones, TVs, power cords
🚫 Not Accepted in Bulk Pickup
- Regular household garbage → trash containers
- Construction or demolition debris → transfer station
- Commercial or business waste
- Railroad ties (soaked in creosote — private hauler only)
- Hazardous chemicals → HHWSTL facility
- Automotive batteries and motor oil are illegal to place in trash (use B.O.A.T.-E pickup)
Transfer Stations & Residential Drop-Off
City of St. Louis residents can drop off approved trash, yard waste, remodeling debris, and other items at the City’s transfer stations. Residents may drop off up to 12 loads per year (one standard truck load per visit), available 7 days a week.
🚩 North Transfer Station
71 Angelica Street, St. Louis, MO
Open 7 days a week
Accepts: trash, yard waste, remodeling debris, bulk items, and other approved materials
Up to 12 loads per year per household. One standard truck load per visit.
🚩 Automotive Battery Recycling
The Refuse Division accepts automotive batteries for recycling from City residents at City transfer drop-off stations at no charge.
Motor oil from motor vehicles can also be recycled at City transfer stations at no charge.
🚙 What Transfer Stations Accept
- General household refuse
- Yard waste and tree debris
- Remodeling and renovation debris (limited quantities; no railroad ties)
- Bulk items and furniture
- Automotive batteries — free recycling for City residents
- Used motor oil — free recycling for City residents
The City does not accept remodeling debris from major contractor projects at transfer stations — those require private dumpster rental. Railroad ties are not accepted because the wood is soaked in creosote; use a private waste hauler.
Hazardous Waste Disposal — HHWSTL Facility
Household hazardous waste (HHW) must never go in regular trash or recycling. St. Louis City residents use the regional St. Louis Household Hazardous Waste (HHWSTL) program, a partnership serving St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and Jefferson County residents. Reservations are required for the South facility. The first 50 pounds of HHW are free; additional material is $1.70/lb. Latex paint recycling costs $0.50/lb.
🚩 South Facility
291 East Hoffmeister, St. Louis, MO
(on grounds of the MSD Lemay Wastewater Treatment Plant)
Thu & Fri: 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (lunch break 12–1 p.m.)
Every other Saturday: 8:00 a.m.–11 a.m. (lunch break 11 a.m.–noon)
Reservations required. Schedule online at hhwstl.com. No same-day reservations.
🚩 North County Facility
4100 Seven Hills Drive, Florissant, MO 63033
Wed: 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (lunch break 12–1 p.m.)
Every other Saturday: 8:00 a.m.–11 a.m.
Walk-ins accepted (no reservation required). Check hhwstl.com for current status — note: North facility hours and status subject to change.
✅ Accepted at HHWSTL Facilities
- Paints, stains, varnishes, wood preservatives, solvents, strippers, aerosols
- Fuel products: gasoline, motor oil, filters, gas cylinders/tanks (up to 20 gal)
- Pesticides, herbicides, poisons, fertilizers
- Fluorescent tubes, CFL bulbs
- Batteries: all types (household, rechargeable, automotive, lithium)
- Mercury-containing devices, thermostats
- Electronics: TVs, computers, phones, printers
- Pool chemicals, antifreeze, automotive fluids
- Latex paint (fee applies: $0.50/lb)
🚫 Not Accepted at HHWSTL
- Business, school, nonprofit, or church waste (residential only)
- Explosives, ammunition, fireworks
- Radioactive materials
- More than 500 lbs per visit (contact facility for alternatives)
- Regular household trash
- Waste from outside St. Louis City, St. Louis County, or Jefferson County
Who Receives City Collection Services
The City of St. Louis Refuse Division provides residential collection only. Commercial properties must arrange private hauling service. The Refuse Division does not service any commercial properties, regardless of size.
🚚 Residential Service Eligibility
- All residential properties within City of St. Louis limits receive Refuse Division service covered by the $14/month solid waste fee on the quarterly water bill.
- Multi-family residential buildings qualify as long as they are residential in nature. Service fee applies per unit.
- Businesses, restaurants, offices, and commercial properties must contract with a private waste hauler. The City will not collect commercial waste.
- City service only applies within City of St. Louis boundaries. Properties in St. Louis County (even those with a St. Louis mailing address) are not served by the City Refuse Division.
- If you have an alley dumpster or roll cart with the City of St. Louis logo, you receive City service.
What to Do If Your Trash Wasn’t Collected in St. Louis
- Confirm your collection days using the My Pickup address lookup tool. Verify whether you have Mon/Thu or Tue/Fri service, and alley or roll cart.
- Check for a holiday adjustment. St. Louis adjusts collection for many holidays including MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, Veterans Day, and others. Download the holiday PDF schedule to confirm your actual collection dates that week. Yard waste is not collected during holiday weeks.
