Austin, TX trash pickup schedule

Austin trash and recycling: who collects, how often, how to find your pickup day, and what changes on holidays in 2026.

Population 1,002,632 (Census 2025 estimate)Last checked October 30, 2026Not affiliated with any city, county or hauler.

Contents10 sections

Quick answer

Who collects	The city collects City department Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) collects from single-family homes and multifamily properties of up to four units; properties with five or more units use a private hauler.¹
How often	Trash weekly, recycling every other week, yard waste weekly, same day as trash (green composting cart)¹
Set out	at the curb by 5:30 a.m. on collection day, carts five feet apart²
Your pickup day	Address lookup: austintexas.gov. App: Austin Recycles
Holidays	The city publishes a rule, not a dated list: see the holiday rule.

Bulk items: By appointment (details). Drop-off sites: 2 listed (hours and fees).

Austin holiday trash schedule 2026

City’s rule	Collection slides one day later if the collection day falls on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or New Year's Day, or after the holiday in the same week; no slide when the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday.⁸
Official notice	austintexas.gov⁸

No dated list of holidays is published for Austin; the holiday delay checker shows the rule above for each upcoming holiday.

Check your own day for the next three holidays with the holiday delay checker, or download a pickup calendar.

Sources: View your Recycling, Composting and Trash Schedule Last checked October 30, 2026 Report a change

Bulk trash pickup in Austin

How it works	By appointment⁵
How to request	Schedule on-demand bulk (also brush, HHW, clothing/textiles) online at austintexas.gov/myschedule, in the Austin Recycles app, or by calling 3-1-1; set items out by 5:30 a.m. on the appointment date. Appointments cannot be changed, only cancelled and rebooked.⁵
Limits	Up to three collections per service per calendar year; passenger car tires limited to 8 per household (rims removed)⁵
Fees	No extra charge; included in the monthly base fee of the solid waste bill⁹
Accepted	Appliances (remove doors)⁵ Carpet (household)⁵ Doors⁵ Furniture⁵ Lawn mowers (remove gas/oil)⁵ Nail-free lumber⁵ Pallets⁵ Passenger car tires (remove rims; limit 8 tires per household)⁵ Railroad ties (cut in half)⁵ Rolled fencing⁵
Not accepted	Automotive chassis and bodies⁵ Boats⁵ Brush⁵ Cardboard boxes⁵ Carpet (from construction/demolition)⁵ Hazardous materials⁵ Household trash⁵ Mirrors⁵ Motorcycles⁵ Sheet glass and other construction and remodeling debris⁵ Tile (whole or broken)⁵ Tires that are still mounted on rims⁵ Trailers⁵
Set out	By 5:30 a.m. on the appointment date, in three piles (metal/rigid plastics, non-metal, tires), 5 ft from carts/mailbox/obstacles; not in alleys, vacant lots or bags⁵

Sources: On-demand Bulk, Brush, Household Hazardous Waste, and Clot…, Residential Services Rates and Fees Last checked October 30, 2026 Report a change

Recycling in Austin

Pickup	every other week¹
Type	single-stream³
Glass	accepted in cart³
Plastics	Hard plastic: bottles, jugs, cups, tubs, food containers, jars (with lids attached), coat hangers, outdoor furniture, non-battery toys; no bags or film; no items smaller than 3 inches¹⁰

Accepted

Catalogs and magazines³
Coated paper products (cups, plates and takeout food containers)³
Food and beverage cartons (aseptic and gable top)³
Junk mail and envelopes³
Newspapers³
Non-foil wrapping paper³
Aluminum foil (balled 2 inches or larger)³
Steel and tin cans³
Bottles and bottle caps (labels can be left on containers)³
Jars and caps (labels can be left on containers)³
Cardboard boxes, broken down into roughly 2'x2' squares³
Glossy paper³
Buckets and baskets³
Jars and tubs³
Lawn chairs³
Non-battery toys³
Beverage bottles³
Aluminum foil baking pans³
Boxes³
Toilet paper and paper towel rolls³

Not accepted

Plastic bags, trash bags, plastic film and wrap³
Styrofoam³
Batteries³
Electronics³
Clothing and housewares³
Medical waste (e.g. syringes and sharp containers)³
Partially full or full aerosol cans (empty aerosol cans can be recycled)³
Sealed gas containers such as propane and helium tanks³
Textiles³
Water hoses³
Wood³
Straws, loose bottle caps, plastic items smaller than 3 inches, plasticware¹⁰

Programs

Extra recycling collected free beside the cart in a reusable container or cardboard box; additional blue cart free on request (512-494-9400)³

Sources: Residential Services, Residential Curbside Recycling Collection, Which plastics can (and can't) be recycled curbside (ARR b… Last checked October 30, 2026 Report a change

