Washington bulk trash pickup
Schedule bulk pickup through 311 or the Public Works bulk collection program before set-out.
Verified 2026-10-15 · dpw.dc.gov
At a glance
| Brush | Small tree limbs tied with regular trash. Larger yard waste via 311 yard-waste appointment (paper bags) — not as bulk. |
|---|---|
| Limits | Bulk ≤7 items/appointment. Yard waste appointment ≤20 paper bags. Container purchase (non-senior): 32-gal trash $45; 64-gal recycle $55; 96-gal Supercan $62.50 (senior 60+ discounts published on same page). |
| Not allowed | Recycling: plastic bags/film/wrap, Styrofoam, tissues, straws/utensils, paint cans, window/ceramic glass, electronics/batteries, clothing, tanglers. Sharps: puncture-resistant sealed household container marked BIOHAZARD—DO NOT RECYCLE (red), then trash — never recycle. |
| Curbside | Trash & recycling out no earlier than 6:30 p.m. night before and no later than 6:00 a.m. collection day. Checklist Verified 2026-10-15 · dpw.dc.gov |
Schedule
Curbside
Curbside checklist
City rules before collection day. Confirm with the city if anything looks off.
When
Trash & recycling out no earlier than 6:30 p.m. night before and no later than 6:00 a.m. collection day.
Where
Curbside / normal collection point for trash, recycling, and bulk. Paint address on ≥2 sides of containers to deter theft.
Limits
Bulk ≤7 items/appointment. Yard waste appointment ≤20 paper bags. Container purchase (non-senior): 32-gal trash $45; 64-gal recycle $55; 96-gal Supercan $62.50 (senior 60+ discounts published on same page).
Not allowed
Recycling: plastic bags/film/wrap, Styrofoam, tissues, straws/utensils, paint cans, window/ceramic glass, electronics/batteries, clothing, tanglers. Sharps: puncture-resistant sealed household container marked BIOHAZARD—DO NOT RECYCLE (red), then trash — never recycle.
Bags
Trash bagged inside green cart. Recyclables loose (no plastic bags). Mattresses/toilets plastic-wrapped for bulk.
Verified 2026-10-15 · dpw.dc.gov
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Full details for Washington: every rule, with sources
- Trash
- Public Works Solid Waste Collections for single-family and buildings with ≤3 living units (4+ units / mixed-use / commercial must hire private hauler). Most households once weekly — day via Trash and Recycling Collection Day App. 96-gallon plastic rolling Supercan on once-a-week routes; narrow-street / alley neighborhoods get twice-weekly trash (Mon/Thu or Tue/Fri) with 32-gallon mini-Supercan or Clean City cans. Put all waste in green trash bins with tightly fitting lids; trash should be in a plastic bag inside the green bin (Zero Waste DC residential guidance). Buildings with >3 units: app may still show a day but doesn't create city service. Missed collection: 311 / 311.dc.gov.
- Recycling
- Once weekly single-stream for same eligible households. Once-a-week trash neighborhoods: recycling same day as trash. Twice-weekly trash neighborhoods: recycling on Thursday or Friday (new-resident brochure). Loose in blue/recycling cart — don't bag in plastic (paper bags OK but loose preferred). Accepted (Public Works / Zero Waste DC): clean empty paper (cups/containers, flattened cardboard, cartons, newspaper/magazines, books/phone books, junk mail/office paper — no tissue); plastic cups/containers/bottles/lids/bulky plastics (no bags, foam polystyrene, straws/utensils); steel & aluminum bottles/cans/containers (no paint cans); glass bottles/jars (no windows/ceramics). Full Mayor’s List of Recyclables and Compostables for complete list. Optional Food Waste Collection Program details at zerowaste.dc.gov.
- Bulk pickup
- By appointment via 311 / 311.dc.gov before set-out (often ~10–14 days). Eligible same as Public Works trash routes (≤3 units). ≤7 items per appointment; more items → additional appointments. Place at normal trash/recycling point 6:30 p.m. night before through 6:00 a.m. appointment day — early/late set-out can draw sanitation ticket. Acceptable examples: furniture; major appliances (fridge doors removed; AC drain fluids); mattresses/box springs must be plastic-wrapped; rugs rolled & tied; hot water heaters; large toys. Toilets (porcelain/plastic, tanks/bowls) must be fully plastic-wrapped/sealed. Not curbside bulk: bagged trash, books (use recycle), construction debris/bricks/dirt/drywall/ceiling tile, electronics/TVs, household hazardous waste/liquids, broken city trash/recycle bins, tree stumps, wooden pallets*, yard waste (*pallets OK at Fort Totten). Small tree limbs: tie with regular trash. Tires: up to 4 to Fort Totten Wed–Fri 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Only (not curbside). Drop-off: Fort Totten Transfer Station, 4900 John McCormack Rd NE (resident ID rules; Tue–Fri 10–2 / Sat 7–2 for residents). Yard waste: separate 311 appointment, up to 20 paper bags (Zero Waste DC) or Fort Totten drop-off.
