Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Statesville
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.
City-issued Toter Cart Bin (Trash)
All household trash must fit inside the provided toter cart. Place the cart at the curb on your collection day. Do not overfill the cart so much that the lid cannot close.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Styrofoam
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Blue or Green (varies) Bin (Recycling)
Collection occurs every other week. Never bag recyclables—bagged materials are automatically rejected. Wash and rinse out all food and beverage containers, and remove pumps from bottles.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, and jars (Plastics #1 and #2 only)
- ✓Metal cans (aluminum and steel)
- ✓Paper, cartons, and flattened cardboard
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass of any kind (bottles, jars, dishware, windows)
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Aerosol cans
- ✕Scrap metal
- ✕Pumps from plastic bottles
Yard Waste Bin
Grass clippings and leaves must be bagged (except for leaves during the Oct-Feb loose-leaf season). Bagged debris must be kept in a separate pile from unbagged limbs and shrubbery.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Shrubbery
- ✓Limbs under 6 feet long and 4 inches in diameter
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on your regular garbage day
Placement
Place items just behind the curb on your regular collection day, ensuring they do not block sidewalks, traffic, or your normal toter carts.
Accepted
- ✓ Old furniture (couches, tables, chairs)
- ✓ Stoves and water heaters
- ✓ Refrigerators
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Empty, fully dried-out paint cans
Not Accepted
- ✕ Televisions and computers (e-waste)
- ✕ Construction debris (lumber, sheetrock, brick, plywood)
- ✕ Roofing materials and guttering
- ✕ Carpet and padding
- ✕ Batteries, tires, gas tanks, and motor oil
A $65 specialized pickup fee applies per load for extremely large piles of limbs or yard debris that require special equipment. Standard bulk items are collected at no extra cost.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
The City of Statesville typically modifies collection schedules during major holidays. Collections scheduled on the holiday are usually shifted, and subsequent days may run on a one-day delay.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and bulk collections follow the same holiday delay schedules as standard residential garbage routes.
The city publishes a 'Revised Sanitation Schedule' annually. Always refer to the official calendar or the Hello Statesville alert system to confirm exact pickup dates for your street during a holiday week.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Glass Out of the Recycling Bin
Unlike many municipalities, Statesville strictly prohibits glass in its curbside recycling program. Glass bottles, jars, and mirrors contaminate the load and wear out processing equipment. Throw glass in your regular trash or take it to a county convenience center.
Be Cart Smart: Do Not Bag Recyclables
Never place your recyclables inside a plastic garbage bag or grocery bag. Bagged recyclables cannot be opened safely by sorting staff and are automatically rejected as trash. Toss items loosely into your cart.
Remove Pumps and Lids
When recycling plastic bottles and jugs (only numbers 1 and 2 are accepted), make sure to remove and throw away any plastic pump dispensers, as they contain metal springs that ruin the plastic recycling process.
Seasonal Information
Fall/Winter
October to FebruaryThe annual loose-leaf vacuum program is active. Residents across the city's five collection areas can rake unbagged leaves to the edge of their yard (behind the curb) for specialized vacuum truck pickup.
Spring/Summer
March to SeptemberLoose-leaf season has ended. All leaves, grass clippings, and small organic yard waste must be placed in bags and left at the curb for collection on your normal residential garbage pickup day.
Holiday Schedules
Year-RoundDuring major holidays, standard garbage and recycling collections may shift. Residents can view the revised holiday sanitation schedule on the city's website or sign up for 'Hello Statesville' weekly digital updates for real-time notifications.
About Statesville Waste Management
Automated Curbside Collection with the City of Statesville
The City of Statesville's Sanitation Division handles waste management internally, providing automated weekly curbside collection for approximately 10,000 households. The city provides each home with its first toter cart free of charge. Residents are responsible for wheeling these carts to the curb on their designated pickup day and must cover the cost of a replacement if the cart is stolen or damaged due to neglect.
Navigating the Blue and Red Recycling Weeks
Recycling in Statesville is a single-stream process collected on a bi-weekly basis, meaning you don't need to separate your paper from your plastics. The city is geographically divided into two collection schedules: the Blue Week and the Red Week. A strict rule for this program is the absolute ban on glass; all household glass must either go in the regular garbage or be taken to a county drop-off site to prevent contamination.
The Seasonal Loose-Leaf Vacuum Program
From October through February, the city deploys specialized trucks for its annual loose-leaf collection season, rotating through five designated neighborhood areas. During this time, residents can rake unbagged leaves directly to the curb edge (ensuring they do not spill into the street or block sidewalks). Once February ends, this service pauses, and all grass clippings and leaves must be bagged for the remainder of the year.
Guidelines for Curbside Bulk and Appliance Removal
Statesville makes disposing of large household items highly convenient by collecting bulk waste on your standard garbage day without the need for an appointment. Residents can place old furniture, water heaters, and stoves right at the curb. However, sanitation crews will leave behind prohibited items like construction debris (sheetrock, lumber), tires, televisions, and wet paint.
Brush Collection and Oversized Load Fees
While the city picks up limbs and shrubbery on a weekly basis, homeowners must follow strict sizing rules: limbs cannot exceed 6 feet in length or 4 inches in diameter. Importantly, brush must be placed in a separate pile away from bagged grass. If a resident sets out an exceptionally large pile of yard debris or limbs that requires specialized equipment to remove, the city will assess a $65 specialized pickup fee per load.
Drop-off Facilities
Iredell County Solid Waste Facility (Twin Oaks)
354 Twin Oaks Rd, Statesville, NC 28625
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my house is on the Blue or Red recycling schedule?
The City of Statesville is divided into two bi-weekly recycling zones. You can check the interactive City Recycling Map on the Statesville Sanitation website to enter your address and find out if you are assigned to the Blue week or the Red week.
Does the city pick up loose leaves all year long?
No. The city only operates its loose-leaf vacuum trucks from October through February. During the rest of the year (March through September), all leaves and grass clippings must be bagged to be collected on your regular garbage day.
Can I throw away an old television at the curb?
No. Televisions, computers, and other electronic devices are banned from North Carolina landfills and are not accepted in Statesville's curbside bulk pickup. You must haul these items to an Iredell County solid waste facility for proper recycling.
Why can't I put glass in my recycling cart?
Statesville's single-stream recycling processor does not accept glass because it easily breaks and contaminates other clean materials like paper and cardboard, and wears down sorting machinery. You must place glass in your regular garbage or drop it off at an Iredell County convenience center.