Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Austin
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.
Brown Cart Bin (Trash)
Bag and tie all trash to protect crew health. The cart lid must be completely closed. Place at the curb by 5:30 a.m. (or after 8 p.m. the night before) with at least five feet of clearance.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Animal waste (double-bagged)
- ✓Cooled ashes and sawdust (bagged)
- ✓Broken glass (boxed/wrapped and labeled)
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
Collected biweekly on an A/B schedule. Do not bag recyclables; place items loose in the cart. Extra recycling that doesn't fit can be placed next to the cart in a reusable container or open cardboard box.
Accepted Items
- ✓Empty plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs
- ✓Clean cardboard boxes (broken down)
- ✓Mixed paper, mail, and magazines
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, wires, textiles)
- ✕Medical waste
Yard Waste Bin
Green cart collected weekly. No plastics, liquids, rocks, soil, or treated wood. Keep the lid closed. Excess yard trimmings can go in lawn-and-leaf paper bags next to the cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps (meat, dairy, vegetables)
- ✓Yard trimmings (grass, leaves, small branches)
- ✓Food-soiled paper (pizza boxes, coffee filters)
- ✓Untreated wood and popsicle sticks
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
On-demand (Up to 3 times per calendar year)
Placement
Place items by 5:30 a.m. on the appointment date. Separate items into metal, non-metal, and tire piles. Keep 5 feet away from carts, mailboxes, fences, and parked cars.
Accepted
- ✓ Appliances (doors removed)
- ✓ Furniture and mattresses
- ✓ Passenger car tires (limit 8, rims removed)
- ✓ Metal items and rigid plastics
Not Accepted
- ✕ Bags and boxes (treated as extra trash)
- ✕ Commercial truck or tractor tires
- ✕ Items placed in an alley or under low power lines
The three annual collections are included in your standard ARR service fees. Extra unstickered trash bags left near bulk items will incur a $10.20 charge per bag.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Austin uses a 'slide' schedule for major holidays. If your collection day falls on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Day—or falls after the holiday in that same week—your pickup will slide one day later (e.g., Thursday moves to Friday, Friday to Saturday).
Yard Waste Exception
Composting, recycling, and on-demand pickups follow the exact same holiday slide protocol as standard garbage service.
ARR collection crews work regular schedules on all other holidays, including Independence Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, and Veterans Day. Your service will not be delayed on those days.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of Blue and Green Carts
Plastic films tangle recycling facility machinery and ruin organic compost batches. Keep your recyclables completely loose in the blue cart. For your green compost cart, use BPI-certified compostable bags, paper bags, or newspaper to line your kitchen collector instead of plastic.
Batteries Do Not Belong in Carts
Never place lithium-ion or standard batteries in any of your curbside carts. They are a severe fire hazard when crushed inside collection trucks. Austin residents can dispose of these safely by scheduling an on-demand Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) pickup or visiting the Drop-off Center.
Sort Paper Based on Cleanliness
While clean paper (like office paper and junk mail) belongs in your blue recycling cart, any paper soiled by food or grease (like paper plates, used napkins, or pizza boxes) should go straight into your green composting cart to break down naturally.
Seasonal Information
Summer
May - SeptemberDue to extreme Central Texas summer heat, Austin Resource Recovery routes often begin an hour earlier to protect workers. To avoid a missed pickup, it is strongly recommended that you set your carts at the curb after 8:00 p.m. the night before your collection day.
Winter
December - FebruaryDuring severe winter ice storms, ARR may delay or suspend garbage collection if local roads become unsafe for heavy trucks. Check the Austin Recycles app or the My Schedule portal for real-time weather disruption alerts and rescheduled dates.
Spring/Autumn
March - May, October - NovemberSeasonal yard cleanup generates large amounts of brush. If you have branches too big for the green cart, schedule one of your three annual on-demand brush collections. Ensure branches are between 5 and 15 feet long and stacked loosely with cut ends facing the street.
About Austin Waste Management
Austin's Three-Cart Pay-As-You-Throw System
Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) utilizes a comprehensive three-cart waste management system for residential households (one to four units). Residents receive a brown cart for standard trash, a blue cart for biweekly recycling, and a green cart for weekly composting. The city employs a 'pay-as-you-throw' billing model, meaning your monthly utility cost is directly tied to the size of your brown trash cart. This structure strongly encourages Austinites to divert waste into their recycling and compost bins to save money.
On-Demand Bulk, Brush, and HHW Collections
In early 2025, Austin modernized its bulk and brush collection by transitioning to a highly convenient on-demand model. Instead of waiting for a predetermined biannual neighborhood sweep, residents can now schedule up to three curbside collections per calendar year for each category: bulk items, large brush, and Household Hazardous Waste (HHW). Appointments are easily booked through the Austin Recycles app, the city's My Schedule portal, or by calling 3-1-1.
Weekly Composting: If It Grows, It Goes
Austin is deeply committed to its zero-waste goals, largely driven by its robust green cart composting program. Collected on the same day as your weekly trash, the green cart is the perfect destination for food scraps, yard trimmings, and food-soiled paper like greasy pizza boxes and used paper napkins. The guiding principle is simple: 'If it grows, it goes!' Keeping organic matter out of the landfill significantly reduces local greenhouse gas emissions.
Handling Extra Trash and Cart Exchanges
All household garbage must fit inside the closed brown cart. If you generate excess waste, you must purchase a $5 'Extra Trash Sticker' at a local grocery store and attach it to your overflow bag before setting it at the curb. Extra bags set out without this sticker will automatically incur a $10.20 per bag charge on your utility bill. Households that consistently overflow their bins should call ARR to upgrade to a larger cart size for a small monthly rate increase and a one-time exchange fee.
Drop-off Facilities
Austin Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center
2514 Business Center Drive, Austin, TX 78744
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How does bulk trash pickup work in Austin in 2026?
Austin now uses an on-demand system for bulk, brush, and household hazardous waste. You can schedule up to three collections per calendar year for each category. Use the Austin Recycles app or call 3-1-1 to set an appointment and place your items out by 5:30 a.m. on your scheduled date.
What happens to my trash schedule on Labor Day or the 4th of July?
Unlike many municipalities, Austin Resource Recovery runs normal routes on Labor Day, Independence Day (July 4th), Memorial Day, and Veterans Day. The only holidays that cause a one-day service delay are Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Can I leave extra bags of trash next to my brown cart?
Yes, but you must attach a $5 'Extra Trash Sticker' (available at local grocery stores) to each bag. If you set out an unstickered bag, ARR will still collect it, but a $10.20 charge per bag will be added to your utility bill.
What goes in Austin's green compost cart?
The green cart accepts all food scraps, yard trimmings, and food-soiled paper (like pizza boxes, paper towels, and coffee filters). A helpful rule to remember is 'If it grows, it goes.' Make sure to never include plastic bags, liquids, glass, or metals.