Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Toledo
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.
Gray Bin (Trash)
All trash must be tightly bagged and tied before being placed inside the gray container. Position the cart within 2 feet of the curb with wheels facing the house by 7:00 a.m.
Accepted Items
- ✓Non-recyclable household waste
- ✓Food wrappers
- ✓Styrofoam
- ✓Standard garbage
Blue Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be clean, dry, and placed loosely into the blue container. Never bag your recyclables.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard and paper
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Plastic containers (plastics #1, 2, 4, 5, 7)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (all colors)
- ✓Milk and juice cartons
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Ceramics and mirror glass
- ✕Hoses, ropes, and textiles
- ✕Wood and yard waste
- ✕Polystyrene foam
Yard Waste Bin
Yard waste is managed as bulk trash. Branches and brush must be securely tied into bundles no larger than 3 feet by 4 feet, or up to 6 feet in length if under 2 feet in diameter. Nails must be removed. No single bundle can exceed 40 pounds.
Accepted Items
- ✓Brush
- ✓Small branches
- ✓Lumber
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on your regular trash collection day.
Placement
Place bulk items at the front curb alongside your gray trash container. There is no alley or side street bulk pickup in Toledo.
Accepted
- ✓ Small furniture items (under 40 lbs)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs (must be wrapped)
- ✓ Small appliances (under 40 lbs)
- ✓ Bundled wood, brush, or scrap lumber (nails removed)
- ✓ Rugs and carpeting (tied in 3' x 4' rolls)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Items weighing over 40 lbs
- ✕ More than 5 bulk items in one week
- ✕ Hazardous waste and wet paint
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Propane tanks and compressed gas cylinders
This weekly service is provided to residents at no additional charge and completely replaces the old monthly scheduled bulk system.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Republic Services delays Toledo collection by one day for only the five major holidays listed above. If the holiday falls on or before your normal service day during the workweek, pickup will be pushed back by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Because bulk items and bundled yard waste are collected concurrently with regular weekly garbage, their collection also shifts by one day during observed holiday weeks.
Holidays like MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Veterans' Day, Juneteenth, and Independence Day (if it falls on a weekend) do not cause any delays to curbside collection schedules.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Bag Your Trash, But Never Your Recycling
While Toledo requires all garbage in the gray cart to be bagged to prevent litter, recyclables in the blue cart must always remain loose. Plastic bags severely jam the machinery at the single-stream sorting plant.
Wrap Mattresses for Bulk Collection
If you are utilizing the weekly bulk pickup for a mattress or box spring, you are required to fully seal and wrap the item in plastic to protect sanitation workers from potential bedbugs.
Keep 'Tanglers' Out of the Blue Bin
Garden hoses, extension cords, clothing, ropes, and chains do not belong in your recycling container. These items wrap around the sorting gears at the recycling facility and cause costly equipment shutdowns.
Seasonal Information
Spring
March to MaySpring cleaning is a great time to take advantage of the 'Clean Toledo' events, which begin in the spring. These weekend events offer safe drop-offs for up to 10 scrap tires, old paint, and electronic waste.
Summer
June to AugustSummer DIY projects generate plenty of scrap wood. Remember to pound flat or completely remove all nails and screws from lumber, and bundle it securely before placing it out as part of your 5-item weekly bulk allowance.
Fall
September to NovemberToledo operates a dedicated Fall Leaf Collection program. Watch the city's schedule for your neighborhood's vacuum week, and rake leaves just over the curb to keep storm drains clear.
About Toledo Waste Management
Navigating Toledo's Two-Container Waste System
The City of Toledo utilizes a streamlined two-container system managed by Republic Services. Residents are issued a gray refuse container for weekly household garbage and a blue container for every-other-week single-stream recycling. Both carts are serviced on the same weekday. To ensure smooth collection, carts must be placed within two feet of the curb with the wheels facing away from the street by 7:00 a.m. on your designated day, and all trash must be bagged before going into the gray cart.
Toledo's Convenient Weekly Bulk Pickup Program
In a major service upgrade, Toledo has replaced its monthly scheduled bulk program with a highly convenient weekly system. Residents can now place up to five bulk items at the curb every single week on their regular trash day without making any prior phone calls. Whether it is an old chair, bundled branches, or wrapped rugs, as long as each item or bundle weighs under 40 pounds, Republic Services will collect it alongside your household garbage.
Free Metropark Food Waste Drop-Offs
Toledo is highly proactive in diverting organic waste from landfills through a free community composting initiative. Rather than throwing food scraps into your gray bin, residents can utilize the green GoZERO totes available at three local Metroparks: Glass City Metropark, Swan Creek Metropark, and the Toledo Botanical Garden. These drop-off stations are open daily from 7:00 a.m. until dark, offering an eco-friendly alternative for managing household organics.
Clean Toledo Events and Hazardous Disposal
Republic Services prohibits items like wet paint, tires, motor oil, batteries, and electronics in standard curbside bins. To safely discard these toxic or hard-to-dispose materials, the city hosts regular 'Clean Toledo' recycling drop-off events throughout the year. Additionally, Lucas County residents can utilize Hoffman Road Landfill's Free Disposal Days for oversized debris or drop off hazardous waste at the permanent Creekside Center during specified event hours.
Drop-off Facilities
Hoffman Road Landfill
3962 Hoffman Road, Toledo, OH 43611
Materials Accepted
Clean Toledo Center
3900 Creekside Ave, Toledo, OH 43612
Materials Accepted
Toledo Botanical Garden Food Waste Drop-Off
5430 W Bancroft Street, Toledo, OH 43615
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I schedule a bulk trash pickup in Toledo?
You no longer need to schedule bulk pickups in Toledo. Under the new policy, residents can simply place up to 5 bulk items at the curb every week on their regular trash day, provided each item weighs under 40 pounds.
Why wasn't my trash picked up in Toledo?
Missed pickups commonly happen due to unbagged trash, improper cart placement, or holiday delays. Republic Services only delays pickup for New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. To report a missed collection, call Engage Toledo at 419-936-2020.
Can I throw a mattress in the trash in Toledo, OH?
Yes, but you must completely wrap or bag the mattress and box spring in plastic before placing it at the curb for your weekly bulk pickup. Unwrapped mattresses will be left behind to protect crews from bedbugs.
Are plastic bags allowed in my Toledo recycling bin?
No. All recyclables must be placed loosely into the blue recycling container. Plastic grocery bags and trash bags are considered contaminants and cause significant damage to the sorting equipment at the Republic Services facility.