Tucson Trash Pickup Schedule, Recycling & Brush & Bulky 2026
Find your Environmental Services collection day, recycling week (A/B), Brush & Bulky dates, Orange Bin program, and 2026 holiday schedule for Tucson.
City of Tucson · Environmental Services Department · Updated March 2026
Find Your Tucson Collection Day
Select your regular trash day to see your full schedule — garbage, recycling week (A or B), Brush & Bulky reminders, and 2026 holiday impacts.
👈 Select your day above to see your complete Tucson collection schedule.
⚠ Don’t know your day? Use the official Find My Trash Day tool or call (520) 791-3171. All contact options ↓
Tucson Waste Collection — Quick Facts
The City of Tucson Environmental Services Department serves over 145,000 households across 26 residential service areas (trash zones). Trash is collected once weekly; recycling is collected every other week (A or B) on the same day. Tucson has a unique three-bin system: blue for standard recycling, orange (Hefty ReNew) for hard-to-recycle plastics, and purple drop-off containers for glass. Large items are handled through the citywide Brush & Bulky Plus program, which visits every zone twice a year.
Tucson’s Blue, Orange & Purple Recycling System
Tucson operates a distinctive three-stream residential recycling system that separates materials more precisely than most US cities. The blue bin handles standard single-stream recycling collected curbside every other week. The orange Hefty ReNew bin captures hard-to-recycle plastics — also collected curbside on your recycling day. Purple drop-off containers handle glass throughout the city, since glass is no longer accepted curbside.
Blue Bin — Standard Recycling
Paper, cardboard, rigid plastics (#1, #2 bottles & jugs), metal cans. Loose only — never bagged. Every other week (A or B).
Biweekly • Free (included)Orange Bin — Hefty ReNew
Plastic bags, Styrofoam, film, utensils, straws. Use Hefty ReNew orange bags (purchase at Walmart or Fry’s). Same day as blue bin.
Biweekly • Bags ~$5Purple Container — Glass
All glass bottles and jars — rinsed. Drop off at neighborhood purple containers. Not accepted curbside.
Drop-off • FreeTrash Set-Out Rules & Cart Options in Tucson
All carts must be placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day. Routes run Monday through Friday. Collection may occur at any time of the day, so carts must be out by 6:00 a.m. even if your truck typically comes in the afternoon.
⏰ Set-Out Rules for All Carts
- Place carts at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on collection day.
- Cart lid must be fully closed. Do not overfill carts.
- Leave at least 3 feet of clearance on all sides — away from cars, mailboxes, walls, fences, gas meters, and water meters.
- Do not place carts on pavers or near walls in a way that prevents cart arm access.
- All trash must be bagged inside the cart.
- Recycling must be placed loose in the blue bin — never in plastic bags.
- Shredded paper is the one exception: bag it in a clear sealed bag before placing in the blue bin.
🗒 Cart Sizes & Shared Alley Containers
- Standard trash carts: 35-gallon (small), 64-gallon (medium), or 96-gallon (large). Fees vary by size — right-sizing your cart can reduce your monthly bill.
- Some Tucson neighborhoods (typically older urban areas) use shared 300-gallon alley containers instead of individual carts. Rules: use only your allocated one-third of the space, keep lid openings facing the center of the alley, and never place bulky items or construction debris in shared containers.
- To change your cart size or request a replacement, call (520) 791-3171 or visit the Environmental Services website.
- Extra trash service (an additional cart) is available for an extra monthly fee. A special one-time pickup can also be scheduled for a $55 base fee.
Tucson Holiday Trash Collection Schedule 2026
The City of Tucson Environmental Services Department confirms that only three holidays cause a one-day service delay in 2026: New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. All other federal holidays — including MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day — are fully normal service days. When a delay occurs, collection slides one day later; Friday routes collect on Saturday.
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Day | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Jan 1 | Thursday | 1-Day Delay Thu → Fri | Fri → Sat | Mon–Wed: normal |
| MLK Day | Jan 19 | Monday | Normal Environmental Services collects as scheduled. |
| Presidents’ Day | Feb 16 | Monday | Normal Environmental Services collects as scheduled. |
| Memorial Day | May 25 | Monday | Normal Environmental Services collects as scheduled. |
| Independence Day | Sat, Jul 4 | Saturday | Normal Falls on Saturday — no weekday impact. |
| Labor Day | Sep 7 | Monday | Normal Environmental Services collects as scheduled. |
| Veterans Day | Nov 11 | Wednesday | Normal Environmental Services collects as scheduled. |
| Thanksgiving Day | Nov 26 | Thursday | 1-Day Delay Thu → Fri | Fri → Sat | Mon–Wed: normal |
| Christmas Day | Dec 25 | Friday | 1-Day Delay Fri → Sat | Mon–Thu: normal that week |
Tucson Recycling — What Goes in the Blue Bin
Tucson uses single-stream recycling in the blue bin, collected every other week on an A/B rotation. Your address is on either Week A or Week B — confirm at the Find My Trash Day tool. All items must be empty, clean, dry, and placed loose. Do not flatten cans or bottles — leave them in their original shape. Cardboard should be cut and flattened. Only set out the blue bin when it is more than half full.
