Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Knightdale
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.
Standard GFL Trash Cart Bin (Trash)
All household garbage MUST be securely bagged before being placed in the rolling GFL trash cart to prevent litter. Keep the cart at least three feet away from utilities and storm drains.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
- ✓Everyday household waste
Standard GFL Recycling Cart Bin (Recycling)
Place all recyclables loose within the rolling GFL recycle cart. Do not place any plastic bags in your recycling container, as they ruin the sorting machinery.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and paper
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Clean food boxes
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses)
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Glass (check current Wake County drop-off rules)
Yard Waste Bin
Small yard waste must be placed in clear plastic bags, compostable paper bags (max 30 lbs), or a reusable plastic container with a fully removable lid (max 50 lbs). Place at the curb by 7:30 AM on Monday for collection by Friday. Large limbs are collected separately by the town's Knuckle Boom truck.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Sticks and brush
- ✓Limbs up to 8 feet long and 8 inches in diameter
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Currently Suspended
Placement
Do not place bulk items at the curb. You will face code enforcement fines. You must self-haul these items to a Wake County Convenience Center.
Accepted
- ✓ Currently none for curbside pickup (Service Suspended)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Furniture
- ✕ White goods (appliances)
- ✕ Mattresses
- ✕ Large items that do not fit in the cart
Because curbside bulk collection is suspended, any fees associated with hiring a private junk hauler or transporting items to the Wake County Convenience Center are the sole responsibility of the resident.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
For Memorial Day and Labor Day, all collections are delayed by one day (Wednesday moves to Thursday, Thursday to Friday, Friday to Saturday). For New Year's, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, only routes on or after the holiday are delayed.
Yard Waste Exception
Because yard waste is collected throughout the week (Monday through Friday), holiday weeks or severe weather may delay the town's trucks from reaching your street by Friday afternoon.
If a holiday falls on a Thursday (like Thanksgiving), Wednesday residents will still be serviced on schedule, but Thursday and Friday residents will be bumped back one day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Say No to Hinged Lids for Yard Waste
If you choose to use a reusable plastic container for small yard waste instead of clear bags, ensure it has a completely removable lid. Wake County and City of Raleigh Solid Waste safety policies prohibit the use of containers with hinged tops for yard waste manual collection.
Keep Plastic Bags Out of Recycling
Never bag your recyclables. GFL Environmental requires all cardboard, plastics, and metals to be placed loosely in the recycling cart. Plastic grocery bags wrap around the sorting gears at the recycling facility and cause costly equipment shutdowns.
Separate Debris from Loose Leaves
When raking loose leaves to the pavement edge for the town's vacuum trucks, never mix in branches, rocks, or other foreign debris. These heavy items destroy the vacuum impellers, and crews will leave contaminated piles on your lawn.
Seasonal Information
Autumn
October to DecemberLoose leaves must be raked to within 6 feet of the pavement edge, not in the street or gutter. Do not pile leaves within 5 feet of parked cars, as the vacuum trucks cannot safely maneuver around them.
Year-Round
January to DecemberBecause yard waste is collected on a rolling basis, you must have your clear bags or bins at the curb by 7:30 AM on Monday. Trucks will service every street by Friday, depending on weather and seasonal volume.
Spring/Summer
March to AugustDuring severe spring thunderstorms or summer hurricanes, ensure your GFL carts are secured and kept far away from storm drains to prevent localized flooding and runaway carts.
About Knightdale Waste Management
Integrated Utilities and GFL Partnership
The Town of Knightdale partners with the Garner Branch of GFL Environmental (formerly Waste Industries) for its weekly trash and recycling pickup. Uniquely, residents do not receive a separate solid waste bill; instead, the fee for this curbside service is seamlessly included in your monthly City of Raleigh water bill, streamlining local utility payments.
Important: Suspension of Curbside Bulk Pickup
A critical detail for Knightdale residents is that GFL has temporarily suspended all bulk item pickup services, and a restoration date has not been determined. You can no longer place furniture, mattresses, or white goods at the curb. Instead, residents must self-haul these large items to the Wake County Convenience site on Knightdale Eagle Rock Road or hire a private junk hauler.
Strict Cart Placement and Fines
Knightdale strictly enforces neighborhood aesthetics and safety regarding roll-out carts. Carts can be placed at the curb no earlier than noon the day before your scheduled collection. Furthermore, you must remove your containers from the curb by the night after they are serviced. The Town actively enforces this rule, and violators face a $20 fine for each incident.
The Unique Planters Walk Leaf Schedule
During the loose-leaf collection season, the Town runs specialized vacuum trucks. Because the Planters Walk neighborhood boasts a massive number of mature trees and produces a significant majority of the town's leaf volume, Knightdale's Public Works department designates a completely separate collection week exclusively for this neighborhood. This strategic scheduling ensures every home in Knightdale gets visited by a leaf truck at least five times a season.
Drop-off Facilities
Wake County Convenience Center (Site 2)
5216 Knightdale-Eagle Rock Rd, Knightdale, NC 27545
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I pay for my trash and recycling service in Knightdale?
The fee for your GFL Environmental weekly trash and recycling pickup is conveniently included in your monthly City of Raleigh water bill. You do not receive a separate invoice for solid waste.
When is bulk trash pickup in Knightdale, NC?
Currently, GFL has temporarily suspended all curbside bulk item pickups in Knightdale. You cannot leave furniture or large appliances at the curb. You must haul them to the Wake County Convenience Center at 5216 Knightdale Eagle Rock Rd or hire a private junk hauler.
What type of bags can I use for yard waste in Knightdale?
For small yard waste, the Town requires you to use clear plastic leaf bags or compostable brown paper bags (weighing no more than 30 lbs). You can also use a reusable plastic bin with a fully removable (non-hinged) lid, up to 50 lbs.
Will I get fined for leaving my trash can at the curb?
Yes. The Town of Knightdale requires that you remove your GFL rollout containers from the curb by the night after they are serviced. Violators can be fined $20 for each incident.