Cleveland Recycling Guide & 2026 Calendar
Single-stream recycling pickup is listed for Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday. Item-specific answers appear below.
Cleveland recycling calendar 2026
Regular collection days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Check the current holiday delay notice for changes to regular pickup.
A verified 2026 recycling calendar has not been provided. Get the official calendar and confirm your route.
Accepted & prohibited recycling
Accepted items
- Paper: clean mail, magazines, catalogs, newspapers, and office paper
- Cardboard: clean corrugated shipping boxes and food packaging boxes (flatten completely)
- Glass: clean glass food and beverage jars and bottles
- Metal cans: aluminum beverage cans and steel/tin food cans
- Plastic bottles: clean plastic bottles and jugs with necks (empty and rinse clean)
Prohibited items
- Plastic bags, plastic wrap, and film tanglers (place all recyclables loose in cart)
- Polystyrene foam (Styrofoam cups, plates, and takeout food containers)
- Hazardous items: batteries, needles, syringes, and electronics
- Bulky items: buckets, car parts, garden hoses, and metal chains
- Non-recyclable materials: food scraps, yard waste, light bulbs, drinking glasses, and ceramics
Can you recycle these items in Cleveland?
Can you recycle cardboard in Cleveland?
AcceptedFlatten all corrugated boxes and paperboard packaging before placing loose inside the blue cart.
Can you recycle pizza boxes in Cleveland?
Not acceptedGrease and food residue ruin paper batches; place pizza boxes in regular household trash.
Can you recycle plastic #1 in Cleveland?
AcceptedRinse clean PET #1 plastic bottles; place loose in the recycling cart.
Can you recycle plastic #2 in Cleveland?
AcceptedRinse clean HDPE #2 plastic jugs (milk, detergent); replace caps and place loose in cart.
Can you recycle plastic #3 in Cleveland?
Not acceptedPlastics labeled #3 are not accepted in Cleveland curbside recycling carts.
Can you recycle plastic #4 in Cleveland?
Not acceptedPlastic shopping bags and wrap are tanglers and must not be placed in curbside carts.
Can you recycle plastic #5 in Cleveland?
Not acceptedCleveland curbside recycling focuses on bottles and jugs; miscellaneous plastic tubs are excluded.
Can you recycle plastic #6 in Cleveland?
Not acceptedPolystyrene foam cups, takeout containers, and packing foam are prohibited.
Can you recycle plastic #7 in Cleveland?
Not acceptedMixed and miscellaneous plastics labeled #7 are not accepted for recycling.
Can you recycle glass in Cleveland?
AcceptedEmpty and rinse clean glass beverage bottles and food jars; place loose in the blue cart.
Can you recycle aluminum in Cleveland?
AcceptedEmpty and rinse aluminum cans and steel food cans; place loose in the recycling cart.
Can you recycle shredded paper in Cleveland?
Not acceptedShredded paper cannot be sorted at recovery facilities; bring to community shred events.
DPW & sanitation contact
City of Cleveland Division of Waste Collection and Disposal · municipal dpw
Phone: 216-664-3711
5600 Carnegie AvenueCleveland, OH 44103
These collection rules cover Zone City of Cleveland Curbside Service Area.
Trash & recycling questions
What days is trash collected in Cleveland, OH?
Listed trash collection days are Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday. Set containers out Place carts curbside the night before collection, or no later than 6:00 a.m. on collection day. Carts must be placed at least 3 feet apart with opening facing the street. Remove carts from the curb promptly after collection.. These rules apply to Zone City of Cleveland Curbside Service Area.
Is garbage pickup delayed for holidays in Cleveland?
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, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. These rules apply to Zone City of Cleveland Curbside Service Area.
How do I schedule bulk trash pickup in Cleveland?
The City collects up to three (3) bulk items per home on your regular collection day during the first full week of each month. Mattresses and cloth furniture must be wrapped in plastic to protect workers from bedbugs and pests. Residents may also drop off bulk waste free of charge up to four times per year at the Ridge Road Transfer Station. The listed limit is 3 items per pickup. Advance notice is not required under the listed rules. Contact sanitation at 216-664-3711 to confirm eligibility and arrange service. These rules apply to Zone City of Cleveland Curbside Service Area.
What items are accepted for recycling in Cleveland?
The listed accepted materials are Paper: clean mail, magazines, catalogs, newspapers, and office paper, Cardboard: clean corrugated shipping boxes and food packaging boxes (flatten completely), Glass: clean glass food and beverage jars and bottles, Metal cans: aluminum beverage cans and steel/tin food cans, Plastic bottles: clean plastic bottles and jugs with necks (empty and rinse clean). Keep these listed prohibited items out: Plastic bags, plastic wrap, and film tanglers (place all recyclables loose in cart), Polystyrene foam (Styrofoam cups, plates, and takeout food containers), Hazardous items: batteries, needles, syringes, and electronics, Bulky items: buckets, car parts, garden hoses, and metal chains, Non-recyclable materials: food scraps, yard waste, light bulbs, drinking glasses, and ceramics. Confirm item-specific preparation rules with the official sanitation office. These rules apply to Zone City of Cleveland Curbside Service Area.