✅ Accepted in the Blue Bin
- Paper: newspaper, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, office paper, envelopes
- Cardboard — cut and flattened
- Paperboard (cereal boxes, etc.)
- Aluminum and steel cans — rinsed, NOT crushed
- Plastic bottles and jugs — #1 (PET) and #2 (HDPE), rinsed, NOT crushed
- Rigid plastic containers and tubs — rinsed
- Shredded paper — in a sealed clear bag only
🚫 Never in the Blue Bin
- Glass (bottles, jars) → purple drop-off containers
- Plastic bags, film, or wrap → orange Hefty ReNew bin
- Styrofoam → orange Hefty ReNew bin
- Food or food-soiled items → trash
- Electronics or batteries → HHW drop-off or events
- Tanglers: hoses, cords, wire hangers → trash
- Plastic cups, plates, straws, utensils → orange bin
- Ceramics, mirrors → trash
Orange Bin — Tucson’s Hefty ReNew Hard-to-Recycle Plastics Program
Tucson partners with Hefty ReNew to offer curbside recycling of hard-to-recycle plastics that cannot go in the blue bin. Residents collect these items in Hefty ReNew orange bags, place them in a city-issued orange bin, and set out the orange bin on their regular recycling day (same A/B week as the blue bin). Orange bags are available at participating Walmart and Fry’s stores in Tucson, or you can request a free starter kit at HeftyRenew.com.
🟠 Accepted in the Orange Bin (Hefty ReNew Bags)
- Plastic bags and film: grocery bags, produce bags, bread bags, dry-cleaning bags, bubble wrap
- Styrofoam blocks and foam packing peanuts
- Foam cup lids and foam food containers
- Plastic cups, plates, bowls, straws, stirrers, and utensils
- Plastic wrap and shrink wrap
- All flexible plastic packaging
🚫 Not in the Orange Bin
- Items that belong in the blue bin — rigid plastic bottles, cans, paper, cardboard
- Glass → purple containers
- Food waste → trash or compost
- Electronics or batteries → HHW
- Regular household trash
- Hazardous materials
Glass Recycling in Tucson — Purple Drop-Off Containers Only
Glass bottles and jars are no longer accepted in the curbside blue bin. Tucson removed glass from curbside recycling because broken glass contaminated other recyclables and damaged sorting machinery. Instead, the city has placed purple glass recycling containers at neighborhood locations throughout the city where residents can drop off clean glass at any time.
🚩 Finding Your Nearest Purple Glass Container
- Find the nearest purple container using the interactive map on the Recycling Services page at tucsonaz.gov.
- Purple containers are sited at several Ward offices (Ward 2: 7820 E. Broadway; Ward 4: 8123 E. Poinciana Dr; Ward 5: 4300 S. Park Ave; Ward 6: 3202 E. 1st St).
- Los Reales Sustainability Campus also accepts glass drop-off.
- Accepted: all rinsed glass bottles and jars (all colors). Remove lids; lids go in the blue bin if metal or in the trash.
Brush & Bulky Plus — Twice a Year, Curb-Only Starting January 1, 2026
Tucson’s Brush & Bulky Plus program visits each of the city’s 26 trash zones twice a year (approximately every 6 months) to collect large items, yard debris, and unwanted bulky waste. Effective January 1, 2026, all Brush & Bulky piles must be placed at the curb in front of your home. Piles placed in alleys will not be collected (except for designated special-pickup areas).
📅 How Brush & Bulky Works
- Look up your zone and upcoming Brush & Bulky collection week using the 2026 Brush & Bulky schedule map at knowwheretothrow.com or at tucsonaz.gov/environmental-services.
- Place all piles at the curb in front of your home by 6:00 a.m. on Monday of your designated collection week. Do not place items out more than two weeks before your scheduled week.
- Pickup may occur at any time during the collection week (Mon–Fri). Wait until the end of the week before reporting a missed pickup.