Yard waste, food scraps and seasonal pickups

Yard waste pickup	Yes⁴
Season	year-round¹
How often	weekly, same day as trash (green composting cart)¹
Rules	Green cart plus up to 15 extra items beside it: paper lawn and leaf bags or reusable containers (max 34 gallons, 50 lb) and piles of small branches (max 5 ft long, 3 in diameter, 30 lb). No plastic bags (treated as trash with extra fees). Larger brush via on-demand brush collection (3 per year).⁴
Food scraps	Accepted in green cart, including meat, dairy, seafood and bones⁴
Christmas trees	2026-27: starting December 26, curbside customers set natural trees out by 5:30 a.m. on their composting collection day (no flocking, decorations, stands or bags; trees 6 ft+ cut in half). Zilker Park drop-off event 2026 dates to be announced (2025-26 season: Dec 28, 2025 and Jan 3, 2026, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.). Free drop-off also at Hornsby Bend for Austin/Travis County residents.¹²
Leaf collection	Leaves go in the green composting cart or in paper lawn and leaf bags beside it (part of the 15-extra-item allowance); no separate leaf program published⁴

Sources: Residential Services, Residential Curbside Composting Collection, Holiday Tree Recycling Last checked October 30, 2026 Report a change

Drop-off sites: landfill, recycling and hazardous waste

Recycle and Reuse Center

Type	Household hazardous waste
Run by	The city
Address	Not published by the city (official page)
Hours	Not published by the city (official page)
Fees	Free for Austin and Travis County residents except tires ($6 per tire); fees for non-residents⁷
Who can use it	Austin and Travis County residents; appointment required (online or Austin Recycles app); no business hazardous waste⁷
Accepts	HHW, electronics and appliances, many recyclables (plastic bags/film, Styrofoam, scrap metal); not furniture, mattresses, trash, brush⁷

Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant (yard trimmings and large brush)

Type	Compost / yard waste site
Run by	city (Austin Water)
Address	2210 FM 973, Austin, TX · Map¹¹
Hours	8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Saturday¹¹
Fees	From October 1, 2026: $9.80 per cubic yard, up to six cubic yards per day; cards/contactless only, no cash. Holiday trees: free for Austin/Travis County residents.¹¹
Who can use it	Austin and Travis County residents (stated on the composting page); government-issued photo ID required¹¹

Item guides: Mattress · Couch and furniture · Appliances · Paint · Batteries · Electronics · Tires · Motor oil · Christmas tree.

Sources: Residential Curbside Composting Collection, Recycle and Reuse Center, Yard Trimmings and Large Brush Drop Off Last checked October 30, 2026 Report a change

Missed pickup and contacts

Missed pickup form	austintexas.gov²
Phone	(512) 494-9400 (cart exchanges / Austin Resource Recovery)¹
311	Austin 3-1-1 (512-974-2000)⁵
Official website	austintexas.gov¹

Sources: Residential Services, Residential Curbside Trash Collection, On-demand Bulk, Brush, Household Hazardous Waste, and Clot… Last checked October 30, 2026 Report a change

Nearby cities

All Texas cities: Texas trash pickup schedules.

Austin trash pickup FAQ

What day is trash picked up in Austin?

Trash is collected weekly. Austin does not use one citywide day: your day depends on your address. Look it up with the city’s address lookup (austintexas.gov) or the Austin Recycles app.

How do I get rid of bulky items in Austin?

By appointment. Schedule on-demand bulk (also brush, HHW, clothing/textiles) online at austintexas.gov/myschedule, in the Austin Recycles app, or by calling 3-1-1; set items out by 5:30 a.m. on the appointment date. Appointments cannot be changed, only cancelled and rebooked. Fees: No extra charge; included in the monthly base fee of the solid waste bill.

Does Austin recycle glass?

Glass: accepted in cart.

How do I report a missed trash pickup in Austin?

Use the city’s online form (austintexas.gov) or call (512) 494-9400 (cart exchanges / Austin Resource Recovery).

Sources

1
Residential ServicesCity · austintexas.gov · checked October 30, 2026
2
Residential Curbside Trash CollectionCity · austintexas.gov · checked October 30, 2026
3
Residential Curbside Recycling CollectionCity · austintexas.gov · checked October 30, 2026
4
Residential Curbside Composting CollectionCity · austintexas.gov · checked October 30, 2026
5
On-demand Bulk, Brush, Household Hazardous Waste, and Clothing and Textiles CollectionCity · austintexas.gov · checked October 30, 2026
6
Proper Set-out Guidelines for Residential Curbside ServicesCity · austintexas.gov · checked October 30, 2026
7
Recycle and Reuse CenterCity · austintexas.gov · checked October 30, 2026
8
View your Recycling, Composting and Trash ScheduleCity · austintexas.gov · checked October 30, 2026
9
Residential Services Rates and FeesCity · austintexas.gov · checked October 30, 2026
10
Which plastics can (and can't) be recycled curbside (ARR blog, May 5, 2026)City · austintexas.gov · checked October 30, 2026
11
Yard Trimmings and Large Brush Drop OffCity · austintexas.gov · checked October 30, 2026
12
Holiday Tree RecyclingCity · austintexas.gov · checked October 30, 2026
13
'Tis the Season for Holiday Tree Recycling (news release, Dec 22, 2025)City · austintexas.gov · checked October 30, 2026
14
Garbage Routes (GarbageRecycle2015RR) dataset, Austin Open DataCity · data.austintexas.gov · checked October 30, 2026

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Second-pass verification against every source: October 30, 2026. Not affiliated with any city, county or hauler.