Durham, NC Waste Collection Schedule
Complete waste management schedule including trash pickup, recycling, bulk waste, and special collections for Durham.
Population: 283,506
112.4 sq mi
Updated: January 19, 2025
Collection Zones & Pickup Days
Find your neighborhood to see your collection schedule
View Interactive Zone MapDowntown / Central Durham
Trash:Tuesday
Recycling:Tuesday
Yard Waste:Tuesday
Neighborhoods:
- •Downtown Durham
- •Trinity Park
- •Old West Durham
- •Duke Park
- •Morehead Hill
- •Cleveland-Holloway
- •Walltown
- •Hayti
- •Old North Durham
- •West End
- •Trinity Heights
- •Burch Avenue
North Durham / Duke Forest
Trash:Wednesday
Recycling:Wednesday
Yard Waste:Wednesday
Neighborhoods:
- •Duke Forest
- •Parkwood
- •Treyburn
- •Arrowhead
- •Redwood
- •Bahama
- •Croasdaile
- •North Durham
- •Audubon Park
- •Northgate Park
- •Garrett Farms
West Durham / Hope Valley
Trash:Thursday
Recycling:Thursday
Yard Waste:Thursday
Neighborhoods:
- •Hope Valley
- •Hope Valley Farms
- •Grove Park
- •Penrith
- •Westover
- •Forest Hills
- •Duke West Campus
- •Indian Trail
- •Shannon Woods
- •West Durham
South Durham / Southpoint
Trash:Friday
Recycling:Friday
Yard Waste:Friday
Neighborhoods:
- •Woodcroft
- •Southpoint
- •Renaissance
- •Parkwood Village
- •Woodlake
- •Woodhill
- •Alexander Point
- •Carriage Hill
- •Hunter's Creek
- •Regency Park
East Durham / Lakewood
Trash:Monday
Recycling:Monday
Yard Waste:Monday
Neighborhoods:
- •Lakewood
- •Tuscaloosa-Lakewood
- •East Durham
- •Edgemont
- •Southern Boundaries
- •Willowhaven
- •Golden Belt
- •East End
- •Eastway-Albright
- •Carr Mill
Northeast Durham / Watts-Hillandale
Trash:Tuesday
Recycling:Tuesday
Yard Waste:Tuesday
Neighborhoods:
- •Watts-Hillandale
- •Club Acres
- •Englewood
- •Stadium Heights
- •Northgate
- •Country Club Heights
- •Umstead Pines
- •Northeast Central Durham
- •Old Farm
- •Sherwood Park
Service Provider
municipalCity of Durham Solid Waste Management Department
Bulk Waste Pickup
Frequency
Once per week (up to 3 items free), on-demand for additional items
Registration
Required
Accepted Items
- •Furniture (sofas, chairs, tables, mattresses, dressers)
- •Mattresses and box springs
- •Appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers, stoves, dishwashers, water heaters)
- •Push lawnmowers (no gas or oil)
- •Bicycles
- •Exercise equipment
- •Grills (propane tank removed)
- •Carpets and rugs (rolled and tied)
- •Small metal items
- •Wood furniture
- •Basketball goals
- •Electronics (TVs, computers, printers - separate e-waste collection)
Not Accepted
- •Tires
- •Automobile parts
- •Construction and demolition debris
- •Contractor materials
- •Hazardous waste (paint, chemicals, batteries)
- •Propane tanks (take to HHW facility)
- •Yard waste (use regular yard waste collection)
- •Items that fit in regular garbage cart
- •Concrete, bricks, rocks
- •Dirt or soil
- •Business/commercial waste
Durham provides one collection per week of up to 3 bulky items free of charge. Must call Durham One Call at (919) 560-1200 to schedule. Place items at curbside by 5:00 AM on collection day. Items containing Freon must have certification tag from licensed technician showing refrigerant has been removed. Yard waste customers receive two (2) free bulky brush pickups per year as part of their subscription.
Recycling Program
Type
single-stream
Frequency
Bi-weekly (every other week on your regular collection day)
Cart Color
Blue
Accepted Materials
- •Plastic bottles, tubs, jugs, and jars with lids (water bottles, milk jugs, detergent bottles, shampoo bottles)
- •Glass bottles and jars (all colors - wine, beer, sauce jars, baby food jars)
- •Metal cans (aluminum and steel beverage cans, soup cans, food cans, tin cans)
- •Aluminum products (clean foil balled to size of aluminum can)
- •Paper products (newspaper, magazines, office paper, mail, catalogs)
- •Cardboard (cereal boxes, shipping boxes, paperboard - MUST be flattened)
- •Cartons (milk cartons, juice boxes, soup cartons, broth boxes)
- •Paper bags
- •Phone books
Not Accepted
- •Plastic bags, plastic wrap, or plastic film (take to grocery store drop-off)
- •Styrofoam or foam containers
- •Shredded paper
- •Food-contaminated items (greasy pizza boxes, food-soiled paper)
- •Aerosol cans (take to HHW facility)
- •Batteries (take to HHW facility)
- •Electronics (take to Waste Disposal Center or convenience sites)
- •Textiles and clothing (donate or take to recycling center)
- •Hardback books (spine prevents recycling)
- •Ceramics and pottery
- •Household glass (drinking glasses, mirrors, windows, light bulbs)
- •Medical waste and sharps
- •Hazardous materials
- •Wire hangers and blinds
- •Diapers
- •Boxes with wax coating
- •Empty motor oil containers
- •Disposable cups (paper or plastic)
- •Plastic clamshells or takeout containers
Place all recyclable items LOOSE in your blue recycling cart - NEVER bag recyclables. Empty and rinse all containers before recycling. Cardboard MUST be flattened and fit inside cart with lid closed. Recycling is collected bi-weekly - use the Durham Rollout app or call (919) 560-1200 to find your specific collection week. Place cart at curb by 5:00 AM on collection day. Customers may have up to 4 blue recycling carts at no fee. Contamination (non-recyclable items) causes entire loads to be rejected - when in doubt, throw it out.