- Keep piles at least 3 feet away from structures, vehicles, mailboxes, walls, fencing, gas meters, and water meters. Do not place on pavers or near meters.
- For a second collection outside the zone schedule, call (520) 791-3171 to request a special pickup for a $55 base fee.
✅ Accepted in Brush & Bulky
- Brush, tree trunks, branches: up to 24 in. diameter, 5 ft. long, bundled
- Lumber: up to 5 ft. long, stacked separately
- Cacti and thorny green waste: boxed in cardboard boxes, max 25 lbs per box
- Furniture: sofas, chairs, tables, dressers
- Mattresses and box springs
- Large appliances: fridges, washers, dryers
- Scrap metal and large items from yard cleanup
🚫 Not Accepted in Brush & Bulky
- Alley placement — curb-front only starting Jan 1, 2026
- Hazardous materials → HHW drop-off or events
- Construction or demolition debris
- Tires → Los Reales (fees apply)
- Paint or chemicals → HHW
- Electronics → HHW or Zero Waste events
- Regular household trash → weekly gray/black cart
🎄 Free Christmas Tree Collection
Tucson collects Christmas trees curbside during the first two weeks of January as part of the Brush & Bulky program. Place trees at the front curb. Remove all decorations, lights, tinsel, stands, and plastic bags. Cut trees taller than 6 feet in half. Flocked trees may not be composted — contact Environmental Services for disposal guidance.
Household Hazardous Waste — Los Reales Campus & Monthly Drop-Off Events
Tucson collects household hazardous waste (HHW) through two complementary channels: a permanent facility at the Los Reales Sustainability Campus open Monday–Friday, and free monthly drop-off events on the second Saturday of each month at rotating Eastside and Westside locations. Proof of Tucson or Pima County residency is required. Free for City of Tucson residents; a $10 fee for residents of Marana, Oro Valley, Sahuarita, and unincorporated Pima County.
📍 Los Reales Sustainability Campus — Permanent HHW Drop-Off
Address: Los Reales Landfill, Tucson, AZ (call (520) 791-5683 for current directions and entry instructions)
Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m. (closes at 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays)
Household Hazardous Waste also accepted at: 2400 S. 22nd Avenue, Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
2026 Monthly HHW Drop-Off Events — 2nd Saturday of Each Month
- Events rotate between Eastside and Westside locations
- Hours: typically 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
- Eastside location: Eastside City Hall, 7575 E. Speedway Blvd
- Bring proof of Tucson residency (utility bill or driver’s license)
- Each vehicle limited to 3 boxes of material per event
- For current 2026 event dates and locations, check tucsonaz.gov/environmental-services or call (520) 791-3171
✅ Accepted at HHW Drop-Off
- Paint: latex and oil-based (original labeled container)
- Pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers
- Automotive fluids: motor oil, antifreeze, brake fluid
- Household chemicals and solvents
- Fluorescent and CFL bulbs
- All types of batteries
- Electronics (at events): computers, TVs, phones (3-box limit)
- Propane canisters and gas cylinders
🚫 Not Accepted at HHW
- Commercial or business waste
- Radioactive materials
- Explosives or ammunition
- Unlabeled or leaking containers
- Regular household trash
- Construction debris
FoodCycle At Home — Tucson’s Food Waste Composting Program
Tucson offers a voluntary FoodCycle At Home composting program as part of its Zero Waste goals. Residents can sign up to receive a countertop food scrap collection bin and compostable liners, then drop off food scraps at designated community gardens and compost sites. This program helps divert organic waste from the landfill and supports local urban agriculture.
🌿 FoodCycle Program Details
- Sign up at tucsonaz.gov/environmental-services or call (520) 791-3171.
- Participants receive a small countertop collection container and compostable liners.
- Drop off food scraps at partner community gardens and compost sites — locations listed on the Environmental Services website.
- Accepted: all food scraps including meat, dairy, and cooked food (unlike many home compost systems).
- This is a voluntary program — composting is not yet mandatory in Tucson.
- Yard waste and green material can be composted at Los Reales Sustainability Campus.
What to Do If Your Trash Wasn’t Collected in Tucson
- Confirm your collection day and recycling week (A or B) using the Find My Trash Day tool or by calling (520) 791-3171.
- Check for a holiday delay. New Year’s Day (Jan 1), Thanksgiving (Nov 26), and Christmas (Dec 25) cause 1-day delays. MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Veterans Day are normal collection days in Tucson with no delay.
- Verify cart placement: at curb by 6:00 a.m., lid fully closed, 3 feet clearance on all sides, not on pavers, not in alleys.
