Memphis 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 5 P.M. that day prior to collection. Remove carts by 8 A.M. the day following 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 carts at the curb no earlier than 5 P.M. that day prior to collection. Remove carts by 8 A.M. the day following collection. |
| Recycling | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | Single-stream recycling |
| Bulk waste | Outside the Cart collection is a bi-monthly service for City of Memphis residential customers. Twice per month on your regular collection day, the City will pick up your yard debris in excess of two bags and outside the cart bulk waste such as tree limbs and furniture. Bulky waste piles must not exceed 10 cubic yards in total volume. | Up to 10 items per pickup |
| Yard waste | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | Year-round. Weekly service collects up to one half cubic yard of bagged organic yard waste (approximately two bags) placed in a separate pile at the curb. Tree debris must be less than 5 feet in length and less than 13 inches in diameter. |
Trash container requirements
- Place residential garbage inside the official 90-gallon green city cart provided by Memphis Solid Waste
- Position carts on the curb within 3 feet of the street with lid facing the street and handle facing your home
- Maintain at least 4 feet of clearance from cars, utilities, fire hydrants, mailboxes, and adjacent containers
- Set carts out no earlier than 5:00 p.m. the day before collection and retrieve by 8:00 a.m. the day following collection
- Bag or wrap all food waste to control odors and keep cart lids closed
Memphis recycling overview
Single-stream recycling · Collection days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Accepted items
- Paper (newspaper, magazines, mail, office paper, envelopes)
- Cardboard (broken down shipping boxes and rigid paperboard containers)
- Plastics (clean plastic bottles and jugs)
- Metal (empty aluminum beverage cans and steel soup tins; labels OK and rinsing optional)
Prohibited items
- Plastic bags and plastic film wrap
- Styrofoam cups and packaging peanuts
- Garden hoses, ropes, and electrical cords
- Yard waste and organic lawn trimmings
- Shredded paper and confidential documents
Memphis bulk pickup rules
| Collection rule | Outside the Cart collection is a bi-monthly service for City of Memphis residential customers. Twice per month on your regular collection day, the City will pick up your yard debris in excess of two bags and outside the cart bulk waste such as tree limbs and furniture. Bulky waste piles must not exceed 10 cubic yards in total volume. |
|---|---|
| Limit per pickup | 10 items |
| Permitted materials | Furniture |
| Advance notice | Required before collection. |
| Dispatch phone | 901-636-6500 |
Memphis 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: Memphis, TN
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 Memphis Solid Waste Management · municipal dpw
Phone: 901-636-6500
125 N Main St, Room 628Memphis, TN 38103
These collection rules cover Zone City of Memphis Curbside Service Area.
Trash & recycling questions
What days is trash collected in Memphis, TN?
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 5 P.M. that day prior to collection. Remove carts by 8 A.M. the day following collection.. These rules apply to Zone City of Memphis Curbside Service Area.
Is garbage pickup delayed for holidays in Memphis?
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 Memphis Curbside Service Area.
How do I schedule bulk trash pickup in Memphis?
Outside the Cart collection is a bi-monthly service for City of Memphis residential customers. Twice per month on your regular collection day, the City will pick up your yard debris in excess of two bags and outside the cart bulk waste such as tree limbs and furniture. Bulky waste piles must not exceed 10 cubic yards in total volume. The listed limit is 10 items per pickup. Advance notice is required. Contact sanitation at 901-636-6500 to confirm eligibility and arrange service. These rules apply to Zone City of Memphis Curbside Service Area.
What items are accepted for recycling in Memphis?
The listed accepted materials are Paper (newspaper, magazines, mail, office paper, envelopes), Cardboard (broken down shipping boxes and rigid paperboard containers), Plastics (clean plastic bottles and jugs), Metal (empty aluminum beverage cans and steel soup tins; labels OK and rinsing optional). Keep these listed prohibited items out: Plastic bags and plastic film wrap, Styrofoam cups and packaging peanuts, Garden hoses, ropes, and electrical cords, Yard waste and organic lawn trimmings, Shredded paper and confidential documents. Confirm item-specific preparation rules with the official sanitation office. These rules apply to Zone City of Memphis Curbside Service Area.