Rochester 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 your wheeled container at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on your collection day, or the evening before. Remove containers from the curb within 24 hours after collection.
- 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: Place your wheeled container at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on your collection day, or the evening before. Remove containers from the curb within 24 hours after collection. |
| Recycling | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | Single-stream recycling |
| Bulk waste | Household furniture, mattresses, box springs, large appliances, and tree branches may be placed between the sidewalk and curb on your regular weekly collection day without special advance notice. Doors must be removed from refrigerators and any latched appliances. Discarded lumber must have all nails removed or hammered flat. Tree and brush trimmings must be tied into bundles no longer than 4 feet, no more than 18 inches in diameter, and weighing under 60 pounds. Up to four passenger tires per year may also be set out on collection day. | Up to 5 items per pickup |
| Yard waste | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | Year-round. Yard waste such as grass clippings and leaves can be placed in your regular city refuse toter or in alternate containers. Brush and tree trimmings must be tied in bundles no longer than 4 feet, under 18 inches in diameter, and under 60 pounds. The city also operates a dedicated curbside leaf collection program each autumn. |
Trash container requirements
- City-provided wheeled refuse toter for household refuse and yard waste
- Set container at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on collection day (never earlier than the night before)
- Container must not be overfilled; lid must close securely flat on top
- Remove container from between the sidewalk and curb within 24 hours after collection
- Store containers at the side or rear of your property
- Extra refuse may be placed in sturdy tied plastic bags (up to 30 lbs each) or alternate cans (up to 60 lbs each)
Rochester recycling overview
Single-stream recycling · Collection days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Accepted items
- Cardboard boxes and clean pizza boxes (flattened)
- Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, and office paper
- Food and beverage cartons (milk, juice, soup)
- Metal cans (aluminum and steel food/drink cans, clean foil)
- Glass bottles and jars (clear and colored, rinsed, lids removed)
- Plastic bottles, jugs, tubs, and jars (empty and rinsed)
Prohibited items
- Plastic bags, plastic wraps, and film (never bag recyclables)
- Batteries (household, lithium-ion, automotive; bring to Monroe County ecopark)
- Styrofoam and polystyrene containers or packaging
- Clothing, shoes, and textiles
- Electronics, televisions, and small appliances
- Garden hoses, ropes, wires, and holiday cords
- Medical waste, syringes, and prescription medicines
Rochester bulk pickup rules
| Collection rule | Household furniture, mattresses, box springs, large appliances, and tree branches may be placed between the sidewalk and curb on your regular weekly collection day without special advance notice. Doors must be removed from refrigerators and any latched appliances. Discarded lumber must have all nails removed or hammered flat. Tree and brush trimmings must be tied into bundles no longer than 4 feet, no more than 18 inches in diameter, and weighing under 60 pounds. Up to four passenger tires per year may also be set out on collection day. |
|---|---|
| Limit per pickup | 5 items |
| Permitted materials | No unconditional accepted-material list is verified. Confirm eligibility before putting items out. |
| Advance notice | Not required under the listed rules. |
| Dispatch phone | 585-428-5990 |
Rochester 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, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. Named holidays recur each year; explicit dates apply only to their listed year.
2026 Holiday Collection Calendar: Rochester, NY
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 | 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 Rochester Department of Environmental Services (DES) · municipal dpw
Phone: 585-428-5990
30 Church StRochester, NY 14614
These collection rules cover Zone City of Rochester Refuse and Recycling Collection Routes.
Trash & recycling questions
What days is trash collected in Rochester, NY?
Listed trash collection days are Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday. Set containers out Place your wheeled container at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on your collection day, or the evening before. Remove containers from the curb within 24 hours after collection.. These rules apply to Zone City of Rochester Refuse and Recycling Collection Routes.
Is garbage pickup delayed for holidays in Rochester?
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, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. These rules apply to Zone City of Rochester Refuse and Recycling Collection Routes.
How do I schedule bulk trash pickup in Rochester?
Household furniture, mattresses, box springs, large appliances, and tree branches may be placed between the sidewalk and curb on your regular weekly collection day without special advance notice. Doors must be removed from refrigerators and any latched appliances. Discarded lumber must have all nails removed or hammered flat. Tree and brush trimmings must be tied into bundles no longer than 4 feet, no more than 18 inches in diameter, and weighing under 60 pounds. Up to four passenger tires per year may also be set out on collection day. The listed limit is 5 items per pickup. Advance notice is not required under the listed rules. Contact sanitation at 585-428-5990 to confirm eligibility and arrange service. These rules apply to Zone City of Rochester Refuse and Recycling Collection Routes.
What items are accepted for recycling in Rochester?
The listed accepted materials are Cardboard boxes and clean pizza boxes (flattened), Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, and office paper, Food and beverage cartons (milk, juice, soup), Metal cans (aluminum and steel food/drink cans, clean foil), Glass bottles and jars (clear and colored, rinsed, lids removed), Plastic bottles, jugs, tubs, and jars (empty and rinsed). Keep these listed prohibited items out: Plastic bags, plastic wraps, and film (never bag recyclables), Batteries (household, lithium-ion, automotive; bring to Monroe County ecopark), Styrofoam and polystyrene containers or packaging, Clothing, shoes, and textiles, Electronics, televisions, and small appliances, Garden hoses, ropes, wires, and holiday cords, Medical waste, syringes, and prescription medicines. Confirm item-specific preparation rules with the official sanitation office. These rules apply to Zone City of Rochester Refuse and Recycling Collection Routes.