- Check if the bin was too light. Environmental Services recommends only setting out the blue recycling bin when it is more than half full. Trucks use automated arms and may not trigger correctly for very light loads.
- Report the missed pickup by calling (520) 791-3171, emailing es@tucsonaz.gov, or filing a request online at tucsonaz.gov/environmental-services.
Tucson Trash & Recycling Tips Every Resident Should Know
🏠 New to Tucson?
Use the Find My Trash Day tool to get your exact collection day and A/B recycling week. Your address falls in one of 26 trash zones — each zone also has two Brush & Bulky collection weeks per year. Download the Recycle Coach app for pickup reminders and a searchable “What Goes Where” guide. Sign up for the FoodCycle program if you want to compost food scraps.
☀️ Tucson’s Unique Recycling Rules
- No glass in the blue bin — use purple drop-off containers. This is Tucson-specific and catches many newcomers off-guard.
- Do not crush cans or bottles — sorting equipment needs original shapes to identify materials.
- Orange bin for plastic bags and Styrofoam — Tucson is one of few cities that collects these curbside through the Hefty ReNew program instead of simply sending them to landfill.
- Only set out the blue bin when more than half full — automated truck arms work best with a heavier load.
🚫 5 Common Mistakes Tucson Residents Make
- Putting glass in the blue curbside bin — glass goes to purple drop-off containers only
- Crushing cans and bottles before recycling — always leave them in original shape
- Placing Brush & Bulky in the alley — effective January 2026, only front-curb placement is accepted
- Thinking Memorial Day and Labor Day delay collection — Tucson only delays for 3 holidays (New Year’s, Thanksgiving, Christmas)
- Not boxing cacti before Brush & Bulky set-out — cacti and thorny green waste must be placed in cardboard boxes (max 25 lbs each) for crew safety
Contact Tucson Environmental Services
| Contact | Details |
|---|---|
| Environmental Services | 📞 (520) 791-3171 — missed pickups, collection day lookup, cart requests, Brush & Bulky scheduling, all residential services |
| es@tucsonaz.gov | |
| Find My Trash Day Tool | tucsonaz.gov — Find Trash & Recycling Pickup Day — official address-based lookup for your exact collection day, A/B recycling week, and zone |
| Know Where to Throw | knowwheretothrow.com — official Environmental Services portal for blue bin rules, orange bin, Brush & Bulky schedule, and recycling events |
| Environmental Services Website | tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Environmental-Services — all services, holiday schedule, cart sizing, HHW events, FoodCycle |
| HHW — Los Reales Campus | Call (520) 791-5683 for current hours and directions — Mon–Fri, 7 a.m.–2:30 p.m. (closes 11:30 a.m. Thu) |
| HHW Events | 2nd Saturday of each month, Apr–Oct (and other dates) • Eastside City Hall, 7575 E. Speedway Blvd • 8 a.m.–12 p.m. • 3-box limit per vehicle |
| Recycle Coach App | Free iOS & Android app — pickup reminders, A/B week finder, “What Goes Where” item search |
Frequently Asked Questions — Tucson Trash Pickup
Still Can’t Find Your Collection Day?
Use Tucson’s official address-based lookup tool to confirm your exact garbage day, recycling week (A or B), and Brush & Bulky zone dates.
🔍 Official Environmental Services Lookup & Contact Options
All of the following are free and will confirm your exact schedule:
🔍 Find My Trash Day Tool 📞 Call (520) 791-3171| Find My Trash Day (Web) | tucsonaz.gov — Find Trash & Recycling Day — enter your address for your exact garbage day, A/B recycling week, and Brush & Bulky zone. |
| Know Where to Throw | knowwheretothrow.com — official Environmental Services portal for blue bin rules, orange bin, Brush & Bulky 2026 schedule, and recycling event calendar. |
| Environmental Services | (520) 791-3171 or es@tucsonaz.gov — missed pickups, cart changes, Brush & Bulky scheduling, HHW, and all residential services. |
| Recycle Coach App | Free iOS & Android — pickup reminders, A/B week confirmation, “What Goes Where” item search. Download at your app store. |
| Environmental Services Website | tucsonaz.gov/Departments/Environmental-Services — all services, holiday schedule, purple glass container map, HHW events, FoodCycle program. |
You will leave this website when using any of the links above. The City of Tucson’s Find My Trash Day tool is the most accurate source for address-based schedule information.
Trash & Recycling Schedules for Other US Cities
Looking for waste collection information in another city? Here are cities we’ve already covered with full schedules, recycling rules, and bulk pickup guides: