Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Raleigh
Trash Day
Trash is collected once per week, Tuesday through Friday, depending on your street address.
Recycling
Collected every other week on the same day as your regular trash pickup (following either Schedule A or Schedule B).
Yard Waste
Collected every other week on the same day as trash, alternating on the opposite week of your recycling pickup.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Solid waste and recycling service charges are combined on your monthly City of Raleigh water bill. Autopay via checking/savings bank draft or eCheck helps you avoid card processing fees.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay (Bank Draft or Card), Phone, Mail, In Person
Pro Tip / Discount
Financial assistance is available for eligible low-income residents through the Utility Customer Assistance Program (UCAP).
Dark Rollout Cart Bin (Trash)
All household waste must be bagged inside the dark cart. The cart lid must not be open more than 12 inches. Place at the curb by 6:00 a.m. with handles facing your property.
Accepted Items
- ✓All household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastic packaging
- ✓Disposed food scraps
- ✓Double-bagged pet waste
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
All recyclable items must be clean, dry, empty, and placed completely loose inside the blue cart—never use plastic bags. Collected bi-weekly on Schedule A or B.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard and paper
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Rigid plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or plastic film wrap
- ✕Food-soiled containers or greasy pizza boxes
- ✕Styrofoam and foam packaging
- ✕Shredded paper
Yard Waste Bin
Place organic debris in the lime-green yard waste cart or approved paper lawn bags during designated alternate weeks. Never mix plastic bags, dirt, or rocks into organic loads.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Small brush and shrub trimmings
- ✓Tree limbs under 5 feet long
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Once every 90 days per address (by appointment)
Placement
Place items neatly at the curbside within 5 feet of the road edge prior to your scheduled day, ensuring they do not block sidewalks, mailboxes, or traffic.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, desks, wooden tables)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Large household appliances (mark clearly if containing Freon)
- ✓ Push lawnmowers and bicycles
- ✓ Up to 4 electronic items per week
Not Accepted
- ✕ Automobile tires and parts
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris or contractor materials
- ✕ Loose leaves or standard yard waste piles
- ✕ Concrete, bricks, dirt, and rocks
- ✕ Propane tanks
A $35 fee applies to each standard 4-cubic-yard bulky load collection, billed directly to your City utility account. E-waste collection remains free up to 4 items weekly.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Raleigh observes only Thanksgiving Day as a collection-altering holiday. When Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, Thursday routes shift to Friday, and Friday routes shift to Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and recycling routes impacted by Thanksgiving week follow the exact same one-day downstream shift.
All other major US holidays (New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Christmas Day) do not interrupt Tuesday–Friday curbside collection routines.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Fall 2026
September to NovemberThe Raleigh City Council has approved expanding yard waste collection from bi-weekly service to weekly service starting in Fall 2026 to better handle heavy seasonal leaf drops.
Summer Peak
June to AugustHigh temperatures cause organic waste and food scraps in dark carts to generate intense odors and attract pests. Always ensure your dark cart lid is tightly closed (not propped open past 12 inches).
Winter Holidays
November and DecemberBecause Raleigh only shifts collections for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and New Year's weeks run entirely on a normal Tuesday–Friday schedule unless falling on a weekend, keeping holiday cleanups predictable.
Local Tips & Community Info
Raleigh Garbage Collection Basics & Timing
Managing your household waste in the City of Oaks requires following a specific municipal schedule. Raleigh provides weekly curbside garbage collection utilizing dark green carts. You must roll your bin to the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated service day, or as early as noon the day prior. Proper placement is essential: ensure the cart is within five feet of the curb, with the handle facing your property rather than the street. Leave a minimum of three feet of clearance around the bin so automated trucks can safely lift it. Remember that empty carts must be retrieved by 7:00 p.m. the day following collection, as leaving them out continuously can result in a $50 citation.
Blue Cart Recycling Do’s and Don'ts
The city utilizes a single-stream recycling system, collected every other week on an alternating Schedule A or Schedule B. All acceptable recyclables belong in the blue cart. Items must be clean, empty, and placed loosely inside the bin. Never put your recyclables in plastic grocery bags, as they tangle in sorting machinery and cause facility shutdowns. Acceptable items include flattened cardboard, paper, glass bottles, and rigid plastic containers. Plastic film, tanglers like garden hoses, and styrofoam are strictly prohibited. Make sure the cart lid can close completely, with no more than a 12-inch gap, to guarantee pickup.
Yard Debris Guidelines and the Lime-Green Cart
Yard waste is picked up bi-weekly on the opposite week of your recycling collection. Raleigh residents can use the provided lime-green cart, compostable paper bags, or tied bundles for grass clippings, leaves, and brush. If you use bags, there is a strict limit of 15 per collection, and each must weigh under 25 pounds. Brush and limbs can be bundled securely using twine, provided they do not exceed five feet in length or weigh more than 50 pounds per bundle. Never use plastic bags for yard debris, and avoid mixing dirt, rocks, or large logs into your yard waste, as these will be left at the curb.
Scheduling Bulky Loads and E-Waste Pickups
For items too large to fit inside your dark green cart, such as mattresses, appliances, or old furniture, the city offers scheduled bulky load collections. As of April 1, 2026, there is a $35 fee per bulky pickup, which is conveniently billed directly to your utility account. Each load can hold up to four cubic yards of material. You must call customer support at 919-996-3245 to schedule an appointment before placing anything by the street. Additionally, Raleigh offers free electronic waste collection on Tuesdays for up to four items per week, which also requires an advance phone reservation.
Holiday Schedule Shifts in Wake County
Raleigh handles holiday sanitation routes quite differently than many other major municipalities. The solid waste crews work regular routes on Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and Labor Day, meaning your pickup will happen exactly as scheduled on those specific dates without interruption. The primary exception to keep in mind is Thanksgiving week. If your normal service day falls on Thanksgiving Thursday, it will be delayed until Friday, and standard Friday routes will shift to Saturday to accommodate the holiday.
Drop-off Facilities
City of Raleigh Deponie Drive Site
9037 Deponie Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
Materials Accepted
Wake County Multi-Material Recycling Facility
6130 Old Smithfield Road, Apex, NC 27539
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fine for leaving my garbage bin at the street too long in Raleigh?
You must remove all carts from the curb by 7:00 p.m. the day after your collection. Failure to pull your bins back to your house can result in a $50 administrative citation for violating the local Solid Waste Code.
How does the alternating yard waste and recycling schedule work?
Raleigh collects regular garbage every single week, but recycling and yard waste alternate. If it is your designated week for blue cart recycling, yard waste will not be collected, and vice versa.
Can I leave old televisions or microwaves out with my regular trash?
No, electronics are not accepted in standard garbage carts. However, Raleigh provides free curbside e-waste collection on Tuesdays for up to four items. You just need to call 919-996-3245 ahead of time to schedule.