Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Dallas
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.
Grey or Black Roll Cart Bin (Trash)
All trash must be bagged and fit inside the closed cart. Place cart at the curb or alley by 7:00 a.m. (no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the day before). Allow 3 feet of clearance.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Bagged cooled ashes
- ✓Bagged pet waste
Blue Roll Cart Bin (Recycling)
Items must be empty, clean, and loose (never bagged). The blue cart is collected weekly on the same day as your garbage.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and paperboard (flattened)
- ✓Newspaper and mixed paper
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Plastic containers (larger than 2 inches, max 1 gallon)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Yard waste
- ✕Electronics
- ✕Clothing and textiles
- ✕Food waste
Yard Waste Bin
Collected monthly during your assigned bulk/brush week. Yard trimmings must be in compostable paper bags. Keep brush piles separate from bulky household items.
Accepted Items
- ✓Tree limbs (under 8 inches diameter, 10 feet long)
- ✓Leaves (in paper bags)
- ✓Grass clippings (in paper bags)
- ✓Shrubbery
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Monthly (Specific week based on your zone)
Placement
Place items behind the curb line in front of your home (not in alleys) by 7:00 a.m. Monday of your collection week, but no earlier than the Thursday prior.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Appliances (Freon removed and tagged)
- ✓ Tree limbs
- ✓ Bagged leaves (in paper bags)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Electronics
- ✕ Construction debris (concrete, bricks, lumber)
- ✕ Automobile parts
- ✕ Appliances containing Freon
Setting out more than 10 cubic yards (without scheduling your annual 20-yard exception) will trigger an automatic bill of $60 per 5 cubic yards of overage.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Dallas uses a 'slide schedule' for major holidays. If your normal pickup falls on or after an observed holiday, your collection day will shift one day later for the rest of that week (e.g., Wednesday moves to Thursday).
Yard Waste Exception
Monthly brush and bulky item collections typically run as scheduled even during holiday weeks, though severe weather may alter these routes.
Most federal holidays, such as Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day, do not disrupt residential collection schedules. Place your carts out on your normal day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Blue Bin
Plastic grocery bags and trash bags are the number one contaminant in Dallas recycling facilities. They wrap around sorting gears and shut down the entire plant. Drop thin plastic bags at local grocery store recycling bins instead.
Size Matters for Recyclables
In Dallas, items must be the right size to be mechanically sorted. Mixed paper should be larger than a postcard, and plastic containers should be larger than 2 inches but no bigger than a one-gallon jug.
Ditch the Plastic for Yard Waste
During the monthly brush pickup, Dallas sanitation crews will not collect leaves or grass clippings packed in plastic bags. Always use 30-gallon compostable paper bags to ensure your yard waste is successfully processed.
Seasonal Information
Summer
June - SeptemberScorching Texas summers cause garbage odors to multiply quickly. Double-bag all food waste and promptly repair any cracks in your roll cart to prevent fly infestations and wildlife scavenging in your alleyway.
Autumn
October - DecemberFall leaf drop generates massive amounts of yard debris. Remember that you can request one free oversize brush collection (up to 20 cubic yards) per calendar year by calling 311 the week before your scheduled pickup.
Winter
January - FebruarySevere winter ice storms occasionally freeze Dallas alleyways and streets. In the event of a hard freeze, check the Dallas Sanitation App for collection delays and shifted service days to accommodate unsafe road conditions for heavy trucks.
About Dallas Waste Management
Automated Weekly Cart Collection
In Dallas, Texas, the Department of Sanitation Services manages residential waste for single-family homes through an automated roll cart system. Garbage and recycling are collected weekly using dedicated grey/black and blue roll carts. To ensure prompt service, residents must wheel their carts to the curb or approved alleyway by 7:00 a.m. on collection day, leaving at least three feet of clearance from obstacles like fences, gas meters, or parked cars. Carts should not be placed out earlier than 6:00 p.m. the evening prior.
Strict 10 Cubic Yard Bulk Limit
Dallas strictly enforces its monthly brush and bulky trash pickup rules. Each month during your neighborhood's designated week, you can set out a maximum of 10 cubic yards of bulk waste and brush—roughly the volume of a small pickup truck bed. Any piles exceeding this limit will be tagged by Code Compliance and automatically billed a non-compliant fee of $60 per 5 cubic yards. Once a year, however, residents can call 311 to request a free oversized collection of up to 20 cubic yards.
Paper Bags Required for Yard Trimmings
When preparing yard waste for the monthly brush collection, Dallas residents must ditch the plastic. Leaves, grass clippings, and small twigs must be placed inside large (30-gallon) compostable paper lawn bags. Plastic bags contaminate the clean green waste stream and disrupt the city's organic processing machinery. Brush piles that contain plastic bags will be skipped by collection crews, so always opt for paper or leave yard trimmings loose if they are large branches.
Handling Extra Trash and Cart Upgrades
The City of Dallas operates a closed-lid policy, meaning all household garbage must fit securely inside your assigned roll cart without extra bags piled on top or placed on the ground. If your household routinely exceeds the capacity of the standard garbage cart, you can request an additional cart from the Sanitation Department. Extra garbage carts are available for a supplemental monthly fee of $15.36.
The Dallas Sanitation App
Navigating holiday slide schedules and monthly bulk weeks is much simpler with the 'Dallas Sanitation App.' Available for iOS and Android, this digital tool provides personalized collection calendars, real-time service alerts during severe Texas weather, and a comprehensive 'Waste Wizard' to help you determine which items go in the blue recycling bin versus the trash.
Drop-off Facilities
McCommas Bluff Landfill
5100 Youngblood Road, Dallas, TX 75241
Materials Accepted
Dallas County Home Chemical Collection Center
11234 Plano Road, Dallas, TX 75243
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the new 10 cubic yard bulk limit in Dallas?
To improve neighborhood cleanliness, Dallas has capped monthly bulk and brush set-outs at 10 cubic yards (roughly the size of a small pickup truck bed). If you place more than this at the curb, you will be automatically billed a $60 fee per 5 cubic yards of overage. You can, however, call 311 to request a one-time annual pickup of up to 20 cubic yards for free.
How do I get rid of an old refrigerator in Dallas?
The City of Dallas bulk collection will pick up refrigerators, freezers, and AC units ONLY if the Freon refrigerant has been professionally removed by a certified technician and properly tagged. Without this tag, the city will not haul the appliance away.
Can I place my trash cart in the street?
No, roll carts should be placed just behind the curb line on the street side or in your approved alleyway, but never directly in the street where they block vehicular traffic or street sweepers. Always ensure the handles face your home.
Does my trash schedule change for Labor Day or July 4th?
No, the Dallas Department of Sanitation Services typically runs its normal residential routes on Labor Day, Independence Day, and Memorial Day. The only holidays that trigger a one-day delay are Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.