Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Allen
Texas residential services run Monday through Friday. Please refer to your neighborhood's specific zoning map for your exact day.
State Mandate
Bag all trash to prevent pests.
95-Gallon Cart Bin (Trash)
All trash must be bagged before being placed inside the cart. Keep the lid completely closed and ensure no extra bags are left on top of or beside the cart. Place out by 7:00 a.m. with 2 feet of clearance.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Standard household refuse
Blue 95-Gallon Cart Bin (Recycling)
Place all recyclables loose in the cart without bags, with one exception: shredded paper must be placed in a clear plastic bag. Empty and rinse all containers. Carts must be out by 7:00 a.m. with handles facing the home.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastics #1, #2, #5, #7 (bottles, tubs, jugs)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum, steel, and tin cans
- ✓Flattened cardboard and chipboard
- ✓Paper, newspapers, and cartons
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam (#6 plastics)
- ✕Pizza boxes
- ✕Ceramics and window glass
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Alkaline batteries
- ✕Textiles
Yard Waste Bin
Use biodegradable paper lawn bags (max 15 per week) for loose yard waste. Tie brush into 4-foot by 2-foot bundles using natural cotton/jute string (max 7 bundles per week). Place 2 feet away from trash carts.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Plant materials
- ✓Sticks and brush trimmings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Once a month on an assigned Saturday
Placement
Place items at your curb by 7:00 a.m. on your assigned Saturday. Households are allowed up to 6 cubic yards per month, and each individual item must weigh less than 150 pounds.
Accepted
- ✓ Broken furniture
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Household appliances
- ✓ Televisions
- ✓ Lawn mowers (oil/gas removed)
- ✓ Refrigerators and AC units (must have certified refrigerant-free tag)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Car parts
- ✕ Construction and demolition waste
- ✕ Household chemicals
- ✕ Rugs or carpeting larger than 6 feet
- ✕ Tree limbs or trunks
- ✕ Fence materials
The monthly Saturday bulk collection is included in your standard utility fee. For excessively large loads, construction debris, or off-schedule pickups, you must call CWD for a special collection quote.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a major observed holiday falls on a weekday, trash and recycling collection will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week, pushing Friday service to Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and compost collections follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as your regular trash and recycling carts.
Many local city holidays (such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Easter) do not impact CWD collection schedules. Always check the MyAllen app for official service disruption alerts.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Clear Bags for Shredded Paper Only
While standard recyclables should always be placed loose in your blue cart, Allen allows one exception: shredded paper. To prevent a massive mess at the sorting facility, shredded paper must be sealed in a clear plastic bag.
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Blue Cart
Never put your recyclables in plastic grocery or garbage bags. These bags act as tanglers that routinely jam the gears of the recycling facility's machinery. Take clean, dry plastic bags back to your local grocery store for recycling.
No Greasy Pizza Boxes
Food contamination can ruin an entire load of clean paper and cardboard. A greasy pizza box is no longer recyclable and must be thrown in your regular trash cart. Always rinse out cans and jars before tossing them in the blue bin.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryNatural Christmas trees can be collected on your regular yard waste day. They must be completely stripped of lights and ornaments and cut into 4-foot sections. Flocked or artificial trees are considered bulk trash, not yard waste.
Spring
March - MayDuring heavy spring pruning, if your limbs exceed the weekly limit of 7 small bundles, take advantage of the monthly Wednesday large brush pickup. You must call CWD by noon on Tuesday to schedule the collection of up to 3 cubic yards of loose brush.
Fall
October - NovemberAs the leaves begin to fall rapidly, remember that CWD strictly enforces a maximum of 15 biodegradable paper yard bags per household per week. Yard waste placed in plastic garbage bags will be left at the curb.
About Allen Waste Management
Comprehensive Residential Waste Management in Allen, TX
Residents of Allen, Texas, benefit from a streamlined weekly solid waste program managed by Community Waste Disposal (CWD). Trash is collected on a weekly basis, while the single-stream recycling program operates every other week. Because these services are tied directly to your city water utility account, new residents automatically receive their 95-gallon carts upon activation, ensuring a hassle-free move-in experience.
Mastering the Monthly Saturday Bulk Pickup
Unlike many municipalities that require residents to call ahead or wait for a quarterly collection, Allen offers a highly predictable monthly bulk trash system. Your designated bulk collection day always falls on a specific Saturday, determined by your regular weekday trash schedule. Whether you need to dispose of an old mattress, broken furniture, or a tagged, refrigerant-free appliance, you can simply place it at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on your assigned Saturday without needing to schedule an appointment.
Strict Guidelines for Yard Waste and Loose Brush
Collin County's distinct seasons mean yard maintenance is a year-round job. For standard weekly pickup, Allen requires all grass clippings and leaves to be placed in biodegradable paper bags, strictly prohibiting plastic. CWD will collect up to 15 paper bags and 7 neatly tied bundles of sticks each week. If you're tackling a larger landscaping project, you can take advantage of the once-a-month loose brush collection on Wednesdays by calling CWD in advance.
Convenient Solutions for Household Hazardous Waste
Protecting the local environment is a priority for the City of Allen. Through a special partnership with the City of Plano, Allen offers a robust Household Chemical Collection program. Residents can easily schedule a curbside pickup for items like automotive fluids, pesticides, and paints directly through the MyAllen app. Additionally, perfectly good but unwanted chemicals are made available for free at the Allen Chemical Reuse Center.
Stay Connected with the MyAllen App
Never miss a recycling week or bulk Saturday again by downloading the MyAllen app. Available for both iOS and Android, this digital tool provides personalized collection day reminders and real-time updates regarding holiday scheduling shifts. It also serves as a centralized hub to report missing carts, schedule chemical pickups, and submit over 60 different types of municipal service requests.
Drop-off Facilities
Custer Road Transfer Station
9901 Custer Road, Plano, TX 75025
Materials Accepted
Allen Chemical Reuse Center
Contact Community Services for location and appointment (Allen, TX)
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I request an additional trash or recycling cart in Allen?
If your household generates more waste than a single cart can hold, you can order an additional trash or recycling cart by calling Community Waste Disposal (CWD) at 972-392-9300 (option 2). An extra cart fee will be added to your monthly city utility bill.
Do I have to call ahead to schedule my Saturday bulk trash pickup?
No, your standard monthly Saturday bulk item collection is automatic and does not require scheduling. However, if you need the monthly Wednesday loose brush collection (up to 3 cubic yards), you must call CWD by noon the day before to get on the schedule.
What are the specific requirements for disposing of an old refrigerator or freezer?
Before CWD will collect any appliance containing Freon, such as a refrigerator, freezer, or air conditioning unit, it must be completely evacuated of refrigerants by a certified professional. A certification tag must be physically attached to the appliance before it is placed at the curb for your Saturday bulk pickup.
Can I use standard plastic bags for my grass clippings and leaves?
No. The City of Allen strictly requires all loose yard waste, including grass clippings and leaves, to be placed in biodegradable paper lawn bags. Any yard waste placed in plastic bags will be tagged and left at the curb uncollected.