Denver trash & recycling schedule
At a glance
| Trash | Weekly trash in your city cart, out by 6 a.m. on your day. Verified 2026-10-15 · denvergov.org · source |
|---|---|
| Curbside | Carts / LIP by 6:00 a.m. collection day (collect through 5:00 p.m. window stated for cart set-out). Checklist Verified 2026-10-15 · denvergov.org · source |
| Recycling | Every other week purple cart on the same day as trash; recyclables loose in the cart. Verified 2026-10-15 · denvergov.org · source |
| Bulk | Large Item Pickup (LIP) every 9 weeks on your regular trash day — max 5 large items + up to 10 bags. Bulk page Verified 2026-10-15 · denvergov.org · source |
| Hauler | Waste Management |
| Contacts | 3-1-1 or 720-913-1311; or 720-913-1311 TTY 720-913-8479; billing phone 303-446-3733 Verified 2026-10-15 · denvergov.org · source |
Curbside
Curbside checklist
City rules before collection day. Confirm with the city if anything looks off.
When
Carts / LIP by 6:00 a.m. collection day (collect through 5:00 p.m. window stated for cart set-out).
Where
Curb: cart in street adjacent to curb, front facing street.
Limits
Trash = city cart size (35/65/95).
Not allowed
Trash: no C&D/remodel debris.
Bags
Trash in cart (extra bags only with LIP under bag rules).
Verified 2026-10-15 · denvergov.org · source
Add curbside reminder to Google CalendarFind your pickup day
Verified 2026-10-15 · denvergov.org · source
Holidays
| Holiday | Date | Shift |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving 2026 | 2026-11-26 | Thanksgiving week: trash and scheduled recycling run Monday–Wednesday only. |
| Christmas 2026 | 2026-12-25 | No collection Friday, Dec. 25. |
| New Year's Day 2026 | 2026-01-01 | — |
| Memorial Day 2026 | 2026-05-25 | — |
| Independence Day 2026 | 2026-07-03 | — |
| Labor Day 2026 | 2026-09-07 | — |
If a weekday holiday falls on your route, that day and later routes that week usually run one day late.
Verified 2026-10-15 · denvergov.org · source
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Full details for Denver: every rule, with sources
- Trash
- Weekly trash in your city cart, out by 6 a.m. on your day. Recycling every other week; compost included. City and County of Denver Solid Waste Management. Weekly residential trash in city carts (35 / 65 / 95-gal); billed by trash cart size. Recycling and compost included at no extra cart fee. Day/set-out location by address via Schedules & Reminders / Denver Trash and Recycling app / denvergov.org/TrashSchedule. Carts out 6:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. service day; late set-outs aren't re-serviced. May set out night before; return carts to property within 1 day after collection. Store carts on property (not alley/street) between collections. No construction/demolition/remodeling material in trash collection.
- Recycling
- Every other week same day as trash/compost in city purple cart (A/B week via Wastewise 2026 newsletter / schedule lookup). Single-stream; recyclables loose — no plastic bags. Accepted (Accepted for Recycling / Recycling Service FAQ): plastic containers labeled #1–6 ; aluminum & steel cans; clean balled foil / pie trays; glass bottles & jars; flattened cardboard/paperboard (ship boxes ≤2 ft × 2 ft); cartons; mixed paper/mail/magazines/newspaper/paper cups. Not: plastic bags/soft plastics, Styrofoam, scrap metal, ceramics/window glass, shredded paper, electronics, HHW, yard waste in recycle. Contaminated carts may not be collected; repeat contamination may lose cart. Excess recycle → Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-off (Denver residents).
- Bulk pickup
- Large Item Pickup (LIP) every 9 weeks on regular trash day — max 5 large items + up to 10 bags (bags ≤32 gal / ≤50 lb; no cardboard boxes or non-city containers). Items out by 6:00 a.m.; ≥2 ft from carts/cars/poles. Store LIP on property until collection day — early set-out = illegal dumping. Acceptable examples: furniture, large toys, non-electric bikes, rugs, exercise equipment, bundled branches ≤4 ft / ≤4 in dia (max 10 bundles/LIP), mattresses/box springs bagged/wrapped. Not LIP: e-waste, C&D (concrete/bricks/fencing/pallets), auto materials, unbundled branches/stumps/dirt/sod, HHW (paint/batteries/tires), appliances, loose trash. Appliances: separate free appointment collection via 311 (stoves, water heaters, washers/dryers, Freon units, etc.).
