Charlotte collects trash and yard waste weekly and recycling every other week. Carts out by 6 a.m.; bulky items must be booked through 311 at 704-336-7600.

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of Charlotte’s Trash and Recycling pages (Solid Waste Services).

The City of Charlotte’s Solid Waste Services department picks up garbage, recycling, yard waste and scheduled bulky items at single-family homes across the city. Garbage and yard waste go weekly. Recycling goes every other week, on the same day, on either a “green week” or an “orange week.”

Who to call

What day is my pickup?

Enter your address in My Charlotte Lookup. It shows your collection day and whether you are on a green or orange recycling week.

The city’s collection guidelines set the rules for every cart:

  • Out by 6 a.m. on your collection day, and no sooner than the day before.
  • Back off the curb by midnight on collection day.
  • Within 6 feet of the curb, handle facing your house, with 3 feet of space from mailboxes, poles, cars and other carts. Do not block the sidewalk.
  • Garbage bagged and tied inside the gray cart, lid closed. Anything outside the cart is not collected.
  • Do not park on the street on collection day. The city says crews may skip blocked carts.

Report a missed pickup to 311 within 48 hours. To get service alerts by text, text your collection day (for example, “Thursday”) to 73224. Alerts come in English or Spanish.

Recycling: green and orange weeks

The rest of 2026 on the city’s recycling calendar:

Week Recycling
Oct. 11-17 Green week
Oct. 18-24 Orange week
Oct. 25-31 Green week
Nov. 1-7 Orange week
Nov. 8-14 Green week
Nov. 15-21 Orange week
Nov. 22-28 (Thanksgiving) Green week
Nov. 29 to Dec. 5 Orange week
Dec. 6-12 Green week
Dec. 13-19 Orange week
Dec. 20-26 (Christmas) Green week
Dec. 27-31 Orange week

A printable 2026 calendar (PDF) is on the city site, and a Spanish version is linked from the same page.

Goes in the green cart, loose and not bagged: cardboard cut or torn into small pieces, plastic bottles and jugs with necks, paper and magazines, milk and juice cartons, glass bottles and jars (lids can stay on) and empty metal cans.

Stays out: whole boxes, food, shredded paper, paper plates, plastic bags, food trays, cups, takeout containers, foam, napkins, diapers, hoses, cords, scrap metal and auto parts. Mecklenburg County keeps the full list on its Recycle Right page.

Holiday schedule

Charlotte changed its holiday rules in 2026, according to the city’s 2026 holiday collection schedule. The holidays left this year:

Holiday Date What happens
Veterans Day Wednesday, Nov. 11 No change
Thanksgiving Thursday, Nov. 26 No collection; Thursday routes run Friday and Friday routes run Saturday, Nov. 28
Christmas Friday, Dec. 25 No collection; Friday routes run Saturday, Dec. 26

The new pattern applied to Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day: no collection on the Monday, routes finished Tuesday through Friday, no Saturday pickup and no yard waste that week. New Year’s Day, Presidents Day, Good Friday, Juneteenth, Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Veterans Day ran with no delay in 2026.

Bulky items

Furniture, appliances, mattresses, box springs, lawn equipment and similar items too big for the cart are bulky waste, and every pickup must be booked. The rules on the city’s collection guidelines:

  • Book by calling 311 at 704-336-7600, through the CLT+ app or online.
  • You must already get city garbage service.
  • To change or cancel, call 311 by noon on the business day before the pickup.
  • Items out by 6 a.m. on the scheduled day, no sooner than the day before, 3 feet apart.
  • Items put out without a booking are not collected.

The city’s bulky item eligibility list (PDF) shows what qualifies; call 311 if an item is not on it.

Yard waste

Yard waste goes weekly on your garbage day and is turned into mulch and compost:

  • Leaves and grass in paper bags or containers no larger than 32 gallons. Plastic bags, compostable ones included, are not accepted.
  • Brush and limbs no longer than 5 feet and no thicker than 4 inches, in piles no longer than 5 feet and no higher than 3 feet, with 2 feet between piles. Do not tie limbs.
  • Logs under 4 inches across. Tree stumps are not collected.
  • Out no sooner than the day before. The city says a citation of at least $150 can be issued for yard waste put out earlier.

Natural Christmas trees go out with yard waste, stripped of lights and tinsel. Artificial trees and wreaths must be booked as bulky items.

Hazardous waste, electronics and drop-off centers

Paint, motor oil, antifreeze, pesticides, pool chemicals, batteries and electronics do not go in any cart. The city’s household hazardous waste page sends residents to Mecklenburg County’s full-service recycling centers:

  • Compost Central and Recycling Center, 140 Valleydale Road
  • Hickory Grove Recycling Center, 8007 Pence Road
  • Foxhole Recycling Center, 17131 Lancaster Highway
  • North Mecklenburg Recycling Center, 12300 N. Statesville Road, Huntersville

Self-service recycling drop-offs are at the Innovation Barn, 932 Seigle Ave.; Park Road Park, 5300 Closeburn Road; McAlpine Creek Park, 8711 Monroe Road; William R. Davie Park, 4635 Pineville-Matthews Road; and Reedy Creek Park, 2900 Rocky River Road.

What this means for you

  • Carts out by 6 a.m. The truck may come early, and a cart put out late can wait a week.
  • Check green or orange before you roll out the recycling.
  • Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks run a day late after the holiday.
  • Book bulky pickups first; unbooked items stay on the curb.

More city services: who to call at City Hall and Mecklenburg County property taxes.

Frequently asked questions

What day is trash pickup in Charlotte?

Garbage and yard waste are collected weekly on your assigned day, and recycling every other week on the same day. Look up your day and your green or orange recycling week in the city’s My Charlotte Lookup tool.

What time does trash need to be out in Charlotte?

Carts, yard waste and scheduled bulky items must be at the curb by 6 a.m. on collection day, no sooner than the day before. Carts must be off the curb by midnight on collection day.

How do I schedule bulky item pickup in Charlotte?

Call CharMeck 311 at 704-336-7600, use the CLT+ app or book online. Items put out without a booking are not collected.

Is Charlotte trash pickup delayed for Thanksgiving?

Yes. There is no collection Thursday, Nov. 26, and Thursday and Friday routes run one day late, with Friday collection on Saturday, Nov. 28.

Does Charlotte recycling take glass?

Yes. Glass bottles and jars go in the green recycling cart, and lids can stay on. Plastic bags, food, shredded paper and foam do not.