Chicago bulk trash pickup
Arrange bulky pickup before set-out — ward Streets & Sanitation or 311 Bulky Item request.
Verified 2026-10-15 · chicago.gov 1, chicago.gov 2, chicago.gov 3
At a glance
| Brush | Yard waste page: bag yard waste separately; branches/brush listed as yard waste. |
|---|---|
| Limits | Carts are 96-gal City carts. Bulk/extra-load quantity limits not published as a fixed cy/item count on DSS residential — arrange non-scheduled/bulk via 311/ward office. |
| Not allowed | Plastic bags / soft plastics in Blue Cart or drop-off recycling. Yard waste not in blue or black carts. |
| Curbside | Blue Cart: out night before; crews as early as 7:00 a.m. Holiday weeks: keep accessible all week. Garbage: weekly grid day Mon–Fri. Checklist Verified 2026-10-15 · chicago.gov 1, chicago.gov 2, chicago.gov 3, chicago.gov 4 |
Schedule
Curbside
Curbside checklist
City rules before collection day. Confirm with the city if anything looks off.
When
Blue Cart: out night before; crews as early as 7:00 a.m. Holiday weeks: keep accessible all week. Garbage: weekly grid day Mon–Fri.
Where
Alley or curb per block service type. Carts fully accessible; not blocked by vehicles or behind gated enclosures.
Limits
Carts are 96-gal City carts. Bulk/extra-load quantity limits not published as a fixed cy/item count on DSS residential — arrange non-scheduled/bulk via 311/ward office.
Not allowed
Plastic bags / soft plastics in Blue Cart or drop-off recycling. Yard waste not in blue or black carts.
Bags
Household trash in City 96-gal cart with lid closed; raw garbage not outside container. Recyclables loose (no plastic bags).
Verified 2026-10-15 · chicago.gov 1, chicago.gov 2, chicago.gov 3, chicago.gov 4
Add curbside reminder to Google CalendarFind your day
Verified 2026-10-15 · chicago.gov
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Full details for Chicago: every rule, with sources
- Trash
- Weekly residential garbage Mon–Fri for single-family homes and apartment buildings of 4 units or fewer (larger buildings must arrange private collection). City-issued plastic lidded 96-gallon refuse carts (“super carts”), supplied free; missing/damaged carts via 311. Fee $9.50/dwelling unit/month on unified utility bill (senior discount $4.75/unit); covers refuse collection; no extra charge for recycling, lawn waste, or bulk per Garbage Fee FAQ. Day varies by address (grid collection); look up via 311 / DSS tools.
- Recycling
- Blue Cart residential recycling for DSS 1–4 unit households. Zones 1, 3, 5, 6 hauler LRS; Zones 2 & 4 hauler City DSS. Schedule by zone/week on Blue Cart 2026 pick-up schedule PDF / Recycle Coach. Recyclables loose in blue cart — no bags. Alley service: keep cart accessible entire highlighted week; curbside: out on garbage day during highlighted week. Trucks may arrive as early as 7:00 a.m.; set cart in alley/curb night before. Drop-off centers (same materials as Blue Cart): 6441 N Ravenswood; 1758 S Clark — open 7 days daylight hours.
- Bulk pickup
- Arrange before setting out large items or extra loads — contact ward Streets & Sanitation superintendent / request via 311 (Bulky Item Pick Up). Covered at no extra fee for eligible City-served households (Garbage Fee FAQ). Refrigerators/freezers: remove doors/lids before set-out (sanitation guidelines). Not for TVs/computer equipment in bulk stream — use Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility / City e-waste channels. Yard waste: bag separately from black/blue carts; leave alley/curb; request via 311; leaves, grass, branches, brush, garden waste — not dirt/rocks/gravel.
- Curbside: when
- Blue Cart: out night before; crews as early as 7:00 a.m. Holiday weeks: keep accessible all week. Garbage: weekly grid day Mon–Fri.
- Curbside: where
- Alley or curb per block service type. Carts fully accessible; not blocked by vehicles or behind gated enclosures. Yard-waste bags next to (not inside) black/blue carts. Bulk: arrange with ward superintendent/311 before placing large items/extra loads.
- Curbside: limits
- City service = 1–4 unit residential only. Carts are 96-gal City carts. Bulk/extra-load quantity limits not published as a fixed cy/item count on DSS residential — arrange non-scheduled/bulk via 311/ward office.
- Curbside: brush
- Yard waste page: bag yard waste separately; branches/brush listed as yard waste. Older Blue Cart program text (DSS PDF) also describes bags beside carts and unbagged branches/sticks beside cart.
- Curbside: not allowed
- Plastic bags / soft plastics in Blue Cart or drop-off recycling. Yard waste not in blue or black carts. Dirt, rocks, gravel not yard waste. Building materials from remodeling = resident responsibility (dumpster). TVs/computers not via bulky item pickup (facility/e-waste). Commercial/food use of City carts prohibited.
- Curbside: bags
- Household trash in City 96-gal cart with lid closed; raw garbage not outside container. Recyclables loose (no plastic bags). Yard waste bagged separately (paper preferred in older Blue Cart materials; live page says bagged — plastic or paper historically both mentioned).
- Curbside: fees and fines
- Specific dollar fines for set-out violations not listed on residential garbage / holiday / Blue Cart Sanitation code enforcement via ward superintendents / 311. Non-payment of garbage fee doesn't stop collection (FAQ).
- Holidays
- New Year's Day 2026 (2026-01-01): shift not yet confirmed
- Mlk 2026 (2026-01-19): shift not yet confirmed
- Pulaski Day 2026 (2026-03-02): 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 Observed 2026 (2026-07-03): shift not yet confirmed
- Labor Day 2026 (2026-09-07): shift not yet confirmed
- Columbus 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
Official Holiday Garbage Schedule (DSS): no trash citywide and no recycling Zones 2 & 4 on listed holidays below. Zones 1, 3, 5, 6: no recycling only on New Year’s, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas (subset). Holiday weeks: keep carts accessible all week; exact day may shift — use Recycle Coach reminders. Independence Day listed by City as Fri Jul 3, 2026 (not Jul 4).
- Hauler
- City of Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation (Bureau of Sanitation) for trash; Blue Cart recycling Zones 2 & 4 = DSS, Zones 1/3/5/6 = LRS
- Contacts
- 311 / 312-744-5000; DSS Recycling 312-744-2413; Utility Billing 312-744-4426
- Find your day
- Chicago Recycles / Recycle Coach + CHI311
- Sources
- Trash and recycling: chicago.gov 1, chicago.gov 2, chicago.gov 3, chicago.gov 4
Bulk: chicago.gov 1, chicago.gov 2, chicago.gov 3
Holidays: chicago.gov
Curbside: chicago.gov 1, chicago.gov 2, chicago.gov 3, chicago.gov 4 - Verified
- 2026-10-15
Town Rulebook is independent and not affiliated with any city or hauler. Schedules change — always confirm with your city. About & disclaimer