Trash pickup in Denver, CO

Who collects trash in Denver, how trash day works, and which holidays move pickup. Checked against official city and hauler pages on Oct 15, 2026.

Next holiday change: Thanksgiving Day, Thu, Nov 26, 2026Slides a daySee every holiday

At a glance

Who collects
City crews
Hauler
City and County of Denver Solid Waste Management
Recycling
Every other week
Holiday schedule
2026 posted, 2027 not posted yet
Last checked
Oct 15, 2026

The City and County of Denver's Solid Waste Management (DOTI) collects trash and compost weekly, recycling every other week and large items every 9 weeks for single-family homes and buildings with 7 or fewer units. Routes run Monday to Thursday, with Friday kept for catch-up and holiday-week slides. Find your pickup day by address with the city's Schedules and Reminders lookup or the Denver Trash and Recycling app. On observed holidays, that day's and the rest of the week's pickups slide one day; on "working holidays" nothing changes.

Who picks up trash in Denver

City crews.

City and County of Denver Solid Waste Management

City serviceTrashRecyclingOrganicsBulk
Area
Whole city (city-serviced residential properties)
Phone
311 (720-913-1311); Solid Waste billing (303) 446-3733

Part of the Department of Transportation & Infrastructure (DOTI). Weekly trash (fees by cart size since 2023), weekly compost (opt-in, citywide since 2025), every-other-week recycling (since Jan 6, 2025) and large item pickup every 9 weeks (since 2025). Customer Care: 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday. Billing email: swmbillinginquiries@denvergov.org. Report missed pickups to 311 or with a Denver Utilities Online service request.

Not covered

Multifamily buildings with 8 or more units and all non-residential properties use private haulers. The city serves single-family homes and multifamily buildings with seven or fewer units, according to 2022 news reporting of city figures.

How trash day works in Denver

Look up your collection days by address on the city's Schedules and Reminders page or in the Denver Trash and Recycling app (ReCollect). Regular routes run Monday to Thursday; since January 2022, Friday has been used for catch-up and holiday weeks.

Find a trash day on denvergov.org

Recycling: every other week. Every other week since Jan 6, 2025 (weekly in 2023-2024). After Thanksgiving 2025, when there was no recycling that week, every customer's recycling week moved back one week from Dec 1, 2025 into 2026. Compost is weekly; large items every 9 weeks.

Carts out: Set carts out from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on service day; you may also set them out the night before. Trucks don't return for late set-outs. Bring carts in within one day after collection and keep them on your property (not in the alley or street) on non-collection days. Source

Leave 2 ft of clearance around each cart, with lids closed. In 2025 DOTI moved the set-out deadline from 7 a.m. to 6 a.m. On street-sweeping days, put carts on the driveway apron, at the curb-line edge or on the opposite side of the street.

Denver trash pickup holiday schedule

Upcoming holidays in Denver and what each does to pickup. The 2026 holiday schedule is posted; 2027’s isn’t out yet.

The city's page lists 2026 observed holidays (closed, with collections delayed one day for the rest of that week) and 2026 working holidays (no change). The 2027 schedule isn't posted yet. Thanksgiving 2025 was handled differently because of furloughs: trash was collected Monday to Wednesday, with no recycling or compost that week. The city's page lists Thanksgiving 2026 as a normal one-day delay; check for a special announcement before Thanksgiving week.

2026

  1. Veterans Day, Wed, Nov 11, 2026

    Normal pickup

    Trash, recycling, compost and large items

    Listed as a 2026 working holiday: 'set your cart out on your regular collection day.'

    Source: denvergov.org

  2. Thanksgiving Day, Thu, Nov 26, 2026

    Slides a day

    Trash, recycling, compost and large items

    Observed holiday: Solid Waste is closed and "collections delayed one day" for the rest of that week only. Thursday, Nov 26 routes are collected Friday, Nov 27; Monday to Wednesday are unaffected. In 2025 the city announced a special Thanksgiving-week schedule shortly before the holiday; it hasn't announced one for 2026.

    Source: denvergov.org

  3. Christmas Day (observed), Fri, Dec 25, 2026

    Not announced

    Trash, recycling, compost and large items

    Not announced yet. Christmas is listed as an observed holiday (operations closed, collections delayed one day), but it falls on a Friday, after the regular Monday to Thursday routes, and the city hasn't said how that changes pickup. Check the city's page the week before. The Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-off is closed Friday and Saturday.

    Source: denvergov.org
Slides a day
That day’s pickups and the rest of the week move one day later (Friday’s move to Saturday).
Not announced
The city hasn’t said yet. The note has what’s known, such as last year’s pattern.
Normal pickup
Pickup runs as usual.
Cleaning bins in Denver?

