Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for High Point
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.
Brown Cart Bin (Trash)
All household garbage MUST be securely bagged before being placed inside the brown cart. Carts must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m. No bags left outside the cart will be collected.
Accepted Items
- ✓Household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics and wrappers
- ✓Clamshell takeout containers
Green Cart Bin (Recycling)
Keep materials loose and unbagged. Rinse food residue from containers. Collection occurs every other week on the same day as your household garbage.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard
- ✓Mixed paper, magazines, and mail
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (all colors)
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs (#1-#7)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags (except clear bags for shredded paper)
- ✕Styrofoam/foam
- ✕Electronics and batteries
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses)
- ✕Foil wrapping paper
Yard Waste Bin
Use the black yard waste cart or compostable paper yard bags (max 50 lbs). Do not use plastic bags. Limbs must be bundled and tied. Occurs weekly.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Bush trimmings
- ✓Tree limbs (max 4 feet long)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Every other week
Placement
Place items at the curb by 6:00 a.m. Ensure items maintain at least 3 feet of clearance from roll-out carts, mailboxes, utility poles, and parked cars.
Accepted
- ✓ Occasional furniture (sofas, chairs, tables)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Large appliances (white goods collected by a separate truck)
- ✓ Rolled carpet (max 4 feet long, max 50 lbs, up to 2 rolls)
Not Accepted
- ✕ TVs and computers
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Hazardous waste (paint, chemicals)
- ✕ Contractor-generated waste
Occasional bulky items are collected for free. However, leaving non-compliant excessive piles at the curb after an orange tag warning can result in a forced city removal and a $250 fee per load charged to your utility bill.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
On weeks with observed holidays, collections falling on or after the holiday are typically postponed by one day, with Friday routes extending to Saturday. Note that some holidays like Good Friday and Juneteenth may maintain a normal schedule.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and bi-weekly bulky item collections follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as the regular garbage routes.
Because High Point's schedule shifts depend on the specific day a holiday falls, residents should always check the official city holiday calendar or Environmental Services web page to confirm exact delays.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Utilize the Clear Bag Rule for Shreds
Unlike most recyclables that must remain completely loose, shredded paper is the only material that should be bagged in your green recycling cart. However, it must be contained in a clear plastic bag so facility workers can easily identify the contents.
Keep Clamshell Plastics Out
While you can recycle standard plastic bottles and tubs, clear hinged 'clamshell' containers (like those used for berries or takeout salads) are not accepted in High Point's curbside recycling. Throw them directly into the brown garbage cart.
Never Mix Bulk and Yard Waste
When placing bulky items at the curb on your bi-weekly collection day, never mix them into the same pile as your yard waste. Because crews use entirely different trucks for these materials, mixed piles will be tagged with an orange violation sticker and left behind.
Seasonal Information
Fall/Winter
November to JanuaryDuring periods of heavy leaf fall, remember that the city requires leaves to be contained in the black yard waste cart or in compostable paper bags. Loose leaf piles raked directly into the street or gutter will not be collected by standard yard waste trucks.
Holidays
Late November to DecemberThanksgiving and Christmas trigger collection schedule shifts. Generally, collections falling on or after the holiday are postponed by one day. Ensure all foil-based wrapping paper and ribbons go into the brown garbage cart, as they are not recyclable.
Spring
March to MayIf you hire a professional contractor for spring tree removal or major landscaping, they are legally responsible for hauling away the resulting debris. The city's free curbside yard waste service is strictly for routine maintenance performed by the homeowner.
About High Point Waste Management
Navigating High Point's 3-Cart System
The City of High Point operates a comprehensive, color-coded cart system for its residents. Every household utilizes a brown cart for weekly garbage, a black cart for weekly yard waste, and a green cart for bi-weekly single-stream recycling. Because the city relies on fully automated collection trucks, residents must ensure all carts are placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on their scheduled day, allowing a minimum of three feet of clearance from obstacles like mailboxes, utility poles, and parked vehicles.
Synchronized Bi-Weekly Bulky Waste
A highly convenient aspect of High Point's waste management program is its synchronized bulky item collection. Rather than requiring residents to call ahead to schedule a special pickup or wait for an annual neighborhood clean-up event, the city automatically collects bulky items every other week on the exact same day as your green recycling cart collection. This makes disposing of an occasional old sofa, mattress, or broken chair effortless.
The Clear Bag Exception for Shredded Paper
High Point's recycling guidelines emphasize keeping materials completely loose in the green cart, with one notable and highly specific exception: shredded paper. While standard plastic grocery bags are strictly prohibited and will cause your cart to be tagged for contamination, residents are explicitly permitted to place shredded paper inside a clear plastic bag before putting it in the recycling cart. This specific rule helps contain the confetti-like flakes during the automated dumping process.
Targeting E-Waste and Polystyrene Contamination
The city actively targets electronic waste and expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam)—two major contaminants that severely damage regional sorting machinery. High Point strictly bans all TVs and computers from curbside collection in accordance with North Carolina state law. Instead, residents are encouraged to utilize the High Point Material Recovery Facility (MRF) on Riverdale Drive, which accepts e-waste for free and also serves as a specialized drop-off site for all forms of Styrofoam and used cooking oil.
Strict Yard Waste Preparation Mandates
To keep routes running smoothly, High Point enforces strict preparation rules for organic debris. Residents can use the city-issued black yard waste cart or 100% biodegradable paper yard bags, but absolutely no plastic bags are permitted. Any tree limbs placed at the curb must be cut to lengths of no more than 4 feet, securely tied into bundles, and weigh less than 50 pounds to ensure safe mechanical collection.
Drop-off Facilities
High Point Material Recovery Facility (MRF)
5875 Riverdale Drive, Jamestown, NC 27282
Materials Accepted
Ingleside Compost Facility & Recycle Drop Site
3001 Ingleside Dr., High Point, NC 27265
Materials Accepted
Kersey Valley Landfill
3940 Kivett Dr., Jamestown, NC 27282
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I place loose trash directly into my brown garbage cart in High Point?
No. The City of High Point explicitly requires that all household garbage be securely bagged before it is placed in the brown roll-out cart. This ordinance prevents loose litter from blowing into streets and storm drains during the automated dumping process.
How do I dispose of an old television or computer monitor?
North Carolina state law bans all electronics from local landfills. You cannot place TVs or computers at the curb for bulky waste collection. Instead, High Point residents can drop them off for free at the High Point Material Recovery Facility (MRF) or the Ingleside Compost Facility.
Do I need to call ahead to schedule a bulky item pickup?
No scheduling is required for standard residential bulky items. The city collects occasional large items, like a sofa or mattress, every other week on the same day as your green recycling cart collection. Simply place the items at the curb by 6:00 a.m. with proper clearance.
What should I do if I get an orange tag on my cart or brush pile?
An orange tag indicates a collection violation, such as carts placed too close to objects, non-compliant yard waste size, or prohibited materials in the pile. You must correct the issue for the next collection cycle. If a violation is ignored for three consecutive weeks, the city may force-remove the pile and charge a $250 fee directly to your utility bill.