Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Greensboro
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.
Green Cart Bin (Trash)
All trash must be bagged before placing it in the green cart. Place the cart at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on your collection day, leaving 2-3 feet of clearance from other objects.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Gabled cartons (milk and juice boxes)
Brown Cart Bin (Recycling)
Items must be placed loosely in the brown cart. Never bag recyclables. Carts must be completely free of food waste and liquids. Collection occurs every other week based on your Red or Blue calendar schedule.
Accepted Items
- ✓Paper and flattened cardboard
- ✓Metal food and drink cans
- ✓Plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass bottles and jars (use drop-off locations)
- ✕Plastic bags or wrap
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Gabled cartons (milk/juice boxes)
- ✕Shredded paper
Yard Waste Bin
Place organic material inside your 95-gallon gray yard waste cart first. Excess must be in 100% biodegradable paper bags or tied bundles (max 5 feet long, 50 lbs). Never use plastic bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Small branches and twigs
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Every other week
Placement
Items must weigh 50 lbs or less each. Appliances (white goods) and electronics are handled separately and require a scheduled pickup or drop-off.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, chairs, tables, dressers)
- ✓ Rolled and tied carpet (max 5 feet per bundle)
- ✓ Clean lumber and wood (no nails or screws)
- ✓ Small power yard equipment (gas and oil fully drained)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Paint and automotive fluids
- ✕ Electronics (TVs, computers, phones)
- ✕ Batteries and propane tanks
- ✕ Construction and remodeling debris (rocks, dirt, concrete)
Standard bi-weekly bulky item collection is free of charge for Greensboro residents.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Greensboro uses a unique shift: Monday and Tuesday holidays push collection days one day later. Thursday and Friday holidays push collection days one day earlier (to Wednesday or Thursday). Wednesday collections do not occur.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and bulk collection follow the exact same holiday adjustments as regular trash and recycling routes.
Because the shifting logic is complex, the City heavily advises downloading the GSO Collects app to receive automatic push notifications for your specific address during holiday weeks.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
No Glass in the Brown Cart
Greensboro does not accept glass in residential recycling due to processing costs and weight. Glass must be taken to one of the city's specialized drop-off locations, like a local library or fire station.
Gabled Cartons Are Banned
Unlike many other cities, milk and juice boxes (gabled cartons) are not accepted in Greensboro's recycling stream. Their layered wax and plastic coatings make them unrecyclable locally, so they should go in the green trash cart.
Paper Bags Only for Yard Waste
Using plastic bags, or even plastic-lined 'biodegradable' bags, will result in non-collection of your yard waste. Only pure kraft paper yard waste bags are permitted.
Seasonal Information
Late Fall to Winter
November through FebruaryDuring peak leaf season, Greensboro increases the weekly limit for extra paper bags or branch bundles from 10 to 15 per household to accommodate heavy leaf drops. Never pile loose leaves directly in the street or gutter.
Post-Holiday
Late December to JanuaryReal Christmas trees are collected curbside as regular yard waste on your normal collection day. Remove all lights, ornaments, and stands. Trees over five feet tall must be cut in half before being placed at the curb by 7 a.m.
Year-Round
January through DecemberWhen placing bulk items out, follow the city's safety protocol known as the '2-2-2 rule' for standard items: items should never be too big for two people to carry. Extra-large items may require a special scheduled pickup.
About Greensboro Waste Management
The Unique 4-Day Collection Week
Greensboro operates its solid waste routes on an efficient four-day work week, generally completing collections on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. This means Wednesdays are typically off-days for crews. As a result, holiday schedules shift uniquely: early-week holidays push service days later, while Thursday or Friday holidays actually push collections earlier to Wednesday or Thursday.
Understanding the 3-Cart System
Every Greensboro residential address utilizes a structured three-cart system. The green cart is designated for weekly household garbage, the brown cart handles bi-weekly single-stream recycling, and the gray cart is strictly for weekly yard waste. Carts must be set at the curb by 7:00 a.m. and, per city ordinance, must be rolled back by 7:00 a.m. the following day to participate in the Cart Rollback Program.
Navigating Greensboro's Bi-Weekly Bulk Service
Most municipalities require residents to schedule and often pay for bulky waste pickup, but Greensboro provides this service every other week at no additional cost. Your bulk collection coincides with your assigned recycling week (either the Red or Blue calendar). Simply place eligible items—like furniture and rolled carpet—at the curb by 7:00 a.m., adhering to the '2-2-2 rule' for size and weight.
The Glass Drop-Off Initiative
To reduce processing costs and taxpayer burden, Greensboro entirely removed glass from its residential curbside recycling program. Glass makes up roughly 25 percent of the recycling stream by weight, driving up processing fees significantly. Instead, residents are asked to utilize specialized glass drop-off containers located at various fire stations, libraries, and community centers throughout the city.
Empowering Residents with GSO Collects
The City strongly urges all residents to utilize the GSO Collects platform, accessible via web browser or a dedicated mobile app. This tool is essential for navigating the bi-weekly Red and Blue recycling calendars, sending push notifications for holiday schedule shifts, and providing a robust Waste Wizard to help residents instantly determine if an item belongs in the green, brown, or gray cart.
Drop-off Facilities
Burnt Poplar Transfer Station
6310 Burnt Poplar Rd, Greensboro, NC 27409
Materials Accepted
White Street Landfill
2503 White St, Greensboro, NC 27405
Materials Accepted
ECOFLO, Inc. Household Hazardous Waste Center
2750 Patterson Street, Greensboro, NC 27407
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was my recycling cart tagged and not emptied?
Your brown cart was likely tagged for contamination. Common contaminants in Greensboro include glass bottles, plastic bags, styrofoam, and gabled cartons (like milk and juice boxes). The city's Recycle Right program actively monitors bins, and three contamination offenses within a six-month period will result in your recycling cart being removed.
Do I need an appointment for a broken refrigerator?
Yes. While standard bulky items like furniture are picked up automatically every other week, white goods such as large appliances require a special scheduled pickup. You must call the City Contact Center at 336-373-CITY (2489) to arrange for appliance collection.
How many bags of leaves can I put out?
You must first fill your gray yard waste cart. After that, you can set out up to 10 biodegradable paper bags or tied bundles of branches per week. During the peak leaf season (November through February), this limit temporarily increases to 15 bags or bundles per household per week.
Can I put my yard waste in plastic bags?
No. Greensboro strictly prohibits plastic bags or even plastic-lined 'biodegradable' bags for yard waste. You must use standard kraft paper yard bags, which can be purchased at local hardware and grocery stores. Yard waste placed in plastic bags will be refused collection.