Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Huntersville
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.
Grey Bin (Trash)
Place the grey cart curbside by 7:00 AM on your collection day with the lid fully closed. The handle must face your house. Maintain a 3-foot clearance from other carts, mailboxes, and parked cars.
Accepted Items
- ✓Everyday household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics and packaging
- ✓Cold, wrapped ashes
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Collection occurs bi-weekly. All recyclables must be placed loosely inside the blue cart. Do not bag your recyclables. Non-compliant carts will be tagged and left uncollected.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened corrugated cardboard
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs (with caps)
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Mixed paper, newspaper, and magazines
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags and film
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Tanglers (cords, wires, hoses)
- ✕Food waste and liquids
- ✕Batteries and electronics
- ✕Clothing and textiles
Yard Waste Bin
Collected weekly. Use the green yard waste cart. Up to 20 additional bags of leaves (max 40 gallons/50 lbs) are permitted per week. Total yard waste volume cannot exceed 4 cubic yards.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves and grass clippings
- ✓Small branches and twigs
- ✓Tree limbs (max 6 feet long and 4 inches in diameter)
- ✓Weeds and natural yard trimmings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Not provided via curbside town service
Placement
Do not leave bulky items or old appliances at the curb, as Waste Connections will not collect them. You must transport them directly to a Mecklenburg County disposal facility.
Accepted
- ✓ Items taken to the North Mecklenburg Recycling Center:
- ✓ Appliances (white goods)
- ✓ Mattresses and furniture
- ✓ Oversized household goods
Not Accepted
- ✕ Items not accepted at drop-off facilities:
- ✕ Hazardous waste (unless specifically permitted on designated days)
- ✕ Commercial contractor debris
Self-hauling items to the North Mecklenburg Recycling Center may incur small tipping fees depending on the type and weight of the material being disposed of.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When an observed holiday falls on a weekday, curbside collection for garbage, recycling, and yard waste will typically be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week (e.g., Thursday routes collected on Friday).
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste follows the same holiday shift as normal garbage. Ensure your green cart and bagged leaves are set out on the adjusted holiday schedule.
Always check the current Waste Connections schedule via the Town of Huntersville website to confirm exact holiday dates and shifts for the current year.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Ditch the Plastic Bags
Never place your recyclables inside plastic garbage bags. Plastic film easily tangles in the sorting equipment at the Mecklenburg County recycling facility, causing severe machinery jams and halting operations.
Keep Yard Waste Organic
Your green cart and bagged leaves must contain 100% natural organic material. Mixing in rocks, dirt, treated lumber, or plastic flower pots will result in your yard waste being rejected at the curb.
Empty and Rinse Your Containers
A half-full soda bottle or a sticky peanut butter jar can contaminate an entire load of clean paper and cardboard. Always take a moment to empty liquids and briefly rinse food containers before tossing them in the blue cart.
Seasonal Information
Fall/Winter
October to JanuaryDuring peak leaf season, residents are permitted to place up to 20 bags of leaves curbside per week. Ensure leaves are free of sticks and other debris so they don't tear the bags or cause overweight issues.
Summer
June to AugustDuring summer grilling season, the Huntersville Fire Department urges residents to soak charcoal ashes in water and let them sit for at least 48 hours before wrapping them in foil and placing them in the combustible grey cart.
Post-Holiday
December and JanuaryNatural Christmas trees are collected as part of the weekly yard waste program. You must remove all ornaments, lights, tinsel, wire, and the tree stand before placing it at the curb.
About Huntersville Waste Management
Huntersville's Three-Cart Waste System
The Town of Huntersville provides single-family residential homes with a comprehensive three-cart waste system, serviced through a contract with Waste Connections of the Carolinas. Homeowners are issued a grey cart for weekly household garbage, a blue cart for bi-weekly recycling, and a green cart for weekly yard waste. To ensure seamless service, all carts must be placed at the curb by 7:00 AM on your designated collection day, with the handles facing toward the home and a three-foot clearance between each container.
Managing Yard Trimmings and Bagged Leaves
Keeping Huntersville beautiful requires strict adherence to yard waste guidelines. Weekly yard trimmings must be placed in your green cart. However, during heavy seasonal drops, the town permits up to 20 additional bags of leaves per week, provided they are placed curbside on your normal garbage day. Each bag cannot exceed 40 gallons or weigh more than 50 pounds. Tree limbs and brush are also collected, provided they are cut to less than six feet in length and four inches in diameter, with total yard debris capped at four cubic yards per week.
Navigating Bulk Waste and Large Items
Unlike some municipalities that offer scheduled curbside bulk pickups, standard Huntersville residential service does not include the removal of oversized items like couches, mattresses, or white goods (refrigerators and stoves). Residents who need to dispose of bulky materials must self-haul these items to a designated Mecklenburg County disposal facility, such as the North Mecklenburg Recycling Center right in town, or contract independently with a private junk hauling service.
Wipe Out Waste Ambassador Program Guidelines
Huntersville participates actively in Mecklenburg County's 'Wipe Out Waste' initiative. A major focus of this program is reducing contamination in the blue recycling carts. Sanitation crews actively monitor bins, and carts containing banned items—especially plastic grocery bags, tanglers, or food waste—will be tagged as non-compliant and left unemptied. Residents must remove the contaminating items to have the cart serviced on the next scheduled bi-weekly rotation.
Fire Safety and Proper Ash Disposal
The Huntersville Fire Department regularly issues warnings regarding the improper disposal of outdoor grilling and fire pit ashes. Because the town-issued grey garbage carts are made of combustible plastic, placing warm coals inside can easily spark a dangerous fire. Residents are instructed to let all ashes cool for a minimum of 48 hours, wet them down, and wrap them in heavy aluminum foil before finally disposing of them in the curbside trash bin.
Drop-off Facilities
North Mecklenburg Recycling Center
12300 N. Statesville Road, Huntersville, NC 28078
Materials Accepted
North Mecklenburg Landfill (C&D Only)
15300 Holbrooks Road, Huntersville, NC 28078
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I request a new garbage or recycling cart in Huntersville?
The Town of Huntersville contracts with Waste Connections of the Carolinas. If your grey, blue, or green cart is damaged, or if you need to order an additional cart for your home, you must contact Waste Connections directly at (704) 398-4488.
Will the town pick up my old couch or refrigerator at the curb?
No. The standard municipal contract does not include curbside bulk waste or appliance (white goods) collection. You must either haul these items yourself to the North Mecklenburg Recycling Center located on N. Statesville Road, or hire a private junk removal company.
What are the rules for putting out tree branches and yard waste?
Yard waste is collected weekly in your green cart. If you have extra branches, they must be cut to less than six feet in length and four inches in diameter. The total volume of yard trimmings cannot exceed four cubic yards per week.
Can I put my recyclables inside a plastic garbage bag before throwing them in the blue cart?
No. Mecklenburg County strictly forbids plastic bags in recycling carts because they jam the processing equipment. All recyclables must be placed loosely into the blue cart. If you bag your recycling, your cart will be tagged and left at the curb.