Bins get cleaned right after pickup, so when a holiday moves trash day, your route moves with it. In Clean Bin System you give each zone its hauler and add the hauler’s holidays once: that week’s cleanings move with the pickup, and each customer gets a text. See how it works

Denver neighborhoods

78 names from City and County of Denver Statistical Neighborhoods.

  • Athmar Park
  • Auraria
  • Baker
  • Barnum
  • Barnum West
  • Bear Valley
  • Belcaro
  • Berkeley
  • CBD
  • Capitol Hill
  • Central Park
  • Chaffee Park
  • Cheesman Park
  • Cherry Creek
  • City Park
  • City Park West
  • Civic Center
  • Clayton
  • Cole
  • College View - South Platte
  • Congress Park
  • Cory - Merrill
  • Country Club
  • Dia
  • East Colfax
  • Elyria Swansea
  • Five Points
  • Fort Logan
  • Gateway - Green Valley Ranch
  • Globeville
  • Goldsmith
  • Hale
  • Hampden
  • Hampden South
  • Harvey Park
  • Harvey Park South
  • Highland
  • Hilltop
  • Indian Creek
  • Jefferson Park
  • Kennedy
  • Lincoln Park
  • Lowry Field
  • Mar Lee
  • Marston
  • Montbello
  • Montclair
  • North Capitol Hill
  • North Park Hill
  • Northeast Park Hill
  • Overland
  • Platt Park
  • Regis
  • Rosedale
  • Ruby Hill
  • Skyland
  • Sloan Lake
  • South Park Hill
  • Southmoor Park
  • Speer
  • Sun Valley
  • Sunnyside
  • Union Station
  • University
  • University Hills
  • University Park
  • Valverde
  • Villa Park
  • Virginia Village
  • Washington Park
  • Washington Park West
  • Washington Virginia Vale
  • Wellshire
  • West Colfax
  • West Highland
  • Westwood
  • Whittier
  • Windsor

Questions about trash pickup in Denver

Who picks up trash in Denver?

The City and County of Denver's Solid Waste Management (DOTI) collects trash and compost weekly, recycling every other week and large items every 9 weeks for single-family homes and buildings with 7 or fewer units. Routes run Monday to Thursday, with Friday kept for catch-up and holiday-week slides. Find your pickup day by address with the city's Schedules and Reminders lookup or the Denver Trash and Recycling app. On observed holidays, that day's and the rest of the week's pickups slide one day; on "working holidays" nothing changes.

How do I find my trash day in Denver?

Look up your collection days by address on the city's Schedules and Reminders page or in the Denver Trash and Recycling app (ReCollect). Regular routes run Monday to Thursday; since January 2022, Friday has been used for catch-up and holiday weeks.

Is recycling picked up every week in Denver?

No, every other week. Every other week since Jan 6, 2025 (weekly in 2023-2024). After Thanksgiving 2025, when there was no recycling that week, every customer's recycling week moved back one week from Dec 1, 2025 into 2026. Compost is weekly; large items every 9 weeks.

When do trash carts go out in Denver?

Set carts out from 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on service day; you may also set them out the night before. Trucks don't return for late set-outs. Bring carts in within one day after collection and keep them on your property (not in the alley or street) on non-collection days.

Is trash picked up on Thanksgiving in Denver?

No. On Thanksgiving (Thu, Nov 26, 2026), pickup slides a day, so that day’s routes and the rest of the week move one day later. Observed holiday: Solid Waste is closed and "collections delayed one day" for the rest of that week only. Thursday, Nov 26 routes are collected Friday, Nov 27; Monday to Wednesday are unaffected. In 2025 the city announced a special Thanksgiving-week schedule shortly before the holiday; it hasn't announced one for 2026.

Is trash picked up on Christmas in Denver?

Christmas is Fri, Dec 25, 2026. Not announced yet. Christmas is listed as an observed holiday (operations closed, collections delayed one day), but it falls on a Friday, after the regular Monday to Thursday routes, and the city hasn't said how that changes pickup. Check the city's page the week before. The Cherry Creek Recycling Drop-off is closed Friday and Saturday.

Sources

Official city and hauler pages, checked Oct 15, 2026. News and other sites used for details the official pages don’t give are listed separately. Schedules change, especially around holidays: check the city’s page before you plan routes. Something out of date? Email taylor@bincleanmarketing.com.

Other sources (5)
  • wastedive.com: Which buildings the city serves (7 or fewer units)
  • denverite.com: Monday to Thursday routes since 2022, Thanksgiving 2025 schedule, recycling week shift
  • yahoo.com: 2025 set-out deadline change from 7 a.m. to 6 a.m.
  • frontporchne.com: 2025 changes: every-other-week recycling, large items every 9 weeks, citywide compost
  • countryclubhistoric.org: 2025 collection schedule summary

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