Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Burlington
North Carolina residential routes run Monday through Friday. Please refer to your city or county zoning map for your specific curbside collection day.
State Mandate
NC DEQ strictly bans aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and electronics from landfill disposal.
Black Bin (Trash)
Use the city-issued 95-gallon black cart. Place at the curb by 7:00 AM on your collection day with a 5-foot clearance on all sides and 15 feet of overhead clearance. All trash must be fully inside the cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
Green Bin (Recycling)
Collected every other week on a Red/Blue schedule. All recyclables must be placed loose inside the green cart, never bagged. Place at the curb by 7:00 AM.
Accepted Items
- ✓Corrugated cardboard and chipboard
- ✓Newspapers, inserts, and magazines
- ✓Mixed paper and junk mail
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastics labeled #1-#7 (milk jugs, soda/water bottles)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Yard waste
- ✕Hazardous materials
- ✕Electronics
- ✕Tires and auto parts
- ✕Building materials
Yard Waste Bin
Must be placed in a personal rigid metal or plastic container (max 32 gallons / 50 lbs) or stacked neatly at the curb. Paper and plastic bags are strictly prohibited. Loose leaves are collected via vacuum truck only from October through January.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Shrub clippings
- ✓Garden debris
- ✓Loose leaves
- ✓Branches and limbs (max 6 feet long, 6 inches diameter)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday convenience schedule)
Placement
Place items at the curb on your regular collection day. Neatly stack limbs away from overhead obstructions, fire hydrants, and mailboxes. You must separate metal/appliances from general junk and yard debris.
Accepted
- ✓ Appliances (white goods like refrigerators and water heaters)
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Large household junk
- ✓ Tree limbs (max 6 ft long and 6 inches in diameter)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Contractor and landscaping waste
- ✕ Building and remodeling materials (wood, concrete, masonry)
- ✕ Tires and auto parts
- ✕ Electronics and fluorescent bulbs
- ✕ Hazardous chemicals and paint
Acceptable bulk items are collected weekly free of charge. Items banned from the landfill will not be collected, and commercial or contractor cleanouts are not permitted.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Collection schedules often shift by one day following a major holiday. If a holiday falls on a regularly closed business day, service usually continues as normal.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard and bulk waste collections may experience delays during holiday weeks. Crews will catch up as quickly as possible on the shifted schedule.
View the official Holiday Pickup Calendar on the city's website, or subscribe to 'What's up, Burlington?' for direct notifications regarding schedule adjustments.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Never Bag Your Recyclables
Keep all recyclables loose in your green cart. Plastic grocery bags wrap around the sorting gears at GFL's recycling facility, causing severe equipment jams and safety hazards.
Proper E-Waste Disposal
Electronics like old computers, TVs, and cell phones are banned from North Carolina landfills and cannot go in your black cart. Bring them to the City's free E-Waste Recycling Days held every February and October.
Keep Piles Separated
If you are setting out bulk waste, you must separate your items. Metal appliances, yard brush, and general junk require different trucks for processing. Mixed piles will be left at the curb.
Seasonal Information
Fall/Winter
October to JanuaryThe city conducts its loose leaf vacuum collection program. Check your zone's schedule and pile leaves behind the curb by 7:00 AM Monday. Never block storm drains, water meters, or place piles in the street.
Spring/Summer
February to SeptemberLoose leaf vacuum trucks do not operate during these months. All yard waste, including leaves and grass clippings, must be placed in a rigid 32-gallon container for your regular weekly yard waste pickup.
Twice Annually
February and OctoberThe City of Burlington Public Works Department hosts free E-Waste Recycling Days on the first Saturday of February and October (9:00 AM to 2:00 PM) to help residents safely dispose of electronics.
About Burlington Waste Management
Comprehensive Solid Waste Services in Burlington, NC
The City of Burlington provides a full suite of curbside sanitation services for its residents, managing weekly household trash and seasonal leaf collections internally, while partnering with GFL Waste Industries for bi-weekly recycling. Homeowners are issued standard 95-gallon automated carts to keep neighborhoods clean. Because routes and zones can vary, residents are encouraged to use the city's interactive online map to track their specific red or blue week pickup schedule and manage any holiday shifts.
Bi-Weekly Recycling with GFL Waste Industries
Burlington's curbside recycling program operates on an alternating Red and Blue week schedule. To participate effectively, homeowners must use their designated green carts for clean, loose recyclables like #1-#7 plastics, corrugated cardboard, and glass jars. All items must remain unbagged; plastic bags and films cause severe jams at GFL’s sorting facilities. It is vital to break down cardboard boxes completely and ensure all containers are rinsed and free of food residue.
Yard Waste Container and Bag Policies
Following strict regulations set by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), yard waste is banned from the Alamance County Landfill and must be diverted to a compost facility. In Burlington, you cannot use plastic or paper bags for yard waste. Homeowners must provide their own rigid metal or plastic containers—up to 32 gallons and weighing no more than 50 pounds—for grass clippings, twigs, and small brush. Alternatively, larger branches up to 6 feet long can be stacked neatly at the curb.
Fall Loose Leaf Vacuum Collection Zones
Between October and January, Burlington transitions to an automated loose leaf collection program operated by the Cemeteries & Grounds Division. The city is divided into four distinct zones, with vacuum trucks passing through each zone once a month. Residents should rake leaves just behind the curb by 7:00 AM on the Monday of their scheduled week. To prevent flooding and infrastructure damage, leaves must never be piled in the street, over storm drains, or on top of water meters.
Convenient Weekly Bulk Trash Pickup
Unlike many municipalities that require residents to call ahead and pay fees for large items, Burlington offers a highly convenient weekly bulk waste collection at no additional charge. City crews continuously monitor neighborhoods for oversized items like mattresses, furniture, and major appliances (white goods). Simply place your bulky items at the curb on your normal collection day, ensuring that metal appliances are kept in a separate pile from general junk and yard brush to expedite the sorting process.
Drop-off Facilities
Alamance County Landfill
2701 Austin Quarter Road, Graham, NC 27253
Materials Accepted
Burlington Public Works Department (E-Waste Events Only)
234 East Summit Avenue, Burlington, NC 27215
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I sign up for text alerts for leaf collection or trash delays in Burlington?
Residents can sign up for 'What's up, Burlington?' through the city's notification system online to receive automated calls, texts, or emails regarding solid waste, recycling, and loose leaf collection schedule changes.
What are the rules for picking up loose leaves in Burlington?
From October to January, the Cemeteries & Grounds Division collects loose leaves once a month per zone using a vacuum truck. Place leaves behind the curb by 7 AM on the Monday of your scheduled week. Do not use plastic bags, and never pile leaves over water meters or in the street.
Can I put extra trash bags next to my black cart?
No. The City of Burlington requires all household garbage to be placed completely inside the 95-gallon black automated container. Any loose materials or extra bags placed on the ground next to the cart will not be serviced.
Does Burlington charge a fee for bulk waste pickup?
Standard bulk waste, such as mattresses, furniture, and white goods, is collected weekly free of charge on a convenience schedule. Simply place the items at the curb on your normal collection day, ensuring they are separated into distinct piles (e.g., metals apart from yard brush).