Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Painesville
Trash Day
Trash is collected Monday through Thursday based on your voting ward (Ward 1 on Mondays, Ward 2 on Tuesdays, Ward 3 on Wednesdays, and Ward 4 on Thursdays).
Recycling
Recycling is collected weekly on the same day as your regular trash pickup.
Yard Waste
Fridays (city-wide collection day for yard waste).
Set Out Time
By 4:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
City ordinance requires residential properties to maintain refuse collection service. Seniors aged 65+ can contact customer service to ensure they receive the discounted rate.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay (ACH), Phone, Mail, In-Person
Pro Tip / Discount
A Senior Citizen discount is available for qualifying residents aged 65 and older.
Green / Brown Cart Bin (Trash)
All refuse must be bagged and bagged contents contained completely within the cart with the lid shut tight.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged food leftovers
- ✓Non-recyclable packaging
- ✓Soiled paper product waste
- ✓Disposed household plastics #3-#7
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
Items must be placed loose inside the blue recycling cart—never bagged or bundled in plastic sacks.
Accepted Items
- ✓Corrugated cardboard (broken down flat)
- ✓Aluminum and steel food cans
- ✓Rigid plastic bottles and jugs (#1 and #2)
- ✓Office paper, junk mail, and newspapers
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Styrofoam and packaging peanuts
- ✕Hoses, cords, and tanglers
- ✕Broken window glass or ceramics
- ✕Soiled pizza boxes
Yard Waste Bin
Must be set out in heavy-duty biodegradable paper yard bags or bundled securely with cotton twine under four feet in length.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass trimmings and lawn cuttings
- ✓Autumn leaves
- ✓Small hedge trimmings
- ✓Twigs and light branch prunings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By advance appointment / designated community pick-up dates
Placement
Set approved bulk items directly on the curb line no earlier than 6:00 PM the night prior to your scheduled pickup day.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs (fully wrapped in plastic)
- ✓ Couches, recliners, and padded chairs
- ✓ Wooden tables and headboards
- ✓ Non-freon home appliances
Not Accepted
- ✕ Refrigerators and freezers containing Freon (unless certified evacuated)
- ✕ Hazardous waste, oil, and liquid paints
- ✕ Automobile tires and lead-acid batteries
- ✕ Demolition lumber, concrete, and roofing materials
Standard residential bulk requests are managed via utility billing; excessive volume or special oversized loads may require an additional disposal fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When an observed holiday falls on a weekday, service for that day and all remaining days during the week is delayed by exactly one day. Friday routes are completed on Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
Seasonal yard waste collection experiences the identical one-day delay during holiday-impacted workweeks.
If the holiday falls on a weekend, normal collection schedules remain unaffected throughout the entire workweek.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - MarchLake-effect snowfall from Lake Erie can alter early morning schedules. Place carts in cleared driveway aprons rather than on top of snowbanks to ensure automated arms can reach them.
Spring
April - MayYard waste collection resumes heavily in early spring. Clear remaining winter debris into paper leaf bags and ensure brush bundles remain under 40 pounds per bundle.
Autumn
October - NovemberThe city conducts curbside leaf collection schedules. Keep leaf piles loose along the tree lawn without blocking storm drains or parking spaces.
Local Tips & Community Info
Weekly Garbage and Recycling with Major Waste
The City of Painesville recently transitioned its sanitation services to Major Waste Disposal Services, providing residents with comprehensive weekly refuse collection. Every household receives a robust 96-gallon cart specifically for general garbage and a separate 64-gallon container dedicated to recyclables. Your garbage and recycling are both collected on the same designated day each week. To ensure that your neighborhood routes run smoothly, you must position your bins at the curb or tree lawn between 7:00 p.m. the night before and 6:00 a.m. on the morning of your pickup. Once the trucks have emptied your carts, local ordinances require you to bring them back onto your property by 7:00 p.m. that same evening.
Proper Sorting for Curbside Recycling
Painesville has expanded its recycling capabilities, making it easier than ever to divert waste from local landfills. Under the current program, residents can recycle a wider variety of materials in their 64-gallon cart. Acceptable items include plastics labeled #1 through #7, glass bottles and jars, aluminum and metal cans, as well as flattened cardboard and paper products. Please ensure all containers are rinsed clean of food residue. You should never include plastic bags, foam packaging, window glass, ceramics, or electronics in the recycling bin. Contamination can disrupt the sorting facility, so it is vital to strictly adhere to these guidelines and leave your recyclables loose in the cart.
Seasonal Yard Waste Collection Rules
Maintaining your lawn in Painesville is made simpler with weekly seasonal yard waste pickup, which generally runs from mid-April through the end of November. Grass clippings, leaves, and small brush trimmings are collected on the same day as your normal trash. To participate, you must place yard debris in biodegradable paper bags or a personal 30-gallon can clearly marked with the letters 'YW.' If you are disposing of branches, they must be neatly tied into bundles no larger than 48 inches long and four inches in diameter. Keep in mind that yard waste is never permitted inside your main trash cart, and large land-clearing residue like heavy stumps will not be picked up.
Bulk Item Disposal and Nuisance Fines
One of the major benefits of Painesville's sanitation contract is that weekly bulk item collection is provided at no extra charge. If you have large items like furniture, appliances, or mattresses, you can simply set them out alongside your carts on your regular collection day. Note that mattresses and box springs must be wrapped in plastic for health reasons. Leaving unauthorized piles of garbage outside of approved hours is considered a nuisance under city ordinances. If code enforcement cites a property for improperly stored refuse, the owner has 24 hours to clear it, or the city will remove it and assess the cost along with a $250 inspection fee.
Drop-off Facilities
Lake County Solid Waste Facility & Landfill
2908 S. Ridge Rd, Painesville, OH 44077
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I put my trash carts out for collection?
You are allowed to place your refuse and recycling bins at the curb starting at 7:00 p.m. the evening before your collection day. They must be out by 6:00 a.m. the day of pickup, and empty carts must be retrieved by 7:00 p.m. that evening.
Do I have to pay extra to throw away a couch or large furniture?
No, Painesville allows residents to place bulk items, such as a couch or mattress, at the curb on their regular collection day at no additional cost. Just remember to wrap any mattresses in plastic before setting them out.
Are plastic bags allowed in the recycling cart?
No, plastic bags of any kind are strictly prohibited in your recycling cart. They can entangle the sorting equipment. You should always toss your clean recyclables directly into the bin.