Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Columbus
Ohio waste management services operate on weekly zone-based schedules. Exact pickup days vary based on your local municipality or private franchise hauler.
State Mandate
Ohio EPA regulations prohibit the disposal of whole scrap tires in standard landfills.
City-issued 90/96-Gallon Cart Bin (Trash)
City Code requires regular trash to be securely bagged and tied before it is placed in the Refuse Collection container. Only trash completely inside the container will be collected. Set out by 6:00 AM.
Accepted Items
- ✓Regular household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Pet waste (double-bagged)
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
All items should be empty, clean, and placed loose in the blue cart. Never place recyclables in plastic bags. Plastic lids should be reattached to bottles prior to recycling.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and paper (flattened)
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, tubs, and cups
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (all colors)
- ✓Metal cans and food/beverage cartons
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or film
- ✕Styrofoam and foam plates
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, wires, chains)
- ✕Batteries and flammables
Yard Waste Bin
Place in biodegradable paper bags or 32-gallon rigid containers marked 'Yard Waste', weighing no more than 50 lbs each. Branches must be tied in bundles no larger than 4 feet long and 2 feet wide.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Twigs and shrubbery
- ✓Branches (less than 4 inches in diameter)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By appointment only
Placement
Place bulk items away from obstructions on your specially scheduled day. Small bags, boxes, or open tubs of trash are not considered bulk and will be rejected by the crew.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, tables, chairs)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Carpet (cut to 4-foot lengths, rolled and tied)
- ✓ Non-refrigerated appliances (dishwashers, washing machines)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Tires and auto parts
- ✕ Refrigerated appliances (fridges, freezers, AC units)
- ✕ Pianos and hot tubs
- ✕ Hazardous materials
- ✕ Excavating and building debris
Bulk pickup is a free service for Columbus residents, but items resulting from an eviction, set-out, or foreclosure are strictly prohibited and will not be collected by the city.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
There is no trash collection on city-observed holidays. Because of the rotating color schedule, your scheduled trash collection day will permanently move forward one day after each holiday.
Yard Waste Exception
Recycling and yard waste operate on fixed weekdays. During a holiday week, if your scheduled day falls on or after the holiday, collection is delayed by one day (e.g., Friday moves to Saturday).
Check your assigned Color Schedule (Navy, Pink, Ruby, Gold, Gray) via the PickUp CBUS app to confirm your exact shifting trash collection day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Tape Broken Glass for Bulk Pickup
When putting out mirrors, windows, or glass-paneled furniture for your scheduled bulk pickup, Columbus requires all exposed glass surfaces to be heavily taped to prevent shattering and protect sanitation workers.
Reattach Lids on Plastic Recyclables
Rumpke requests that residents empty and crush their plastic bottles and jugs, then tightly reattach the plastic lids before tossing them into the blue recycling cart. This ensures the small plastic lids make it through the sorting facility.
Leave Pet Waste Out of Yard Bags
Animal waste must never be placed in your biodegradable yard waste bags, as it contaminates the organic composting process at the Com-Til facility. Pet waste should always be bagged and placed in your regular household trash cart.
Seasonal Information
Fall
October - NovemberColumbus strictly prohibits sweeping autumn leaves into the street or storm drains. All leaves must be placed in approved paper yard bags or clearly labeled rigid containers for the bi-weekly yard waste collection.
Winter
December - FebruaryDuring severe winter weather, keep your carts completely clear of snowbanks. The automated mechanical arms on the collection trucks need at least three feet of clearance to safely grab your bins.
Summer
June - AugustBeat the heat: Collection crews may start their routes earlier than usual during extreme heatwaves to protect worker health. Ensure your trash, recycling, and yard waste are at the curb by 6:00 AM to prevent a missed pickup.
About Columbus Waste Management
Understanding the Columbus Rotating Color Schedule
Unlike many municipalities with fixed weekly trash days, the City of Columbus utilizes a unique rotating color-coded system—Navy, Pink, Ruby, Gold, or Gray. When a city-observed holiday occurs, your assigned trash collection day permanently advances by one day. To keep track of this continuously shifting schedule, residents are strongly encouraged to download the PickUp CBUS app or call their dedicated color hotline.
Rumpke Partnership for Blue Cart Recycling
Curbside recycling in Columbus is managed through a strategic partnership with Rumpke. Residents use standard blue carts for single-stream recycling, meaning all approved paper, plastic bottles, glass jars, and metal cans go into one bin without the need for sorting. It is strictly required to keep recyclables loose; bagged recyclables will be treated as contamination and may result in a missed collection tag.
Strict Bulk Waste Appointment System
Columbus offers free collection of large bulky items, but you cannot simply leave old furniture or mattresses at the curb alongside your regular trash cart. A scheduled appointment made through the 311 Service Center or the online 311.columbus.gov portal is mandatory. Furthermore, items must be properly prepared—glass must be completely taped over, and old carpet must be cut to four-foot lengths and tied securely.
Yard Waste and Local Composting Initiatives
Yard waste collection is provided bi-weekly and strictly prohibits the use of plastic bags. All grass clippings, leaves, and twigs must be placed in biodegradable paper bags or rigid containers explicitly marked 'Yard Waste'. For excess organic debris, Columbus residents can take advantage of the city's Com-Til Compost Facility on Jackson Pike, which accepts large brush and leaves year-round free of charge.
Drop-off Facilities
Alum Creek Waste and Reuse Convenience Center
2100 Alum Creek Drive, Columbus, OH 43207
Materials Accepted
Com-Til Compost Facility
7000 Jackson Pike, Columbus, OH 43137
Materials Accepted
SWACO Household Hazardous Waste Center
645 East 8th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43201
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the rotating color schedule work in Columbus?
Trash collection in Columbus is based on five color zones (Navy, Pink, Ruby, Gold, Gray). Every time there is a city-observed holiday, your trash collection day shifts forward by one day permanently. Recycling and yard waste, however, stay on a fixed weekday.
Will the city pick up an old refrigerator with bulk trash?
No. The Division of Refuse Collection does not pick up appliances containing refrigerants, such as refrigerators, freezers, or air conditioners. These must be taken to a specialized recycling facility or one of the Waste and Reuse Convenience Centers only if the Freon is removed.
How do I report a missed trash pickup in Columbus?
If your container was at the curb by 6:00 AM and was completely missed, you can call the 311 Service Center at 614-645-3111 or use the 311.columbus.gov portal to report the issue. Please leave the cart at the curb.
What should I do if my blue recycling cart is constantly overflowing?
If your 64-gallon blue cart is constantly full, you can request a second recycling container by calling the 311 Service Center. Ensure you are completely flattening all cardboard boxes to maximize the space inside your current cart before requesting another.