Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Winston-Salem
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.
Green (96-gallon) Bin (Trash)
Trash must be bagged and fit entirely inside the cart with the lid closed. Cart must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m. with the hinge facing the house. No extra bags allowed outside the cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged regular household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
- ✓Diapers
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Items must be placed loose in the cart (do not bag recyclables). Collected bi-weekly on your assigned Red or Blue week by 6:00 a.m. on collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs (caps on)
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (remove lids)
- ✓Newspaper, magazines, junk mail, and office paper
- ✓Flattened cardboard and chipboard (max 3x3 feet)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Styrofoam/foam plastics
- ✕Food wrappers and pizza boxes
- ✕Electronics and batteries
- ✕Hazardous waste containers
- ✕Clothing and diapers
Yard Waste Bin
Requires a subscription-based Yard Waste Cart ($65/year). Do not include dirt, rocks, or stumps. Place at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Vines
- ✓Small branches and prunings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Annually (One scheduled week per neighborhood between March and September)
Placement
Place items at the curb the weekend prior to your scheduled collection week. Do not mix bulk trash with yard waste, brush, or recyclables.
Accepted
- ✓ Appliances (white goods)
- ✓ Carpet and rugs
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, dressers)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Large toys
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition materials
- ✕ Electronic waste (TVs, computers)
- ✕ Hazardous waste or wet paint
- ✕ Tires and car parts
- ✕ Glass
- ✕ Yard waste and lumber
The service is included at no extra charge for single-family residences during the designated annual sweep.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When a holiday falls on a weekday, garbage and recycling collections are delayed by one day for the remainder of the week, with Friday routes being collected on Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
Subscription yard waste collection follows the same holiday slide schedule as regular garbage and recycling.
A printable Red/Blue Week and Holiday calendar is updated annually and available on the city's Solid Waste Collections webpage.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Blue Cart
Never place your recyclables in plastic grocery bags, and do not toss loose plastic bags into the recycling cart. They tangle in the sorting equipment at the materials recovery facility. Take them back to local grocery stores instead.
Flatten and Size Your Cardboard
All cardboard must be broken down and flattened before being placed in the recycling cart. Make sure pieces are no larger than 3 feet by 3 feet to prevent them from wedging inside the cart and blocking the automated truck arms.
Empty and Rinse Your Containers
To keep the recycling stream clean and prevent pests, quickly rinse all glass jars, plastic bottles, and aluminum cans to remove leftover food or liquid residue before tossing them in the bin.
Seasonal Information
Spring/Summer
March - SeptemberThe city conducts its Annual Bulky Item Collection during these months. Check your neighborhood's specific assigned week and place large items out the weekend before collection begins. Trucks will only make one pass per street.
Fall
November - DecemberWinston-Salem's specialized fall leaf collection begins in early November. Rake leaves to the edge of the street (not in the roadway or over storm drains) for the vacuum trucks. Do not bag leaves for this specific service.
Winter
January - FebruaryDuring severe winter weather, garbage collection may be delayed. If roads or residential yards are icy and covered in snow, making it dangerous for collectors and trucks, service shifts. Call CityLink 311 for real-time weather-related schedule changes.
About Winston-Salem Waste Management
Automated Weekly Trash Collection in Winston-Salem
The City of Winston-Salem relies on a highly efficient automated collection system to service residential neighborhoods. Every single-family household is issued one free 96-gallon green rollout cart for garbage. To ensure seamless service, residents must bag all household trash, place it completely inside the cart with the lid shut tight, and set the cart at the curb with the silver lift bar facing the street. No extra bags left on the ground will be collected by the automated mechanical arms.
Navigating the Red and Blue Week Recycling Schedule
Recycling in Winston-Salem operates on a bi-weekly schedule divided into 'Red' and 'Blue' weeks. Homeowners are provided a blue 96-gallon cart specifically for single-stream recyclables. While participation is voluntary, North Carolina state law mandates that aluminum cans and plastic bottles be kept out of landfills. Because the system is single-stream, residents can conveniently mix all approved paper, flattened cardboard, and rinsed containers together without sorting, but all items must remain loose rather than bagged.
Annual Bulky Item Neighborhood Sweeps
Unlike many municipalities that require individual appointments for large item disposal, Winston-Salem utilizes an annual neighborhood sweep program. Between March and September, city trucks make one pass through each designated quad route to collect furniture, mattresses, and appliances. Residents simply place their bulky refuse at the curb the weekend prior to their assigned week, saving the hassle of scheduling a pickup or paying individual fees.
Handling Yard Waste and Brush Collection
Managing the lush North Carolina foliage requires a multi-pronged approach in Winston-Salem. For weekly grass clippings and small brush, residents can opt into the city's subscription yard waste cart program for an annual fee of $65. For larger limbs, the city operates a separate brush collection service, and during the autumn months, a dedicated vacuum leaf collection fleet rotates through city streets. Yard waste should never be placed in regular trash or recycling carts.
Safe Disposal at the 3RC EnviroStation
Electronics like televisions and computers, along with hazardous household chemicals, are strictly prohibited in regular residential trash carts. Forsyth County residents can safely dispose of these materials for free at the 3RC EnviroStation on South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. This vital facility accepts paint, pesticides, used motor oil, and up to two televisions per household annually, keeping dangerous pollutants out of the local groundwater and the Hanes Mill Road Landfill.
Drop-off Facilities
3RC EnviroStation
1401 S Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27107
Materials Accepted
Hanes Mill Road Landfill
325 W Hanes Mill Rd, Winston-Salem, NC 27105
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if my garbage doesn't fit inside my Winston-Salem city trash cart?
The city's automated trucks require all trash to fit completely inside the green cart with the lid securely closed. Bags placed on the ground will not be collected. If you regularly overflow your bin, you can hold the extra trash for the following week, or purchase a second garbage cart from the city for an annual fee of $65.
How do I know if it is a Red Week or a Blue Week for recycling?
Winston-Salem collects recycling bi-weekly. Every single-family address is assigned to either the Red or Blue route. You can find your specific color assignment by typing your address into the Winston-Salem Collects service finder on the city's official website or by calling CityLink at 311.
Where can I throw away an old TV or computer in Winston-Salem?
North Carolina law bans electronic waste from being disposed of in landfills, so TVs and computers are not accepted in your normal trash or during the annual bulky item pickup. Forsyth County residents can drop off electronics, including up to two TVs per year, for free at the 3RC EnviroStation on S Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Does the city pick up branches and yard clippings with the regular trash?
No, yard waste cannot be mixed with regular garbage. You have three options: purchase an annual subscription yard-waste cart for $65, utilize the city's separate brush collection service for larger limbs, or participate in the fall vacuum leaf collection program. Alternatively, you can transport it yourself to the Hanes Mill Road Landfill.