Denver, CO Waste Collection Schedule

Complete waste management schedule including trash pickup, recycling, bulk waste, and special collections for Denver.

Population: 715,522
155 sq mi
Updated: January 18, 2025

Collection Zones & Pickup Days

Find your neighborhood to see your collection schedule

View Interactive Zone Map

Central Denver / Downtown

Trash:Monday
Recycling:Monday
Yard Waste:Monday

Neighborhoods:

  • Downtown Denver
  • LoDo (Lower Downtown)
  • Capitol Hill
  • Golden Triangle
  • Union Station
  • Central Business District
  • Civic Center
  • Uptown
  • City Park West
  • Ballpark
  • Curtis Park

North Denver

Trash:Tuesday
Recycling:Tuesday
Yard Waste:Tuesday

Neighborhoods:

  • Highland
  • West Highland
  • Berkeley
  • Sunnyside
  • Jefferson Park
  • Sloan Lake
  • Five Points
  • Cole
  • Globeville
  • Elyria-Swansea
  • Clayton

East Denver

Trash:Wednesday
Recycling:Wednesday
Yard Waste:Wednesday

Neighborhoods:

  • Park Hill
  • North Park Hill
  • South Park Hill
  • Northeast Park Hill
  • City Park
  • Congress Park
  • Cheesman Park
  • Montclair
  • Mayfair
  • East Colfax
  • Hale

West Denver

Trash:Thursday
Recycling:Thursday
Yard Waste:Thursday

Neighborhoods:

  • Lakewood Gulch
  • Villa Park
  • Barnum
  • Barnum West
  • Valverde
  • West Colfax
  • Sun Valley
  • Lincoln Park
  • Baker
  • RiNo (River North Art District)
  • Cole

South Denver

Trash:Monday
Recycling:Monday
Yard Waste:Monday

Neighborhoods:

  • Washington Park
  • Washington Park West
  • Platt Park
  • University
  • University Park
  • Wellshire
  • Virginia Village
  • Southmoor Park
  • Kennedy
  • Harvey Park
  • Harvey Park South

Southeast Denver

Trash:Tuesday
Recycling:Tuesday
Yard Waste:Tuesday

Neighborhoods:

  • Cherry Creek
  • Hilltop
  • Belcaro
  • Cory-Merrill
  • Glendale (Denver portion)
  • Windsor
  • Indian Creek
  • Fort Logan
  • Hampden
  • Hampden South

Northeast Denver / Central Park

Trash:Wednesday
Recycling:Wednesday
Yard Waste:Wednesday

Neighborhoods:

  • Central Park (formerly Stapleton)
  • Montbello
  • Gateway
  • Green Valley Ranch
  • Denver International Airport Area
  • Northeast Park Hill
  • Eastbridge
  • Skyland

Service Provider

municipal

City and County of Denver - Solid Waste Management Division

Monday-Thursday, 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM

Bulk Waste Pickup

Frequency
Every 9 weeks (scheduled with regular trash collection day)
Registration
Not Required

Scheduling Method:

Automatic

3-1-1 or 720-913-1311

Accepted Items

  • Furniture (couches, chairs, tables, dressers)
  • Mattresses and box springs (must be bagged)
  • Large toys
  • Non-electric bicycles
  • Rugs and carpeting
  • Exercise equipment
  • Bundled branches (maximum 4 feet long, 4 inches diameter)
  • Additional trash bags beyond regular capacity

Not Accepted

  • Electronic waste (TVs, computers, monitors)
  • Construction materials
  • Automotive materials (tires, car parts)
  • Hazardous materials (paint, chemicals, batteries)
  • Appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers)
  • Commercial or industrial waste
  • Glass items
  • Propane tanks

Large item pickup occurs automatically every 9 weeks on your regular trash collection day. Items must be placed curbside by 6:00 AM on collection day. Mattresses and box springs must be sealed in bags. No appointment necessary - service is included with regular waste collection. Check the Denver Trash and Recycling app or website for your next large item pickup date.

Recycling Program

Type
single-stream
Frequency
Bi-weekly (every other week on your collection day)
Cart Color
Purple

Accepted Materials

  • Paper: Newspaper, magazines, catalogs, office paper, junk mail, paper bags
  • Cardboard: Flattened boxes (maximum 2x2 feet), cereal boxes, paperboard boxes
  • Plastics: Rigid plastic bottles, jugs, jars, tubs marked #1-#7 (soda bottles, milk jugs, yogurt tubs, peanut butter jars)
  • Glass: Food and beverage bottles and jars (all colors)
  • Metal: Aluminum cans, steel cans, tin cans, aluminum foil and trays
  • Cartons: Food and beverage cartons (milk, juice, soy milk cartons)

Not Accepted

  • Plastic bags and film
  • Bubble wrap
  • Food wrappers
  • Styrofoam and polystyrene
  • Plastic tubes
  • Juice pouches
  • Shredded paper
  • Hardcover books
  • Wrapping paper
  • Paper towels and tissues
  • Greased pizza boxes
  • Scrap metal
  • Fuel canisters
  • Window glass
  • Ceramics and glassware
  • Clothing and textiles
  • Food waste
  • Yard waste
  • Diapers
  • Electronics
  • Hazardous materials
  • Batteries (recycle separately)
  • Light bulbs
  • Medical waste

Denver uses single-stream recycling - all accepted materials go together in the purple cart, no sorting required. Empty containers of liquids and food scraps. Flatten cardboard boxes to save space (maximum 2x2 feet). Place cart curbside by 6:00 AM on collection day with lid closed. Keep cart at least 2 feet away from other carts, vehicles, and obstacles. Purple recycling carts are provided by the city at no extra charge. Use the Denver Waste Directory at denvergov.org to check if specific items are recyclable.

Holiday Schedule

Denver solid waste collection is delayed one day when your service falls on or after a major holiday. For a Monday holiday, Monday collections move to Tuesday, Tuesday to Wednesday, Wednesday to Thursday, and Thursday to Friday for that week only. Regular schedule resumes the following week. Major holidays that affect collection include New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Recycling may be adjusted during holiday weeks - check the Denver Trash and Recycling app or website for your specific schedule during holiday weeks.

Important Information

The City and County of Denver's Solid Waste Management Division serves all residential properties within Denver city limits. Beginning January 2025, most collection routes operate Monday through Thursday (no Friday collections for most areas). Carts must be placed curbside by 6:00 AM on collection day - setting carts out the night before is acceptable. Allow at least 2 feet of clearance around each cart and keep lids closed. Store carts on your property when not in use. The smaller your trash cart, the lower your monthly fee - consider downsizing your trash cart and maximizing use of free recycling and compost services. Denver has a goal to achieve zero waste and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Download the free Denver Trash and Recycling app (available on Google Play and App Store) for collection reminders, schedule lookups, and waste sorting assistance. Report missed collections through Denver Utilities Online or by calling 3-1-1. Special seasonal programs include LeafDrop (October-November for leaf recycling), TreeCycle (December-January for Christmas tree recycling), and annual Mulch Giveaway (spring). Cart setout time changed to 6:00 AM as of 2025.

Official Data Sources