Durham picks up garbage weekly and recycling every other week. Holidays push pickup back a day. Bulky items by request, three free a week. 919-560-1200.
Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of Durham Solid Waste pages and the city’s own collection calendar.
The City of Durham’s Solid Waste Management Department empties the green garbage cart every week and the blue recycling cart every other week. Yard waste in the brown cart is an optional, paid service picked up every other week, in the same week as recycling. Couches, mattresses and other bulky items go only by request.
Who to call
- Durham One Call (missed pickups, bulky items, carts, yard waste sign-up): 919-560-1200, or the online request form
- Waste Disposal and Recycling Center, 2115 E. Club Blvd.: 919-560-4611
- Find your day: Your Collection Information or the free Durham Rollout app for iPhone and Android
Find your pickup day
There is no single citywide day. Type your street address into the city’s Your Collection Information page or the Durham Rollout app to see your garbage day, which recycling week you are on and, if you pay for it, your yard waste day. Both can send you a text or app reminder the night before, and the city posts service alerts through them when weather or staffing delays a route.
Setting out your carts
From the city’s Household Garbage page:
- Carts go to the curb no later than 5 a.m. on collection day. Bring them back within 24 hours.
- Most routes use automated trucks with a mechanical arm, so placement matters. The city’s “rule of 3s”: carts at least 3 feet apart, at least 3 feet from mailboxes, hydrants, trees and poles, and no more than 3 feet from the curb.
- Keep lids closed. One bag of overflow garbage may sit on top of the green cart.
- Do not block sidewalks or driveways, or park in front of the carts.
If a cart was not emptied by 4:30 p.m., first check that it went out on the right day. If a driver tagged it, fix the problem and call 919-560-1200 or wait for the next pickup. If it was not tagged, report the missed collection.
Holiday schedule
The city says holidays normally push collections back one business day. Its collection calendar, checked Oct. 11, marks these days for the rest of 2026:
| Holiday | What changes |
|---|---|
| Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11 | Marked on the calendar; check your address in the app |
| Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 26 | Thursday pickups move to Friday, Nov. 27 |
Earlier in 2026 the calendar moved pickups back a day for New Year’s Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day: on Labor Day week, Monday routes went out Tuesday and Tuesday routes Wednesday. City offices close Dec. 24 and 25, but the calendar showed Thursday, Dec. 24, pickups running as normal when we checked. The app is the final word for your street.
What goes in the blue cart
The city takes recycling loose in the blue cart; you do not sort it. From the Recycling page:
- Yes: flattened cardboard, clean dry paper, glass bottles and jars, metal cans, plastic bottles and containers. Rinse food residue off first.
- No: plastic bags (they jam the sorting machines), shredded paper, pizza boxes or other greasy boxes, hardback books, drinking glasses, mirrors, and anything over 2 feet long or 40 pounds. Bag recyclables only in brown paper bags.
A 1997 city ordinance makes it unlawful to throw “target recyclables” in the garbage: aluminum and steel cans, cardboard, glass bottles and jars, newspaper and plastic bottles. The city says contamination costs it more than $300,000 a year.
Bulky items
Bulky item pickup is by request only. One pickup a week of up to three items is free; more than three costs extra, and the city will call you about payment. Items go at the curb, clear of cars, mailboxes and fences. The trucks cannot collect from alleys. Building materials, car parts, electronics, tires, glass, propane tanks, televisions and loose leaves are not collected; take them to the disposal center.
Yard waste
Yard waste pickup costs $7.50 a month on your water bill ($90 a year), plus $1.50 a month for an extra cart. Sign up through Durham One Call at 919-560-1200. The brown cart holds leaves, grass, weeds, plant cuttings and sticks, under 175 pounds; put it out before 6 a.m. Up to 10 brown paper bags may sit next to it. Subscribers get two free bulky brush pickups a year, up to 4 cubic yards each. The service year runs to June 30 and renews July 1; you cannot cancel mid-year.
The disposal and drop-off center
The city’s Waste Disposal and Recycling Center, Yard Waste Facility and Household Hazardous Waste Center share one site at 2115 E. Club Blvd., open to city and county residents 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7:30 a.m. to noon Saturday. Be inside the gate 15 minutes before closing. Card or account only; no cash.
| Load (non-commercial, since July 1, 2025) | Trash | Yard waste |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger car | $5 | $2 |
| Minivan, station wagon or small SUV | $10 | $5 |
| Full-size van or SUV | $15 | $8 |
| Pickup, load below top of bed | $10 | $5 |
Residential amounts of recycling, cardboard, appliances, scrap metal, cooking oil and textiles are free, as are five or fewer tires. The hazardous waste center takes paint, garden chemicals, gasoline, batteries, fluorescent bulbs and electronics from households, but not medicine, needles, ammunition or smoke detectors.
What this means for you
- Look up your day once in the app and turn on reminders.
- Thanksgiving week, Thursday pickups run Friday, Nov. 27.
- Have a couch to go? Request it online; three items a week are free.
More: Durham County property taxes, power outages and who to call at City Hall.
Frequently asked questions
What day is trash pickup in Durham?
It depends on your address. Type your address into the city’s Your Collection Information page or the free Durham Rollout app to see your garbage day, your recycling week and your yard waste day.
Is recycling picked up every week in Durham?
No. The city empties the blue recycling cart every other week. Garbage in the green cart is picked up every week.
Does a holiday delay trash pickup in Durham?
The city says holidays normally push collection back one business day. On Thanksgiving, Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026, Thursday pickups move to Friday, Nov. 27.
How do I get a couch or mattress picked up in Durham?
Bulky item pickup is by request only. Submit a request online or call Durham One Call at 919-560-1200; up to three items a week are free.
How much does yard waste pickup cost in Durham?
Yard waste pickup is optional and costs $7.50 a month on your water bill, $90 a year. An extra brown cart is $1.50 a month.
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