Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Tucson
Arizona residential routes operate weekly (Mon-Fri) depending on your neighborhood zone. Some municipalities shift to earlier collection hours during extreme summer heat.
State Mandate
Ensure trash is bagged to prevent debris from scattering during high desert winds.
Green (or Shared 300-Gallon Alley Container) Bin (Trash)
Place at curb by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day with the lid opening facing the street. Maintain a 3-foot clearance from vehicles, mailboxes, and other bins. If using a shared alley container, use only your allotted 1/3 of the space.
Accepted Items
- ✓General household garbage
- ✓Bagged food waste
- ✓Yard waste that fits with the lid closed
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Collection is every other week (Week A or Week B). All recyclables must be placed loose in the bin. Do not flatten your cans or plastic bottles, as sorting machines need their 3D shape.
Accepted Items
- ✓Rigid plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Clean paper and magazines
- ✓Flattened corrugated cardboard
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass bottles and jars (use Purple drop-off)
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Yard waste
- ✕Electronics
Yard Waste Bin
Tucson does not have a separate weekly yard waste bin. Small amounts of yard debris must be bagged and placed inside your green trash bin with the lid closed. Large branches and brush are collected during the twice-a-year Brush & Bulky events.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Small twigs
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Weeds
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Twice a year (Brush & Bulky program)
Placement
Place materials in front of your home within 3 feet of the curb. Maintain at least a 3-foot clearance from trash bins, utility meters, and parked cars.
Accepted
- ✓ Brush (up to 5 ft long and 24 inches in diameter) [1.3.2]
- ✓ Lumber (up to 5 ft long)
- ✓ Appliances (doors removed)
- ✓ Auto tires (limit 5)
- ✓ Boxed cacti (max 25 lbs per box)
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Scrap metal
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction or demolition debris [1.3.2]
- ✕ Dirt, rocks, and gravel
- ✕ Household Hazardous Waste
- ✕ Glass
- ✕ Televisions and monitors
The twice-yearly service is included in your monthly utility bill. For an out-of-schedule pickup, you can request a 'Brush & Bulky Anytime' special collection for an additional fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Trash is collected once each week. During holiday weeks, collection may be delayed by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Brush & Bulky collection dates are pre-scheduled; check the city calendar to see if holiday weeks impact your specific zone.
Always check the official Find My Trash Day tool during holiday weeks, as minor schedule shifts may occur.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep the 3D Shape
Do not crush your aluminum cans or plastic bottles. The mechanical sorting equipment at the Tucson recycling facility relies on the three-dimensional shape of these containers to correctly identify and separate them [1.4.2].
Box Your Thorny Yard Waste
When participating in the Brush & Bulky collection, never leave raw cacti or thorny brush loose. To protect city workers, all cacti must be placed in a sturdy cardboard box weighing no more than 25 pounds.
Glass Stays Out of the Blue Bin
Never place glass bottles or jars in your curbside blue bin. Take clean, empty glass containers (with caps removed) to one of the many purple glass recycling drop-off locations throughout the city.
Seasonal Information
Summer
June to AugustDesert heat causes food waste to decompose rapidly, leading to severe odor and pest issues. Ensure all standard garbage is tightly bagged inside your green cart, and lightly rinse your recyclable food containers before tossing them in the blue bin.
Monsoon Season
July to SeptemberSudden microbursts and heavy monsoon winds can easily blow over lightweight recycling carts. Ensure your bin lid is completely closed, and consider waiting until the morning of your collection day (by 6 a.m.) to roll it out if a storm is forecasted overnight.
Fall and Spring
Varies by ZoneTucson’s bi-annual Brush & Bulky collections generally align to help residents clear out seasonal yard overgrowth. You are limited to 10 cubic yards per household, so plan your major pruning and garage cleanouts around your neighborhood's exact assigned week.
About Tucson Waste Management
Tucson's Tri-Color Waste Diversion Approach
The City of Tucson operates an innovative approach to waste diversion designed to keep processing costs low and improve recycling purity [1.1.1]. While the standard blue cart is used for everyday paper, aluminum, and rigid plastics, residents are encouraged to utilize localized purple drop-off containers specifically for glass.
Mastering the Brush & Bulky Schedule
Instead of weekly yard waste collection, Tucson relies on its massive, twice-a-year Brush & Bulky collection program. Neighborhoods are divided into specific zones, with designated weeks for crews to pick up large appliances, trimmings, and furniture.
Navigating the Shared Alley Containers
In some neighborhoods across Tucson, you might not have an individual green trash cart. Instead, you will share a large 300-gallon container located in the back alley with your neighbors. The strict rule here is spatial etiquette: you are only allotted one-third of the container's volume.
The Hefty ReNew Orange Bag Program
To combat the high volume of single-use plastics entering the Los Reales Sustainability Campus, Tucson partnered with ByFusion for the optional Orange Bin program. By purchasing special orange Hefty ReNew bags, you can bundle styrofoam, straws, and plastic film.
Drop-off Facilities
Los Reales Sustainability Campus [3.3.1]
5300 E. Los Reales Rd, Tucson, AZ
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put glass in my blue recycling bin in Tucson?
No, glass is not accepted in the curbside blue bins [1.4.2]. Instead, you should remove the caps, give the bottles a quick rinse, and drop them off at one of the purple glass recycling bins located at various parks and centers across the city.
What are the rules for shared alley containers in Tucson?
In some older neighborhoods, households share a 300-gallon container in the alley. You must only use your allotted 1/3 of the space, keep the lid opening facing the center of the alley, and never place large bulky items inside.
How does the Orange Bin hard plastics program work?
The Orange Bin program is a voluntary initiative for hard-to-recycle plastics like styrofoam, straws, and film. Residents purchase Hefty ReNew orange bags at local stores, fill them with accepted plastics, and drop the tied bags off at designated Orange Bin locations.
What time do I need to put my trash and recycling out?
Your green trash cart and blue recycling bin must be placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. Keep them at least three feet away from parked cars, mailboxes, and each other.