- Curbside: when
- Trash & recycling out no earlier than 6:30 p.m. night before and no later than 6:00 a.m. collection day; remove containers from public space by 8:00 p.m. collection day. Public Works begins collections ~7:00 a.m. (new-resident brochure). Bulk: 6:30 p.m.–6:00 a.m. window on appointment only.
- Curbside: where
- Curbside / normal collection point for trash, recycling, and bulk. Paint address on ≥2 sides of containers to deter theft.
- Curbside: limits
- Bulk ≤7 items/appointment. Yard waste appointment ≤20 paper bags. Container purchase (non-senior): 32-gal trash $45; 64-gal recycle $55; 96-gal Supercan $62.50 (senior 60+ discounts published on same page).
- Curbside: brush
- Small tree limbs tied with regular trash. Larger yard waste via 311 yard-waste appointment (paper bags) — not as bulk.
- Curbside: not allowed
- Bulk bans above (construction debris, electronics/TVs, household hazardous waste, tires curbside, stumps, bagged waste as bulk, etc.). Recycling: plastic bags/film/wrap, Styrofoam, tissues, straws/utensils, paint cans, window/ceramic glass, electronics/batteries, clothing, tanglers. Sharps: puncture-resistant sealed household container marked BIOHAZARD—DO NOT RECYCLE (red), then trash — never recycle.
- Curbside: bags
- Trash bagged inside green cart. Recyclables loose (no plastic bags). Mattresses/toilets plastic-wrapped for bulk.
- Curbside: fees and fines
- Sanitation violation / SWEEP tickets for early/late set-out, litter, improper bulk timing; pay via Public Works online portal. Exact $ fine schedule Ask the city or your hauler.
- Holidays
- New Year's Day 2026 (2026-01-01): shift not yet confirmed
- Mlk 2026 (2026-01-19): shift not yet confirmed
- Washingtons Birthday 2026 (2026-02-16): shift not yet confirmed
- Emancipation Day 2026 (2026-04-16): shift not yet confirmed
- Memorial Day 2026 (2026-05-25): shift not yet confirmed
- Juneteenth 2026 (2026-06-19): shift not yet confirmed
- Independence Day 2026 (2026-07-04): shift not yet confirmed
- Labor Day 2026 (2026-09-07): shift not yet confirmed
- Indigenous Peoples Day 2026 (2026-10-12): shift not yet confirmed
- Veterans Day 2026 (2026-11-11): shift not yet confirmed
- Thanksgiving 2026 (2026-11-26): shift not yet confirmed
- Christmas 2026 (2026-12-25): shift not yet confirmed
When a holiday falls on a collection day, trash/recycling/food-waste collections slide to the next day for the rest of that week through Saturday (twice-weekly: Mon→Tue & Thu→Fri; Tue→Wed & Fri→Sat). Official 2026 Slide Guide (PDF) lists slide dates: New Year’s collections Jan 2; Martin Luther King Jr. Day Jan 20; Washington’s Birthday Feb 17; Emancipation Day Apr 17; Memorial Day May 26; Juneteenth Jun 20; Independence Day Jul 4; Labor Day Sep 8; Indigenous Peoples’ Day Oct 13; Veterans Day Nov 12; Thanksgiving Nov 27; Christmas Dec 26. Keys below use holiday observance dates that trigger the slide; check each week against Slide Guide / 311.
- Hauler
- DC Department of Public Works (Public Works) — Solid Waste Collections Division
- Contacts
- 311 or (202) 737-4404; Public Works main (202) 673-6833; Fax (202) 671-0642; TTY (202) 673-6833; [email protected]; 899 North Capitol St NE, Washington, DC 20002; office Mon–Fri ~8:15/8:30 a.m.–4:30/4:45 p.m. (pages list both)
- Find your day
- Trash and Recycling Collection Day App (address → day)
- Sources
- Trash and recycling: dpw.dc.gov
Bulk: dpw.dc.gov
Holidays: dpw.dc.gov
Curbside: dpw.dc.gov - Verified
- 2026-10-15
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