- Curbside: when
- Carts / LIP by 6:00 a.m. collection day (collect through 5:00 p.m. window stated for cart set-out). Night-before OK; return carts within 1 day after.
- Curbside: where
- Curb: cart in street adjacent to curb, front facing street. Alley: front facing alley; ≥4 ft from trash containers/fences/cars/obstructions; don't block neighbor access. ≥2 ft clearance each side of carts; lid closed; not overfilled/too heavy. LIP ≥2 ft from carts. Address-specific set-out via schedule tool / 311.
- Curbside: limits
- Trash = city cart size (35/65/95). LIP: 5 large items + 10 bags (32 gal / 50 lb). Branch bundles for LIP: ≤4 ft / ≤4 in dia / ≤50 lb; max 10 bundles. Residents dispose of stumps and branches over 4 in / 4 ft (licensed haulers). Second recycle cart free on request.
- Curbside: brush
- LIP: tied bundles ≤4 ft / ≤4 in dia / ≤50 lb (max 10). Smaller branches may go to compost stream / Cherry Creek drop-off per city branch rules — not in trash/recycle carts.
- Curbside: not allowed
- Trash: no C&D/remodel debris. LIP bans: e-waste, C&D, auto, HHW, appliances, unbundled brush/dirt/sod, loose trash. Recycle bans: bags, soft plastics, Styrofoam, non-containers, etc. HHW/paint/batteries/e-waste via city diversion programs — not curb trash/recycle.
- Curbside: bags
- Trash in cart (extra bags only with LIP under bag rules). Recyclables loose in purple cart. LIP loose items bagged per 32 gal / 50 lb rule; mattresses wrapped.
- Curbside: fees and fines
- Illegal dumping / carts left in ROW may draw enforcement (illegal dump reporting via 311). Specific set-out fine amounts are not listed on the Schedules / LIP pages — report issues via 311. Contaminated recycle carts may be skipped / removed.
- Holidays
- Thanksgiving 2026 (2026-11-26): Thanksgiving week: trash and scheduled recycling run Monday–Wednesday only. Monday and Tuesday customers set out by 6 a.m. Mon., Nov. 23; Wednesday customers by 6 a.m. Tue., Nov. 24; Thursday customers by 6 a.m. Wed., Nov. 25. No compost that week; Large Item Pickup moves to the week of Nov. 30.
- Christmas 2026 (2026-12-25): No collection Friday, Dec. 25. Friday pickups move to Saturday, Dec. 26.
- New Year's Day 2026 (2026-01-01): shift not yet confirmed
- Memorial Day 2026 (2026-05-25): shift not yet confirmed
- Independence Day 2026 (2026-07-03): shift not yet confirmed
- Labor Day 2026 (2026-09-07): shift not yet confirmed
2026 Observed holidays — Solid Waste closed; collections delayed one day for rest of that week only: New Year’s Day (Thu Jan 1), Memorial Day (Mon May 25), Independence Day Observed (Fri Jul 3), Labor Day (Mon Sep 7), Christmas Day (Fri Dec 25). Thanksgiving week: trash + scheduled recycling only Mon–Wed with shifted set-out (Mon/Tue customers out by 6 a.m. Mon Nov 23; Wed customers by 6 a.m. Tue Nov 24; Thu customers by 6 a.m. Wed Nov 25); compost suspended that week; LIP for Thanksgiving week → following week of Nov 30; Cherry Creek Drop-off closed Nov 26–30. Working holidays (regular day, no delay): MLK (Mon Jan 19), Presidents’ Day (Mon Feb 16), Si Se Puede Day (Mon Mar 30), Juneteenth (Fri Jun 19), Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Mon Oct 12), Veterans Day (Wed Nov 11).
- Hauler
- City and County of Denver — Solid Waste Management
- Contacts
- 3-1-1 or 720-913-1311 (TTY 720-913-8479); Denver Utilities Online; Solid Waste billing [email protected]; SWM Customer Care Mon–Thu 7:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m., Fri 7:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.; billing phone 303-446-3733
- Find your day
- Trash Schedule / Schedules & Reminders + Denver Trash and Recycling app (address → day, A/B recycle, LIP week)
- Sources
- Trash and recycling: denvergov.org
Bulk: denvergov.org
Holidays: denvergov.org
Curbside: denvergov.org - Verified
- 2026-10-15
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