- Check weather. Snow or severe weather can suspend collection. Suspensions are announced on @StlStreets on X/Twitter. If collection was suspended for snow, service may be rescheduled or additional bags allowed the following week.
- Verify container compliance: Do not overload containers — overloaded containers will not be emptied. No commercial waste. No yard waste in trash containers.
- Report the missed pickup through the Citizens’ Service Bureau at (314) 622-4800, or file online at stlouis-mo.gov. For bulk/B.O.A.T.-E items not picked up by end of week, also call the Citizens’ Service Bureau.
St. Louis Trash & Recycling Tips Every Resident Should Know
🏠 New to St. Louis or Just Moved In?
Enter your address at stlouis-mo.gov/my-pickup to confirm your exact collection schedule (Mon/Thu or Tue/Fri), whether you have alley or roll cart service, and your monthly bulk pickup week. Your solid waste fee ($14/month/unit) is billed quarterly on your City water bill — service starts automatically for residential properties. Download the 2026–2028 holiday schedule PDF to plan ahead for the full year.
♻ Alley Recycling Change (August 2025)
If you previously recycled using an alley blue dumpster, that service ended in August 2025. You must now take recyclables to one of the City’s drop-off recycling locations (fire stations and street receptacles). Roll cart recycling continues as before. Visit stlcityrecycles.com to find your nearest drop-off location.
🌿 Free Firewood for Residents
The City of St. Louis Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry offers free firewood to City residents from the second week in November through the first week in March. Check stlouis-mo.gov for current pickup site locations each season.
🚫 5 Common Mistakes St. Louis Residents Make
- Not knowing their bulk pickup week — it varies by neighborhood; look it up at stlouis-mo.gov/my-pickup
- Putting batteries, oil, appliances, or tires in the regular trash — illegal in Missouri; use B.O.A.T.-E pickup
- Using alley recycling dumpsters that no longer exist — alley recycling ended August 2025; use drop-off locations
- Placing yard waste in the trash cart — illegal; use the designated yard waste container
- Overloading alley dumpsters — overloaded containers are left uncollected
Contact the Refuse Division & City Services
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| Citizens’ Service Bureau | 📞 (314) 622-4800 — Report missed pickups, bulk items not collected, trash violations (non-emergency), all residential refuse service issues |
| My Pickup Address Lookup | stlouis-mo.gov/my-pickup — Find your collection days (Mon/Thu or Tue/Fri), bulk pickup week, alley vs. roll cart service |
| Refuse Division Website | stlouis-mo.gov/refuse — Holiday schedules, yard waste, bulk/B.O.A.T.-E, transfer stations, recycling programs |
| Holiday Schedule PDFs | Holiday Schedule 2026–2028 PDFs — Exact adjusted dates for Mon/Thu and Tue/Fri schedules |
| St. Louis City Recycles | stlcityrecycles.com — What goes in the blue bin, drop-off recycling locations, recycling guide with photos |
| Schedule Updates (Weather/Emergency) | @StlStreets on X/Twitter — Real-time announcements of snow suspensions and emergency schedule changes |
| HHWSTL (Hazardous Waste) | hhwstl.com — Reservations required for South facility • South: 291 E. Hoffmeister (Thu/Fri & every other Sat) • North: 4100 Seven Hills Dr., Florissant (Wed & every other Sat, walk-ins) |
| North Transfer Station | 71 Angelica Street, St. Louis • Open 7 days/week • 12 free loads per year for City residents • Free automotive battery and motor oil recycling |
Frequently Asked Questions — St. Louis Trash Pickup
Still Can’t Find Your Collection Day?
If the Collection Day Finder above hasn’t resolved your question, use the official City of St. Louis resources below. The My Pickup address lookup is the most accurate source for your schedule, bulk pickup week, and service type.
🔍 Official St. Louis Lookup & Contact Options
All of the following are free and will confirm your exact collection schedule and service type:
🔍 Open My Pickup Lookup 📞 Call (314) 622-4800| My Pickup Address Lookup | stlouis-mo.gov/my-pickup — Exact collection days (Mon/Thu or Tue/Fri), bulk pickup week, alley vs. roll cart service |
| Citizens’ Service Bureau | (314) 622-4800 — Report missed pickups, service issues, bulk items not collected |
| Holiday Schedule PDFs | Holiday Collection Schedule 2026–2028 — Download exact adjusted dates for Mon/Thu and Tue/Fri schedules |
| Refuse Division | stlouis-mo.gov/refuse — Yard waste, bulk/B.O.A.T.-E, recycling, transfer stations, all refuse programs |
| St. Louis City Recycles | stlcityrecycles.com — Blue bin guide, drop-off recycling locations, what goes where |
| HHWSTL (Hazardous Waste) | hhwstl.com — Book a reservation for hazardous waste drop-off (South facility requires reservation) |
You will leave this website when using any of the links above. The City of St. Louis My Pickup tool is the most accurate source for address-based schedule information.
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