Holiday Schedule
Durham collection schedules are affected by holidays. When a holiday falls on a regular collection day, service is typically delayed by one day for the remainder of that week. If your collection day falls on a holiday or the day after a Monday holiday, your garbage collection will be delayed by one day. To verify any last-minute changes due to weather or other circumstances, check local media, call Durham One Call at (919) 560-1200, or sign up for service alerts through the Durham Rollout app. Collection schedules are subject to change due to weather or unforeseen circumstances.
Important Information
City of Durham Solid Waste Management provides comprehensive waste collection to single-family residential properties within Durham city limits:
COLLECTION SCHEDULE:
- Garbage: Weekly collection (Monday through Friday, depending on your address)
- Recycling: Bi-weekly collection (every other week)
- Yard Waste: Optional subscription service ($90/year) - Weekly through July 2025, then Bi-weekly starting August 2025
- Bulky Items: Up to 3 items free weekly (must schedule)
- Food Waste: Pilot curbside program (500 households) or drop-off at 3 locations
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
- Place all carts and items at curb by 5:00 AM on collection day (collection starts at 5:00 AM)
- Remove carts from curb after collection
- Cart handles should face your property
- Keep carts accessible for collection trucks
- Do not block sidewalks, driveways, or mailboxes
- Keep cart lids closed
FIND YOUR COLLECTION DAY:
Durham uses address-based scheduling. To find your specific collection day:
- Durham Rollout Mobile App: Available for iOS and Android
- Call Durham One Call: (919) 560-1200
- Visit: https://www.durhamnc.gov/3025/Your-Collection-Information
- Search your address at DurhamNC.gov/SolidWaste
YARD WASTE IMPORTANT CHANGES (August 2025):
- Collection frequency changes from weekly to bi-weekly (every other week)
- Yard waste will be collected same week as recycling (bi-weekly schedule)
- Blue Week starts August 4, 2025
- Red Week starts August 11, 2025
- Subscription remains $90/year ($7.50/month for water customers)
MISSED COLLECTION:
Report missed collections by calling Durham One Call at (919) 560-1200. Allow until end of business day before reporting as missed, since collection times vary throughout the day. Collection times can be delayed due to staff and/or vehicle-related issues.
RECYCLING RIGHT:
- Place items LOOSE in blue cart - never bag recyclables
- Empty and rinse all containers
- Flatten all cardboard boxes (must fit in cart with lid closed)
- Up to 4 blue recycling carts available per household at no charge
- When in doubt, throw it out - contamination ruins entire recycling loads
DURHAM COUNTY RESOURCES:
Unincorporated Durham County residents can use three convenience sites:
- Bahama (9008 Quail Roost Rd) - (919) 477-8552
- Redwood (100 Electra Rd) - (919) 682-8200
- Parkwood (5928 Highway 55) - (919) 560-0460
Hours: Mon/Wed/Fri 7AM-2:30PM; Tue/Thu 10:30AM-6PM; 2nd Saturday 7AM-12:30PM
Requires beige 24-25 Solid Waste Decal (residential only)
CUSTOMER SERVICE:
- Durham One Call: (919) 560-1200
- Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Weekdays tend to be less busy than Saturdays at HHW facility
- Customers must be inside gate at least 15 minutes before closing
DURHAM WASTE DISPOSAL & RECYCLING CENTER (2115 E. Club Blvd):
- Monday-Friday: 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM
- Saturday: 7:30 AM - 12:00 PM
- Co-located: Waste Disposal Center, Yard Waste Facility, and HHW Center
- Accepts: Household waste, recyclables, yard waste, electronics, hazardous waste
- Payment: Credit/debit card or verified disposal accounts
- Open to all City of Durham and Durham County residents
SPECIAL PROGRAMS:
- Christmas Tree Recycling: Jan 2 - Feb 3 (curbside for yard waste customers, or drop-off at center/parks)
- Food Waste Pilot: 500-household curbside program in evaluation through June 2025
- E-Waste Collection: Free at Waste Disposal Center and County convenience sites
Official Data Sources
- https://www.durhamnc.gov/832/Solid-Waste-Management
- https://www.durhamnc.gov/3025/Your-Collection-Information
- https://www.durhamnc.gov/852/Curbside-Collection-Services
- https://www.durhamnc.gov/855/Bulky-Services
- https://www.durhamnc.gov/862/Recycling
- https://www.durhamnc.gov/866/Recycling-Guidelines
- https://www.durhamnc.gov/891/Yard-Waste
- https://www.durhamnc.gov/878/Waste-Disposal-Recycling-Center
- https://www.durhamnc.gov/900/Household-Hazardous-Waste
- https://www.durhamnc.gov/898/Disposal-and-Drop-Off-Facilities
- https://www.durhamnc.gov/4625/Food-Waste-Collection-Pilot
- https://www.durhamnc.gov/4370/Live-Tree-Disposal-Options
- https://dconc.gov/General-Services/Waste-and-Recycling/Durham-County-Convenience-Sites
- https://dconc.gov/General-Services/Waste-and-Recycling
- https://www.dconc.gov/county-departments/departments-f-z/general-services/solid-waste-recycling-and-litter-control/computer-electronic-waste