Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Cornelius
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.
Town-issued Rollout Cart Bin (Trash)
All trash must be bagged. Cart must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on collection day. Carts overfilled with more than three excess bags will not be serviced. Place 4 feet from the road and 3 feet from other objects.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
Town-issued Rollout Cart (Standard or 96-Gallon) Bin (Recycling)
Collection occurs every other week on a designated RED or BLUE schedule. All items must fit completely inside the container with the lid closed. Materials left outside the cart are not guaranteed to be picked up.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard (cut down to fit inside cart)
- ✓Paper and magazines
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, cords)
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Yard waste
- ✕Oversized cardboard (larger than 2' x 3' x 2')
Yard Waste Bin
Clear bags may be tied; opaque bags must be left open. No bags over 50 lbs. Limbs must be stacked in piles no larger than 4'H x 4'L x 4'W, with 2 feet of space between piles.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves (up to 20 bags weekly)
- ✓Grass clippings (must be bagged)
- ✓Tree limbs (under 5 inches in diameter and 4 feet long)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Not Provided by Town
Placement
Do not place large items at the curb. You must haul them to a Mecklenburg County disposal facility or hire a private junk removal company.
Accepted
Not Accepted
- ✕ Mattresses and furniture
- ✕ Appliances
- ✕ Large toys and exercise equipment
- ✕ Oversized cardboard
- ✕ Water heaters and fixtures
Residents must pay applicable tipping fees at county landfills or pay out-of-pocket for independent hauler services.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When a major holiday interrupts the normal Waste Pro schedule, collection is typically pushed back by one day for the remainder of the week.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste follows the same holiday delay schedule as regular garbage since they are picked up on the same day.
Always check the Town of Cornelius website or social media channels for exact dates, as the RED/BLUE recycling schedule shifts accordingly.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Don't Tie Opaque Yard Waste Bags
Waste Pro crews need to verify there is no household trash hiding in your yard waste. If you use dark or opaque garbage bags for leaves and clippings, you must leave the top untied so workers can look inside.
No Oversized Cardboard in Recycling
Cardboard boxes must be broken down to fit inside your recycling cart. Any cardboard larger than 2 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet is considered a bulk item and will be treated as non-compliant material.
Empty Liquids and Rinse Containers
Leftover food or liquid will contaminate clean paper and cardboard during the recycling sorting process. Give your jars and cans a quick rinse, and empty all liquids from bottles before tossing them in the bin.
Seasonal Information
Winter
November to JanuaryThe town offers a loose leaf vacuum collection service for properties on town-maintained roads. Residents should rake leaves to the curb unbagged and can use the town's online map to track the live location of the leaf trucks.
Spring
March to MayAs spring landscaping begins, keep limb collection limits in mind. Stacks of branches cannot exceed 4 feet in height, length, or width, and each pile must have at least 2 feet of space between it and the next.
Summer
June to AugustLoose piles of grass clippings or organic matter will not be serviced by Waste Pro. Ensure all summer mowing debris is properly bagged according to town guidelines to prevent storm drain clogs.
About Cornelius Waste Management
Automated Trash Collection with Waste Pro
The Town of Cornelius partners with Waste Pro to deliver fully automated curbside solid waste collection for residential neighborhoods. Because the system relies on automated arms, placement is critical. Carts must be set out by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day, positioned within four feet of the roadway, and at least three feet away from mailboxes, trees, or other carts. The cart handles must face your home.
Bag Your Trash, but Keep Recycling Loose
A strict rule in Cornelius is that all household garbage must be bagged before being placed in the rollout container. Loose trash risks blowing into the street during the automated dumping process. An overfilled garbage cart is defined as having more than three excess bags protruding. Conversely, recyclables collected on the RED/BLUE bi-weekly schedule must remain loose and unbagged inside your recycling container to ensure processing.
The Zero-Tolerance Policy on Curbside Bulk Items
Unlike some neighboring municipalities, the Town of Cornelius does not offer curbside bulk item pickup. If you leave mattresses, oversized cardboard, water heaters, or broken furniture on the curb, Waste Pro will not collect them. Residents are entirely responsible for hauling their own large items to facilities like the North Mecklenburg Recycling Center in Huntersville or contracting an independent junk removal service.
Navigating Cornelius Yard Waste Rules
Yard waste is picked up weekly on your standard garbage day. Cornelius provides very specific bagging instructions: if you use clear plastic bags, you may tie them shut. However, if you use non-clear or opaque bags, they must be left open for visual inspection. The town has a limit of 20 bags of leaves per week outside of the winter vacuuming season, and any bag exceeding 50 pounds will be left behind.
Live Leaf Truck Tracking in the Winter
From November 1st through the end of January, the Public Works Department deploys specialized vacuum trucks to collect loose leaves from residential curbsides. Because schedules fluctuate based on weather and equipment maintenance, the town does not guarantee specific neighborhood dates. Instead, Cornelius offers a convenient live Leaf Truck Tracker map on their website so you can rake leaves to the road just in time.
Drop-off Facilities
North Mecklenburg Recycling Center
12300 N. Statesville Rd, Huntersville, NC 28078
Materials Accepted
North Mecklenburg Landfill
15300 Holbrooks Rd, Huntersville, NC 28078
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I throw away a mattress or couch in Cornelius?
The Town of Cornelius does not collect bulk items curbside. You are responsible for disposing of mattresses, couches, and appliances by taking them to the North Mecklenburg Recycling Center in Huntersville, or by hiring a private junk removal company.
How does the RED and BLUE recycling schedule work?
Waste Pro collects recycling every other week. Your specific street is assigned to either the RED or BLUE schedule route. You can check the town's online service address map to find out which color week corresponds to your home.
Do I have to bag my trash and recycling?
Yes and no. All household garbage must be tied securely in a bag before going into your trash cart to prevent litter. However, recycling must remain completely loose and unbagged in your recycling cart.
Can I leave grass clippings loose on the curb?
No. Waste Pro will not collect loose grass clippings or loose organic matter. Grass must be placed in bags. If you use a non-clear bag, remember to leave the top open so the crew can ensure there is no hidden trash.