Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Garland
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.
Green Cart Bin (Trash)
All trash inside the green cart must be bagged to prevent windblown litter during the automated dumping process. The lid must be completely closed. Extra bags placed on the ground will not be collected.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Small broken household items
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
Recycling is collected bi-weekly based on a Blue/Yellow zone map. Keep recyclables loose, clean, and dry. Do not place items in plastic garbage bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Paper, newspaper, and junk mail
Do NOT Include
- ✕Styrofoam and packing peanuts
- ✕Plastic bags and air pillows
- ✕Holiday lights and shiny wrapping paper
- ✕Glittery cards and ribbons
Yard Waste Bin
Leaves and grass clippings must be bagged. Tree limbs and unbagged brush must be placed in a separate, distinct pile at least four feet away from other bulky goods and carts at the curb.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged leaves and grass
- ✓Tree trunks and limbs (4 to 7 feet in length)
- ✓Brush
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly (on your regular trash day)
Placement
Place items at the curb no earlier than 6 p.m. the day before pickup (except tree limbs, which can be placed anytime). Do not place under power lines or low branches.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and mattresses
- ✓ Appliances
- ✓ Bagged grass and leaves
- ✓ Tree limbs (4-7 feet long)
- ✓ Fencing (cut to manageable lengths, under 40 lbs, no concrete)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Roofing materials
- ✕ Masonry, asphalt, concrete, and rocks
- ✕ Tires and dirt
- ✕ Pallets
- ✕ Paint, propane tanks, and household chemicals
Curbside collection is free. Items weighing over 40 lbs (like heavy boxed debris) will not be collected manually. Self-hauling to the Transfer Station requires a tarp or a $20 fee applies.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
The City of Garland typically does not disrupt trash and recycling collection for many holidays, such as Independence Day, Memorial Day, and MLK Jr. Day. For major holidays where the landfill closes (like Thanksgiving or Christmas), service may shift one day later.
Yard Waste Exception
Brush and bulky goods follow the exact same holiday schedule as your standard green garbage cart.
Always check the City of Garland website for specific holiday announcements. When self-hauling on a holiday, note that the Transfer Station and Landfill may have altered hours or be closed.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Blue Cart
Never place your recyclables inside plastic grocery bags or black trash bags. Plastic films, air pillows, and bubble wrap tangle the sorting gears at the recycling facility. Keep your recyclables completely loose in the blue cart.
Ditch the Holiday Tanglers and Glitter
During the holidays, remember that holiday lights, shiny metallic wrapping paper, and glittery greeting cards are strictly prohibited in the blue recycling cart. Donate holiday lights or throw them in your green trash cart.
No Construction Debris in Carts
Do not place heavy construction materials like concrete, bricks, asphalt, dirt, or roofing shingles in your green cart or bulky pile. These materials will damage collection trucks and must be handled via a commercial roll-off dumpster.
Seasonal Information
Spring
March - MaySpring storms often bring down tree limbs. Remember that tree limbs are the only bulky item allowed to be placed at the front curb any day of the week. Ensure branches are kept between 4 and 7 feet in length for easy collection.
Summer
June - AugustSummer home renovations generate excess debris. Garland permits remodeling debris pickup for residents who performed the work themselves, but this specific collection is limited to four times per calendar year.
Year-Round
January - DecemberFollowing heavy rain events, wet materials (like mattresses or saturated boxes) may become too heavy for crews to lift (exceeding 40 lbs). The city may leave these items behind with a tag, requiring you to let them dry out before calling for a re-collection.
About Garland Waste Management
Weekly Integrated Brush and Bulky Goods Collection
Unlike many Texas cities that limit heavy trash collection to once a month, the City of Garland offers a highly convenient weekly brush and bulky goods pickup. This service occurs on the exact same day as your regular household garbage collection. To ensure service, residents must separate organic brush from man-made bulky waste into distinct piles placed at least four feet apart. While bulky items cannot be placed at the curb earlier than 6 p.m. the day before collection, tree limbs are an exception and may be set out any day of the week.
Automated Green and Blue Cart Services
Garland's residential solid waste system utilizes automated collection trucks. Residents receive a green cart for weekly household trash and a blue cart for bi-weekly single-stream recycling. Carts must be placed at the designated collection point—near the driveway, at the front curb, or within three feet of the alley's edge—by 7:00 a.m. on your scheduled day. Ensure the wheels face the house and leave a minimum of four feet of clearance between multiple carts to allow the mechanical arms to operate safely.
Free Transfer Station and Landfill Access
Garland residents benefit from free access to the City of Garland Transfer Station (on Commerce Street) and the C.M. Hinton Jr. Regional Landfill (in Rowlett) for self-hauling excess trash, brush, and bulky items. To utilize this free perk, you must present a valid Texas driver's license and a matching, current utility bill. Crucially, all loads must be fully secured and covered with a suitable tarp before arrival; the city strictly enforces a $20 surcharge for any untarped vehicles.
Strict Weight Limits for Boxed Debris and Fencing
While the city collects large furniture, smaller loose debris such as broken glass or sheetrock must be safely boxed and labeled. To protect sanitation workers, no individual box may weigh more than 40 pounds. Similarly, if you are disposing of an old wooden fence, the sections must be cut down to manageable lengths that weigh under 40 pounds each, and all concrete must be removed from the fence posts prior to placing them at the curb.
Collections Assistance for Eligible Residents
The City of Garland provides a specialized Collections Assistance program for solid waste customers who are physically or visually impaired. If a resident does not have a household member or employee capable of placing the green and blue carts at the curb, they can apply through Utility Customer Services to receive free roll-out assistance from city sanitation staff.
Drop-off Facilities
City of Garland Transfer Station & Residential Recycling Center
1426 Commerce St, Garland, TX 75040
Materials Accepted
C.M. Hinton Jr. Regional Landfill
3175 Elm Grove Road, Rowlett, TX 75089
Materials Accepted
Dallas County Home Chemical Collection Center
11234 Plano Road, Dallas, TX 75243
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn't the city pick up my bulky waste or brush pile?
Garland sanitation crews may leave a tag and skip your pile for several reasons: your brush was mixed with bulky furniture (they must be 4 feet apart), individual boxes/items weighed over 40 pounds, the items were placed under low-hanging wires, or the materials were wet from rain and became too heavy to lift.
Do I really need to use a tarp when driving to the Garland Transfer Station?
Yes. Per City of Garland Code of Ordinances, any vehicle arriving at a city-managed disposal facility without a suitably secured cover (tarp) placed over the load will be assessed an automatic $20 surcharge. This prevents dangerous roadway litter.
How do I throw away an old wooden fence in Garland?
Garland will collect old fencing at the curb, provided you follow strict guidelines. You must cut the fencing into manageable sections that weigh no more than 40 pounds each. You must also remove all concrete from the fence posts before setting them out. Hinges and nails can remain.
Is trash collected on holidays like the 4th of July or Memorial Day?
Yes, typically. The City of Garland does not disrupt trash, recycling, or bulk collection for most federal holidays, including Independence Day, Memorial Day, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Collections only shift for a few major holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, when the landfill is closed.