Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Monroe
Trash Day
Weekly collection Monday through Friday, depending on your neighborhood route
Recycling
Every other week on your designated collection day (alternating on a Green Week or Blue Week schedule)
Yard Waste
Weekly on your designated collection day
Set Out Time
By 7:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential solid waste and recycling fees are included on your monthly City of Monroe municipal utility bill.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay (Bank Draft), Phone, Mail, In-Person Counter, Drive-Up Window, Drop Box
Green (96-gallon) Bin (Trash)
All garbage must be bagged before being placed in the green cart. Carts must be placed at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on collection day and removed by 7:00 p.m. to avoid municipal violations.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable materials
- ✓Small broken household items
Black (96-gallon) Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables; place them loosely in the black cart. Glass is strictly prohibited curbside and must be dropped off at a Union County Recycling Center.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastic bottles, tubs, jugs, and jars (lightly rinsed, caps on)
- ✓Metal food and drink cans
- ✓Flattened cardboard
- ✓Paper and cartons
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or film
- ✕Glass bottles and jars
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Food scraps
- ✕Batteries and e-waste
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses)
- ✕Clothing and textiles
Yard Waste Bin
Must be bagged in clear plastic, paper yard waste bags, or placed in a small marked reusable container (limit 10-12 bags per week). Thorny trimmings must be in a separate pile.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Tree limbs (under 4 feet long and under 6 inches in diameter)
- ✓Pine cones and vines
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on regular trash day
Placement
Place bulk items at least 2 feet away from your trash and recycling carts, as well as mailboxes or utility poles, to allow the collection trucks safe access.
Accepted
- ✓ Appliances (stoves, refrigerators, water heaters)
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Sofas and chairs
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Pallets
- ✕ Land clearing material
- ✕ Tires and auto parts
- ✕ Paint and pool chemicals
Most standard bulk items and appliances are collected at no additional fee. However, E-waste requires an appointment.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a recognized holiday falls on a weekday, all solid waste and recycling collections for that day and the remainder of the week will be delayed by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste is collected on your regular garbage day, so it will also follow the standard one-day delay during holiday weeks.
Bulk and e-waste pickups scheduled during holiday weeks may also be subject to delays. Always check the city's website or social media for specific holiday announcements.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Late Fall/Winter
November to FebruaryMonroe operates a loose leaf collection program during these months. Residents are allowed to place piles of unbagged leaves at the curb for specialized vacuum truck collection.
Spring/Summer
March to OctoberOnce loose leaf season ends, all yard waste, including leaves and grass clippings, must be bagged in clear plastic, paper yard bags, or placed in a reusable personal container.
Post-Holiday
December to JanuaryDuring the holidays, remember that wrapping paper, ribbons, and styrofoam packaging are not recyclable. Electronics gifted or replaced during this time must be scheduled for a special e-waste pickup.
Local Tips & Community Info
City of Monroe Solid Waste Collection Standards
To maintain a clean and vibrant community, the City of Monroe provides comprehensive municipal solid waste services directly to its residents. Each household receives a heavy-duty, 96-gallon rollout cart for regular household garbage. The sanitation crews start their routes early, so it is a strict requirement to have your trash receptacle positioned at the street by 6:30 a.m. on your assigned pickup day. Many residents choose to pull their bins out the night before to ensure they are not missed. Once the truck has emptied the contents, you are expected to remove the container from the curb by the end of the day.
Curbside Cart Placement and Clearances
Because the city employs automated garbage trucks, the physical placement of your container is essential to a successful pickup. The mechanical arms on these vehicles need adequate space to maneuver. You must leave at least three to four feet of clearance on all sides of the cart. Ensure that the bin is not blocked by parked vehicles, cluster mailboxes, or utility poles. When setting the cart down, the lid opening must face the road and the wheels must be pointed toward your property. This specific orientation prevents refuse from blowing into the street as the cart is lifted.
Bi-Weekly Recycling and Contamination Avoidance
Monroe supports environmental sustainability through a bi-weekly residential recycling program. You will receive a separate, distinct cart for commingled recyclables, which is serviced every other week. Acceptable materials include rinsed aluminum cans, plastic jugs, and flattened corrugated cardboard. It is critical to keep contaminants out of the recycling stream. Items like styrofoam, tangled garden hoses, and thin plastic grocery bags are strictly prohibited. Placing these banned items in your recycling cart can lead to the load being rejected by the sorting facility, and the city may leave your bin unemptied.
Yard Waste Regulations and Loose Leaf Season
Maintaining your property often results in organic debris, and the city offers dedicated yard waste pickup. Standard trimmings and grass clippings should be bagged or placed in personal rigid containers. If you are pruning trees, the resulting limbs must be cut to a maximum of four feet in length and stacked neatly parallel to the roadway. During the designated fall months, Monroe also operates a special loose leaf collection program. During this period, homeowners can rake fallen leaves directly to the curb without bagging them, allowing the city's vacuum trucks to quickly clear the debris.
Large Appliance and Bulky Furniture Pickup
When doing a major home cleanout, you cannot cram oversized items into your standard 96-gallon rollout cart. Monroe accommodates the disposal of large items through a specialized bulk collection service. You can discard old mattresses, broken sofas, and worn-out white goods, but you must coordinate with the solid waste department to schedule the pickup. To protect local children, all doors must be completely removed from discarded refrigerators and freezers before they are placed outside. Construction rubble, hazardous chemicals, and tires are not accepted via curbside bulk pickup.
Holiday Disruptions to Normal Routes
The sanitation calendar is occasionally adjusted to accommodate major municipal holidays, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Independence Day. When city offices close for a recognized holiday, the garbage and recycling collection schedules are pushed forward by one day. For example, if a holiday lands on a Monday, the Monday routes are collected on Tuesday, and the shift continues through the end of the week. The City of Monroe posts detailed holiday schedule updates on its official website and social media feeds.
Drop-off Facilities
Union County Residential Waste and Recycling Center
Visit the Union County website for the nearest of the 5 convenience centers
Materials Accepted
City of Monroe Used Oil Collection Site
2401 Walkup Ave, Monroe, NC 28110
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What time must my garbage cart be out in Monroe?
Your rollout garbage and recycling carts must be placed at the curb no later than 6:30 a.m. on the morning of your scheduled collection.
Does the city pick up unbagged leaves?
Yes, but only during the designated fall loose leaf collection season. During the rest of the year, leaves and grass clippings must be bagged or containerized.
How do I handle large appliances that do not fit in my bin?
Oversized items and appliances require a bulk pickup. You must contact the solid waste department to schedule the removal, and ensure doors are removed from refrigerators.