Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for El Paso
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.
Gray Cart Bin (Trash)
Trash must be bagged and fit entirely inside the gray cart with the lid closed. Place at the curb by 6:00 a.m. Ensure it is 3 feet from other carts and 5 feet from fixed obstacles.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Bagged pet waste
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
Collected every other week. Recyclables must be empty, rinsed, dry, and loose in the cart. Do not bag recyclables in plastic.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and paperboard (flattened)
- ✓Paper, mail, and magazines
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Plastics #1 and #2 (bottles and jugs)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass bottles and jars
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Pizza boxes
- ✕Yard waste
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, wires)
Yard Waste Bin
El Paso does not offer a dedicated curbside organics or yard waste bin. Yard debris must be treated as bulky waste for a fee-based special pickup or dropped off for free at a Citizen Collection Station.
Accepted Items
- ✓Brush
- ✓Tree trunks
- ✓Branches
- ✓Other green waste
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
On-Demand (Fee-based)
Placement
Place items at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your scheduled pickup date. Keep them at least 5 feet away from your gray and blue bins, water meters, and parked cars.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Furniture and carpet
- ✓ Empty appliances
- ✓ Lumber and pallets
- ✓ Brush and tree branches
Not Accepted
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Dirt, rocks, or concrete
- ✕ Hazardous materials
- ✕ Electronics
- ✕ Automobile parts or chassis
The fee is $35.00 for up to 5 cubic yards, and $7.00 for each additional cubic yard. This charge is billed directly to your El Paso Water Utilities account.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
The ESD only suspends collection on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. If your pickup falls on a Thursday or Friday holiday, your service will move to a make-up day, typically the following Monday.
Yard Waste Exception
Because El Paso has no regular curbside yard waste service, this is not impacted. Note that recycling bins are generally not collected on holiday make-up days.
For all other holidays, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, the ESD runs regular routes. Place your carts out on your normal scheduled day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Glass Out of the Blue Bin
The City of El Paso strictly prohibits glass in curbside blue bins, as shattered glass degrades other recyclables and damages processing equipment. Safely pack your glass bottles and jars and take them to a Citizen Collection Station.
Check the Plastic Number
Not all plastics are recyclable in El Paso. The ESD only accepts plastic jugs and bottles stamped with a #1 or #2. Items like plastic clamshells, yogurt cups, and styrofoam must go into the gray trash bin.
Never Bag Your Recyclables
Keep your recyclables loose. Thin plastic garbage bags or grocery bags wrap around the sorting gears at the recycling center, causing severe mechanical jams. Dump your recyclables directly from a reusable indoor bin into the blue cart.
Seasonal Information
Spring
March - MaySpring in the Chihuahuan Desert brings high winds. During wind advisories, wait until the morning of your collection day (before 6:00 a.m.) to set out your bins to prevent them from tipping over and blowing litter across your neighborhood.
Summer
June - SeptemberScorching El Paso summers can cause your gray trash bin to smell quickly. Ensure all food waste and pet waste are tightly double-bagged, and periodically rinse out your carts with a hose to prevent pest infestations.
Year-Round
January - DecemberIf you are cleaning out the garage, remember that the Citizen Collection Stations host a 'Country Store' where you can drop off gently used items (like toys or furniture) and pick up usable household products (like cleaners or paint) for free.
About El Paso Waste Management
El Paso's Automated Gray and Blue Cart System
The Environmental Services Department (ESD) provides weekly garbage collection via 96-gallon gray bins and biweekly recycling via blue bins for El Paso residents. Carts must be set at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on the scheduled service day. To ensure the automated trucks can safely lift the bins, place them with the lid opening facing the street, ensuring three feet of spacing between carts and a five-foot clearance from mailboxes, parked cars, or fences.
Free Drop-Offs at Citizen Collection Stations (CCS)
To combat illegal dumping in the Chihuahuan Desert, El Paso offers five Citizen Collection Stations where residents can drop off extra trash, bulky items, hazardous waste, and recyclables for free. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., these facilities allow up to four visits per month per household. You must present a recent El Paso Water Utilities bill and a matching photo ID to gain entry.
Scheduling Special Bulky Waste Pickups
Unlike municipalities that offer routine monthly bulk sweeps, El Paso provides a fee-based bulky item and brush collection service on demand. Residents can schedule a special pickup by calling 311 or the ESD directly. For a baseline fee of $35 (covering up to 5 cubic yards), crews will remove furniture, appliances, and bundled green waste from your curb. This charge is conveniently added directly to your monthly water utility bill.
Strict Rules for the Blue Recycling Bin
El Paso's curbside recycling program targets specific high-value materials: clean cardboard, paper, aluminum cans, and plastics stamped with a #1 or #2. Contamination is a serious issue, so residents are repeatedly reminded never to bag their recyclables. Furthermore, glass of any kind is strictly prohibited from the blue bins and should instead be transported to a CCS drop-off point to protect sorting machinery.
The ESD Works For You Mobile App
Navigating the biweekly recycling schedule and holiday delays is effortless with the city's official 'ESD Works For You' app. Designed specifically for El Pasoans, the app sends customized reminders straight to your phone. It also allows you to seamlessly report a damaged cart, order a replacement, request a bulky item pickup, or use the interactive Waste Wizard to figure out exactly how to dispose of tricky items.
Drop-off Facilities
Northeast Citizen Collection Station
4501 Hondo Pass Dr, El Paso, TX 79904
Materials Accepted
Eastside Citizen Collection Station (Confederate Dr)
3510 Confederate Dr, El Paso, TX 79936
Materials Accepted
Greater El Paso Landfill
2600 Darrington Rd, El Paso, TX 79928
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the City of El Paso accept glass in the blue recycling bins?
No. Glass bottles and jars are strictly prohibited in El Paso's curbside blue recycling bins. Residents who want to recycle glass must take it to one of the five Citizen Collection Stations located throughout the city.
How do I get rid of an old mattress or couch in El Paso?
You have two options: You can drop it off for free at any Citizen Collection Station (up to 4 visits per month with your water bill and ID), or you can call the ESD at 915-212-6000 to schedule a special curbside pickup. The curbside pickup costs $35 for up to 5 cubic yards and will be added to your water bill.
Why was my gray trash bin skipped?
The most common reasons for a missed pickup are placing the bin out after 6:00 a.m., placing it too close to an obstacle (it needs 5 feet of clearance from cars and 3 feet from other bins), facing it backward, or having a lid that isn't completely closed.
How many times can I visit the Citizen Collection Stations?
Residential households are allowed a maximum of 4 visits per month to the Citizen Collection Stations. You must bring a current El Paso Water Utilities bill and a matching photo ID to enter the facility.