Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Hamilton
Trash Day
Monday through Friday, depending on your neighborhood zone.
Recycling
Every other week on the same day as your regular trash collection.
Yard Waste
Collected on your regular trash collection day (up to 6 paper yard waste bags or marked 35-gallon containers per week).
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day (or set out the evening before)
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Trash and recycling fees are bundled directly into your monthly City of Hamilton municipal utility bill alongside electric, gas, and water.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail, Self-Serve Kiosks, In-Person
Pro Tip / Discount
Smaller 35-gallon or 65-gallon cart options are available for elderly or handicapped residents.
Blue or Rumpke-issued dark carts Bin (Trash)
Trash must be confined entirely within the carts. Resident-owned carts may be used provided they have wheels, attached lids, and a metal lift bar on the front.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household refuse
- ✓Food wrappers
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Small amounts of bagged yard waste (treated as trash)
Green or designated recycling cart Bin (Recycling)
All items must be rinsed, crushed if possible, and placed loosely in the bin. Do not bag recyclables.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs (mouth smaller than base)
- ✓Food and beverage cartons
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Single-use plastic clamshells
- ✕Toys
- ✕Batteries and electronics
- ✕Scrap metal
- ✕Drinking glassware
Yard Waste Bin
Limited to 6 containers/bundles per week. Use 35-gallon cans marked 'Yard Waste' or paper yard bags. Brush must be bundled under 4 feet long and 2 feet in diameter. Branches cannot exceed 6 inches in diameter or 75 pounds.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Brush
- ✓Tree limbs
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly, on your regular trash collection day.
Placement
Items must be placed at the curb alongside your regular trash bins. Mattresses and upholstered furniture should generally be wrapped in plastic for Rumpke pickups.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Large household appliances (non-freon)
- ✓ Large bulky items that do not fit in carts
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction materials
- ✕ Hazardous waste
- ✕ Auto parts
- ✕ Electronics or batteries
Two items per week are included at no extra charge. Additional items or loads can be taken to the Transfer Station for a fee (or by using the one-time annual free voucher).
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Rumpke works standard routes on all holidays except Christmas Day and New Year's Day. If your normal pickup day falls on or after these two holidays during the week, your service will be delayed by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Because yard waste is collected concurrently with standard trash, it is subject to the exact same one-day delay during the Christmas and New Year weeks.
Unlike many municipal services, Rumpke does not observe summer or fall holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, or Thanksgiving for collection pauses in this area.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Fall
October to DecemberDuring autumn leaf cleanup, remember that if you want leaves collected as yard waste rather than trash, they must be placed in paper yard bags or dedicated yard waste cans. Drivers will assume plastic bags contain normal garbage.
Winter
December to JanuaryRumpke's collection schedule only pauses for Christmas Day and New Year's Day. If these holidays fall on a weekday, collections for the remainder of the week will be delayed by one day.
Spring
March to MayAs spring landscaping begins, brush piles can accumulate quickly. Ensure you limit your yard waste to the strict six container or bundle maximum per week so you don't overwhelm the collection trucks.
Local Tips & Community Info
Hamilton's Partnership with Rumpke Waste & Recycling
Residential sanitation in Hamilton is fully contracted through Rumpke Waste & Recycling. Rather than operating a municipal fleet, the city relies on this regional provider to manage weekly curbside pickup for all single-family homes and small multiplexes. Residents are required to have their Rumpke-issued refuse carts wheeled out to the curb edge by 6:00 a.m. on their assigned pickup morning. While early morning placement is mandatory, city ordinances permit you to place your bins out as early as 6:00 p.m. the evening prior to your collection day.
Scheduling Your Heavy Item Removals
If you are upgrading furniture or cleaning out a garage, you cannot simply abandon massive items at the street line. Hamilton residents must notify Rumpke at least 48 hours in advance to schedule a bulk item pickup. This prior notification ensures the company dispatches a truck equipped to handle heavy loads. Crucially, any upholstered items, such as box springs and mattresses, must be completely sealed in a plastic encasement before they are set outside. Appliances containing refrigerants require a certified freon-removal tag before Rumpke will accept them.
Curbside Recycling Directives
The community actively encourages waste diversion through a comprehensive weekly recycling program. Homeowners should utilize their designated recycling carts for items like flattened corrugated boxes, junk mail, aluminum beverage cans, and rinsed glass jars. The most prevalent issue facing the sorting facilities is plastic bag contamination. You must never place recyclables inside plastic trash bags, and standard grocery sacks should be returned to local supermarkets rather than tossed into the curbside recycling bin.
Organic Lawn Debris and Brush Preparation
Landscaping remnants are collected on your standard service day, provided they are prepared according to hauler regulations. Homeowners must contain loose leaves, grass trimmings, and pulled weeds inside heavy-duty biodegradable paper yard sacks or personal 32-gallon trash cans clearly marked for yard waste. If you have been pruning shrubs or trees, the limbs must be cut into lengths not exceeding four feet and tightly bundled with heavy twine. Individual bags or bundles cannot weigh more than 50 pounds to protect the loading crews from injury.
Cart Clearances for Automated Hoists
Rumpke's modern fleet relies on side-loading mechanical arms to lift and empty neighborhood receptacles. This technology requires a clear operational radius. You must position your carts with a minimum of three feet of separation from one another, as well as from mailboxes, utility poles, and parked cars. Place the cart on a level surface near the street with the lid opening facing the roadway and the handle facing your property.
Impact of Federal Holidays on Service
Rumpke observes six major holidays annually: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. If a recognized holiday falls on a weekday before or on your typical collection day, your pickup will be delayed by 24 hours. For example, a Wednesday holiday shifts Wednesday collections to Thursday, continuing the delay through Saturday for Friday customers.
Drop-off Facilities
Municipal Refuse Transfer Station
1000 N. 3rd Street, Hamilton, OH 45011
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I throw away a mattress in Hamilton?
You must contact Rumpke at least 48 hours in advance to schedule the bulk pickup, and the mattress must be completely wrapped and sealed in plastic.
When is the earliest I can put my trash out?
City ordinances allow you to place your waste and recycling carts at the curb starting at 6:00 p.m. the evening before your scheduled collection day.
Can I recycle plastic grocery bags in my Rumpke cart?
No. Plastic bags are strictly prohibited in the curbside recycling carts as they tangle in the recycling facility's sorting equipment.