Des Moines Trash Pickup Schedule & Holiday Delays
Source-reviewed schedule
Trash pickup is scheduled for this date.
- Trash pickup days
- Monday & Tuesday & Wednesday & Thursday & FridaySet carts out Place carts at the curb no earlier than 12 hours before collection and no later than 7 a.m. on collection day. Remove carts within 12 hours after collection.
- Next trash pickup
- Sep 23Based on the listed schedule
- Recycling days
- Monday & Tuesday & Wednesday & Thursday & FridaySingle-stream collection
Yard-waste events omitted: seasonal start and end dates are required.
Regular trash pickup & collection details
| Service | Collection days | Placement or collection rule |
|---|---|---|
| Trash | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday · Weekly | Placement cutoff: Place carts at the curb no earlier than 12 hours before collection and no later than 7 a.m. on collection day. Remove carts within 12 hours after collection. |
| Recycling | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | Single-stream recycling |
| Bulk waste | Large items that do not fit inside your regular waste cart require a pink $5 Large Item sticker and must be scheduled at least 24 hours before your regular collection day by calling 515-283-4950. Major appliances require seven pink stickers ($35 total) and appointment scheduling. Properly stickered items must be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. on pickup day with stickers facing the street. Des Moines residents may also bring bulky items, furniture, and yard debris to monthly community SCRUB cleanup events free of charge. | Up to 5 items per pickup |
| Yard waste | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | Seasonal: confirm start to confirm end. Yard waste is collected curbside from April through November on your regular garbage day. Yard waste in plastic bags will not be collected. Place yard waste in biodegradable paper bags or a green Compost It! cart. Tree limbs and brush bundles must have a green Compost It! sticker attached and be under 4 feet in length and 40 pounds. |
Trash container requirements
- City-issued wheeled garbage cart with serial number
- Weekly collection of residential household refuse
- Set cart at curb by 7 a.m. on your designated collection day
- Cart lid must be completely closed to ensure collection
- Extra bags or boxes of trash outside the cart require a pink $1 Extra Trash sticker
- Carts allowed at curb 12 hours prior to collection and must be removed within 12 hours after
Des Moines recycling overview
Single-stream recycling · Collection days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Accepted items
- Corrugated cardboard and paper boxes (flattened)
- Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, and office paper
- Aluminum and tin beverage and food cans
- Plastic bottles and jugs (rinsed, loose in cart)
Prohibited items
- Plastic bags of any kind (never bag recyclables)
- Styrofoam and polystyrene cups or packing materials
- Garden hoses and cords
- Household hazardous chemicals and paint
- Batteries and electronic waste
- Food scraps and yard waste
Des Moines bulk pickup rules
| Collection rule | Large items that do not fit inside your regular waste cart require a pink $5 Large Item sticker and must be scheduled at least 24 hours before your regular collection day by calling 515-283-4950. Major appliances require seven pink stickers ($35 total) and appointment scheduling. Properly stickered items must be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. on pickup day with stickers facing the street. Des Moines residents may also bring bulky items, furniture, and yard debris to monthly community SCRUB cleanup events free of charge. |
|---|---|
| Limit per pickup | 5 items |
| Permitted materials | No unconditional accepted-material list is verified. Confirm eligibility before putting items out. |
| Advance notice | Required before collection. |
| Dispatch phone | 515-283-4950 |
Des Moines holiday trash delays
Listed strategy: one day slide. A listed holiday shifts remaining pickups in its Monday-Saturday service week by one day.
Observed holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. Named holidays recur each year; explicit dates apply only to their listed year.
2026 Holiday Collection Calendar: Des Moines, IA
Official schedule adjustments for recognized 2026 holidays. When a holiday falls on or before your collection day, review whether curbside pickups slide forward:
| Holiday | Observed Date | Schedule Status | Curbside Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday, Jan 1, 2026 | 1-Day Slide | Collections on Thursday and the remainder of the service week are delayed by 1 day. |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Monday, Jan 19, 2026 | Not Observed | Regular collection schedule. Trash and recycling run as normal. |
| Presidents' Day | Monday, Feb 16, 2026 | Not Observed | Regular collection schedule. Trash and recycling run as normal. |
| Memorial Day | Monday, May 25, 2026 | 1-Day Slide | Collections on Monday and the remainder of the service week are delayed by 1 day. |
| Juneteenth | Friday, Jun 19, 2026 | Not Observed | Regular collection schedule. Trash and recycling run as normal. |
| Independence Day | Saturday, Jul 4, 2026 | Weekend Holiday | Holiday falls on a weekend. Regular weekday curbside routes are unchanged. |
| Labor Day | Monday, Sep 7, 2026 | 1-Day Slide | Collections on Monday and the remainder of the service week are delayed by 1 day. |
| Columbus Day | Monday, Oct 12, 2026 | Not Observed | Regular collection schedule. Trash and recycling run as normal. |
| Veterans Day | Wednesday, Nov 11, 2026 | Not Observed | Regular collection schedule. Trash and recycling run as normal. |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday, Nov 26, 2026 | 1-Day Slide | Collections on Thursday and the remainder of the service week are delayed by 1 day. |
| Christmas Day | Friday, Dec 25, 2026 | 1-Day Slide | Collections on Friday and the remainder of the service week are delayed by 1 day. |
DPW & sanitation contact
City of Des Moines Public Works Department Solid Waste Division · municipal dpw
Phone: 515-283-4950
400 Robert D. Ray DrDes Moines, IA 50309
These collection rules cover Zone City of Des Moines Solid Waste Collection Routes.
Trash & recycling questions
What days is trash collected in Des Moines, IA?
Listed trash collection days are Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday. Set containers out Place carts at the curb no earlier than 12 hours before collection and no later than 7 a.m. on collection day. Remove carts within 12 hours after collection.. These rules apply to Zone City of Des Moines Solid Waste Collection Routes.
Is garbage pickup delayed for holidays in Des Moines?
As of 2026-09-23: No observed holidays this week. Collections follow the regular schedule. A listed holiday shifts that day and the remaining collection days in its service week by one day. Observed holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. These rules apply to Zone City of Des Moines Solid Waste Collection Routes.
How do I schedule bulk trash pickup in Des Moines?
Large items that do not fit inside your regular waste cart require a pink $5 Large Item sticker and must be scheduled at least 24 hours before your regular collection day by calling 515-283-4950. Major appliances require seven pink stickers ($35 total) and appointment scheduling. Properly stickered items must be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. on pickup day with stickers facing the street. Des Moines residents may also bring bulky items, furniture, and yard debris to monthly community SCRUB cleanup events free of charge. The listed limit is 5 items per pickup. Advance notice is required. Contact sanitation at 515-283-4950 to confirm eligibility and arrange service. These rules apply to Zone City of Des Moines Solid Waste Collection Routes.
What items are accepted for recycling in Des Moines?
The listed accepted materials are Corrugated cardboard and paper boxes (flattened), Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, and office paper, Aluminum and tin beverage and food cans, Plastic bottles and jugs (rinsed, loose in cart). Keep these listed prohibited items out: Plastic bags of any kind (never bag recyclables), Styrofoam and polystyrene cups or packing materials, Garden hoses and cords, Household hazardous chemicals and paint, Batteries and electronic waste, Food scraps and yard waste. Confirm item-specific preparation rules with the official sanitation office. These rules apply to Zone City of Des Moines Solid Waste Collection Routes.