Chicago 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 by 7:00 a.m.
- Next trash pickup
- Sep 23Based on the listed schedule
- Recycling days
- Monday & Tuesday & Wednesday & Thursday & FridaySingle-stream collection
Regular trash pickup & collection details
| Service | Collection days | Placement or collection rule |
|---|---|---|
| Trash | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday · Weekly | Placement cutoff: by 7:00 a.m. |
| Recycling | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | Single-stream recycling |
| Bulk waste | Arrange with ward superintendent or submit request via CHI311 for bulk pick-up before placing large items in alley or curb. | Up to 2 items per pickup |
| Yard waste | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | Year-round. Leaves, grass clippings, branches, and brush must be bagged separately in paper yard waste bags and set out at curb or alley; call 311 to request collection truck. |
Trash container requirements
- Residential garbage from 1–4 unit buildings is placed in City-provided black 96-gallon lidded rolling super carts.
- Place carts in the alley or at the curb the night before scheduled pickup; collection begins as early as 7:00 a.m.
- Keep cart lids tightly closed at all times; never let raw garbage sit outside the container.
- Ensure carts are fully accessible and not blocked by parked vehicles, locked gates, or heavy snow piles.
Chicago recycling overview
Single-stream recycling · Collection days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Accepted items
- Paper: newspaper, magazines, office paper, catalogs, and junk mail
- Cardboard: clean flattened shipping boxes, cereal boxes, and food boxes
- Plastics: clean bottles, jugs, tubs, and jars (empty and rinsed, caps on)
- Glass: beverage bottles and food jars (clear, green, and brown)
- Metal: aluminum beverage cans, steel/tin food cans, and clean foil
Prohibited items
- Plastic bags and plastic film (never bag recyclables; place loose in blue cart)
- Styrofoam food containers, cups, and packing peanuts
- Food scraps, liquids, and dirty paper containers
- Tanglers: garden hoses, holiday lights, electrical cords, and chains
- Clothing, textiles, footwear, and bedding
- Batteries, electronics, and mercury items
Chicago bulk pickup rules
| Collection rule | Arrange with ward superintendent or submit request via CHI311 for bulk pick-up before placing large items in alley or curb. |
|---|---|
| Limit per pickup | 2 items |
| Permitted materials | Furniture |
| Advance notice | Required before collection. |
| Dispatch phone | 312-744-4611 |
Chicago 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, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. Named holidays recur each year; explicit dates apply only to their listed year.
2026 Holiday Collection Calendar: Chicago, IL
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 | 1-Day Slide | Collections on Monday and the remainder of the service week are delayed by 1 day. |
| 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 | 1-Day Slide | Collections on Friday and the remainder of the service week are delayed by 1 day. |
| 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 | 1-Day Slide | Collections on Monday and the remainder of the service week are delayed by 1 day. |
| Veterans Day | Wednesday, Nov 11, 2026 | 1-Day Slide | Collections on Wednesday and the remainder of the service week are delayed by 1 day. |
| 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 Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation (DSS) · municipal dpw
Phone: 312-744-4611
121 N. LaSalle Street, Room 1107Chicago, IL 60602
These collection rules cover Zone Residential Grid Routes (Monday through Friday by Address).
Trash & recycling questions
What days is trash collected in Chicago, IL?
Listed trash collection days are Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday. Set containers out by 7:00 a.m.. These rules apply to Zone Residential Grid Routes (Monday through Friday by Address).
Is garbage pickup delayed for holidays in Chicago?
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, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. These rules apply to Zone Residential Grid Routes (Monday through Friday by Address).
How do I schedule bulk trash pickup in Chicago?
Arrange with ward superintendent or submit request via CHI311 for bulk pick-up before placing large items in alley or curb. The listed limit is 2 items per pickup. Advance notice is required. Contact sanitation at 312-744-4611 to confirm eligibility and arrange service. These rules apply to Zone Residential Grid Routes (Monday through Friday by Address).
What items are accepted for recycling in Chicago?
The listed accepted materials are Paper: newspaper, magazines, office paper, catalogs, and junk mail, Cardboard: clean flattened shipping boxes, cereal boxes, and food boxes, Plastics: clean bottles, jugs, tubs, and jars (empty and rinsed, caps on), Glass: beverage bottles and food jars (clear, green, and brown), Metal: aluminum beverage cans, steel/tin food cans, and clean foil. Keep these listed prohibited items out: Plastic bags and plastic film (never bag recyclables; place loose in blue cart), Styrofoam food containers, cups, and packing peanuts, Food scraps, liquids, and dirty paper containers, Tanglers: garden hoses, holiday lights, electrical cords, and chains, Clothing, textiles, footwear, and bedding, Batteries, electronics, and mercury items. Confirm item-specific preparation rules with the official sanitation office. These rules apply to Zone Residential Grid Routes (Monday through Friday by Address).