Charlotte is a major city and commercial hub located in North Carolina, United States. The City of Charlotte’s Solid Waste Management Department is responsible for managing the Charlotte Trash Schedule by providing weekly garbage and recycling services, along with curbside yard and bulk trash collection. All efforts are dedicated to ensuring cleanliness in the city of Charlotte.
However, the Solid Waste Management Department requires residents’ support to perform their duties efficiently. Residents must follow the Charlotte Trash Schedule and the rules provided by the Waste Management Department to maintain a clean and healthy environment in the city.
Find Your Collection Day
If you’re unsure of your collection day and want to know more about the Charlotte Trash Schedule, you will need to visit the geoportal system. The link for the geoportal system is provided below. Click the link, and you will find a search bar. Simply enter your complete address into the search bar and press the enter key. This way, you can discover your trash services as per the Charlotte Trash Schedule.
https://mcmap.org/geoportal/?q=trash
If you encounter difficulties while searching for your collection day using the method mentioned above, there is an alternative option. Click the link below, and you’ll get a trash and recycling collection calendar for 2024. Scroll down to the last page where you’ll find a QR code. Scan that code to find your collection day according to the Charlotte Trash Schedule.
Garbage Collections
According to the Charlotte Trash Schedule, place your cart at the curbside by 6 AM on your scheduled collection day. Be sure to put your trash in a bag before placing it in the garbage cart to reduce litter. Place your cart with the lid facing the street, ensuring there is a distance of 5 feet on both sides of the cart to make it easier for the automatic collection truck to access it.
Do not overfill your garbage cart. Only place carts with closed lids at the curbside because if your trash is spilling out and the lid cannot close, this may lead to missed trash collection. Do not place your cart in an obstructed location, and keep it away from obstacles such as poles, mailboxes, and parked cars. Roll your cart back the same night after your collection day to maintain tidiness.
Recycling Collections
Recycling services are provided every two weeks to help reduce the amount of waste in Charlotte. Place your recycling cart at the curbside alongside your garbage cart to ensure collection as per the Charlotte Trash Schedule. Place all recyclable materials loosely in the cart and avoid using plastic bags, as they cause problems in the recycling process. Place only empty, clean, and dry items in the recycling cart to prevent spillage and litter.
Recycling materials include glass bottles and jars, plastic (#1, #2, #4, #5, and #7) bottles and jars (with caps on), plastic containers with lids, metal cans, paper, cardboard, and aluminum and steel cans (rinsed clean). Do not place any contaminants in the recycling cart. If the collection crew finds any irrelevant material in your recycling cart, it could result in missed trash collection.
Missed Trash Collection
If your trash is missed during collection, it can be a hassle and difficult to manage. In this situation, you can report a missed trash collection. To report it, call 704.336.7600. You will be asked for basic information such as your name, address, and street number. They will then schedule a pickup for the next business day in accordance with the Charlotte Trash Schedule.
Bulk Trash Collections
Bulk trash refers to items that cannot fit into your regular trash cart and require special handling, such as broken furniture, mattresses, and home appliances. If you have bulk items that need disposal, you must first schedule a special pickup. To schedule bulk pickup, click the link below and fill out the provided form.
https://servicerequest.charlottenc.gov/service/BULKITEM
There are specific rules for placing bulk trash at the curbside. For example, avoid blocking sidewalks, and keep bulk piles away from water lines and static obstacles such as poles and mailboxes. If you need to cancel bulk collection services, contact 311 a day before your collection day to cancel.
Yard Waste Collections
Yard trash carts will be serviced weekly along with residential trash collection. Yard waste includes trimmed branches and limbs from trees and shrubs, grass clippings, fallen fruit, leaves, weeds, and palm fronds. The city provides a 40-gallon or smaller bin for yard waste that will be collected weekly on the same day as garbage and recycling collection according to the Charlotte Trash Schedule.
Place all yard trash in the provided bin. If it cannot fit, use biodegradable bags for leaves and clippings, and place them at the curbside. If your yard trash includes tree branches, cut them into lengths of 6 feet with a diameter of 4 inches, tie them into bundles, and place the bundle at the curbside for collection.
Holidays Collection Schedule
Certain holidays will affect the normal Charlotte Trash Schedule. For instance, if a holiday falls on your regular collection day, trash services will be delayed by one day, and carts will be serviced on the next business day. If the holiday falls on a Monday, Monday’s trash will be collected on Tuesday, and Tuesday’s trash will be collected on Wednesday. This delay continues throughout the week until Friday, with Friday’s trash being collected on Saturday.
| Holidays | When (Date & Day) | Change in Trash and Recycling Collection Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | January 15, 2024 (Monday) | No trash collection on Monday. Collection will occur on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. |
| Juneteenth Day | June 19, 2024 (Wednesday) | No trash collection on Wednesday. Collection will occur on Thursday, June 20, 2024. |
| Thanksgiving Day | November 28, 2024 (Thursday) | No trash collection on Thursday. Collection will occur on Friday, November 29, 2024. |
| Christmas Day | December 25, 2024 (Wednesday) | No trash collection on Wednesday. Collection will occur on Thursday, December 26, 2024. |
