Fort Wayne 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 by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day and no earlier than noon the day prior. Remove carts by noon the day following collection. Allow 3 feet of clearance around each cart.
- 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 by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day and no earlier than noon the day prior. Remove carts by noon the day following collection. Allow 3 feet of clearance around each cart. |
| Recycling | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | Single-stream recycling |
| Bulk waste | Bulk trash collection is included in monthly solid waste fees but must be scheduled at least 2 business days in advance. Up to 3 bulky items per appointment. Mattresses and box springs MUST be fully wrapped in plastic bags. | Up to 3 items per pickup |
| Yard waste | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | Seasonal: confirm start to confirm end. Yard waste is not collected in regular household carts. Residents may purchase city yard waste stickers or utilize the Fort Wayne Biosolids facility. Brush must be bundled under 4 feet and 50 pounds. |
Trash container requirements
- Use official city-provided garbage carts (96-gallon or 48-gallon sizes)
- All household waste must be placed inside the cart with the lid completely closed
- Position carts with wheels toward the curb and arrows pointing toward the street
- Maintain 3 feet of clearance from trees, mailboxes, and parked cars
Fort Wayne recycling overview
Single-stream recycling · Collection days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Accepted items
- Corrugated cardboard and paperboard packaging (flattened)
- Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, and office paper
- Plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs (#1 through #7, rinsed clean)
- Aluminum and tin food and beverage cans
- Glass jars and bottles of all colors (emptied and rinsed)
Prohibited items
- Plastic bags and plastic film (recyclables must be loose inside cart)
- Polystyrene foam / Styrofoam food packaging and peanuts
- Hazardous household chemicals, automotive oil, and paint
- Household electronics and rechargeable batteries
- Yard waste, leaves, branches, and food scraps
Fort Wayne bulk pickup rules
| Collection rule | Bulk trash collection is included in monthly solid waste fees but must be scheduled at least 2 business days in advance. Up to 3 bulky items per appointment. Mattresses and box springs MUST be fully wrapped in plastic bags. |
|---|---|
| Limit per pickup | 3 items |
| Permitted materials | No unconditional accepted-material list is verified. Confirm eligibility before putting items out. |
| Advance notice | Required before collection. |
| Dispatch phone | (260) 427-8311 |
Mattress bagging rule: Mattresses must be bagged under the listed rules. Confirm the required plastic encasement before pickup.
Fort Wayne 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: Fort Wayne, IN
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 Fort Wayne Solid Waste Management · municipal dpw
Phone: (260) 427-8311
200 E Berry StFort Wayne, IN 46802
These collection rules cover Zone Curbside Automated Routes (Mon-Fri by Street Address).
Trash & recycling questions
What days is trash collected in Fort Wayne, IN?
Listed trash collection days are Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday. Set containers out Place carts at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day and no earlier than noon the day prior. Remove carts by noon the day following collection. Allow 3 feet of clearance around each cart.. These rules apply to Zone Curbside Automated Routes (Mon-Fri by Street Address).
Is garbage pickup delayed for holidays in Fort Wayne?
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 Curbside Automated Routes (Mon-Fri by Street Address).
How do I schedule bulk trash pickup in Fort Wayne?
Bulk trash collection is included in monthly solid waste fees but must be scheduled at least 2 business days in advance. Up to 3 bulky items per appointment. Mattresses and box springs MUST be fully wrapped in plastic bags. The listed limit is 3 items per pickup. Advance notice is required. Contact sanitation at (260) 427-8311 to confirm eligibility and arrange service. These rules apply to Zone Curbside Automated Routes (Mon-Fri by Street Address).
What items are accepted for recycling in Fort Wayne?
The listed accepted materials are Corrugated cardboard and paperboard packaging (flattened), Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, and office paper, Plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs (#1 through #7, rinsed clean), Aluminum and tin food and beverage cans, Glass jars and bottles of all colors (emptied and rinsed). Keep these listed prohibited items out: Plastic bags and plastic film (recyclables must be loose inside cart), Polystyrene foam / Styrofoam food packaging and peanuts, Hazardous household chemicals, automotive oil, and paint, Household electronics and rechargeable batteries, Yard waste, leaves, branches, and food scraps. Confirm item-specific preparation rules with the official sanitation office. These rules apply to Zone Curbside Automated Routes (Mon-Fri by Street Address).