Trash pickup in Nashville, TN

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

Next holiday change: Veterans Day, Wed, Nov 11, 2026See noteSee every holiday

At a glance

Who collects
City crews and contractors
Haulers
3: Metro Nashville Department of Waste Services, Nashville Department of Transportation, Private subscription haulers
Recycling
Every other week
Holiday schedule
2026 posted, 2027 not posted yet
Last checked
Oct 15, 2026

Metro Nashville's Department of Waste Services (NWS), now its own department rather than part of Metro Water Services, collects curbside trash weekly and recycling every other week for single-family homes (up to quadplexes) in the Urban Services District (USD). Homes in the General Services District (GSD) get no Metro curbside trash; they hire a private hauler or use convenience centers. Since February 2, 2026, crews run Tuesday through Friday, and Monday is used for holiday make-up routes. About 50,000 homes once served by contractors (Red River, then WM on an emergency basis) are now collected by Metro crews.

Who picks up trash in Nashville

City crews and contractors.

Metro Nashville Department of Waste Services (NWS)

City serviceTrashRecycling
Area
Urban Services District (USD): single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes. Sign up through hubNashville. Check whether an address is covered in the Nashville Waste and Recycling app (Waste Wizard) or by calling 311.
Phone
311 or 615-862-5000

Weekly trash in a brown cart (must be bagged) and every-other-week recycling (not bagged). Since Feb 2, 2026, crews work four 10-hour days, Tuesday to Friday, with Monday kept for holiday make-up, maintenance and training (Waste Advantage Magazine). About 97,000 of 144,000 households got new days in February 2026. About 50,000 homes once served by contractors were brought in-house around mid-2025, according to news reports. An extra trash cart is $65.

Nashville Department of Transportation (NDOT)

City serviceYard waste
Area
Brush and leaf collection for single-family homes in both the USD and GSD, but not on private streets or in satellite cities.
Phone
615-862-5000 (or 311)

Four collections a year on a 12-route rotation. Dates are in the 2026-2027 Brush and Leaf Collection Schedule PDF and in the Waste Wizard calendar (yellow dot). Yard waste isn't allowed in trash carts.

Private subscription haulers

Private haulerTrashRecycling
Area
General Services District (areas outside the USD). Residents choose and contract with any permitted private hauler. All private haulers must offer a recycling option.
Phone
615-767-2631 (Metro private collection permits office)

Metro doesn't publish a list of permitted residential haulers. News reports (Hoodline, FOX 17) say GSD homeowners pay about $60 to $90 per quarter.

Not covered

General Services District residents use a private hauler or a convenience center. Multi-family complexes aren't covered, except in the USD where the owner requests Metro dumpster service. Businesses and the satellite cities aren't covered either.

How trash day works in Nashville

Each address has a route day. Look it up by address in the Nashville Waste and Recycling app or the Waste Wizard collection calendar. New days took effect Feb 2, 2026, announced by postcard and a QR sticker on the cart. Regular collection runs Tuesday to Friday.

Find a trash day on nashville.gov

Recycling: every other week. Metro says: "Trash is collected weekly, and recycling is collected every other week." Recycling goes loose in the cart, not bagged. Up to two recycling carts are free.

Carts out: At the curb or in the alley by 6 a.m. on pickup day, with the lid arrow facing the street. Collection runs 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Carts must be off the street by 7 p.m. on pickup day. Source

Keep carts 4 ft from cars, mailboxes and other carts, and 15 ft from overhead wires and limbs. Items outside the cart aren't collected.

Nashville trash pickup holiday schedule

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

Metro's page lists holidays for "the remainder of the year": Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day 2027. No other 2027 holidays are posted yet. Metro's holiday rule, from its February 2026 schedule page: if a holiday falls Tuesday to Friday, that day's routes move to the "Monday of the same week"; if it falls on a Monday, the week doesn't change. Thanksgiving and Christmas 2026 don't follow that wording: both move to the following Monday. Check Metro's page before each 2027 holiday.

2026

  1. Veterans Day, Wed, Nov 11, 2026

    See note

    Metro Waste Services trash and recycling (USD)

    Only Wednesday routes move, and they move earlier, to the Monday of the same week: "Wednesday routes will be collected on Monday, November 9, 2026." Other days are normal.

    Source: nashville.gov

  2. Thanksgiving Day, Thu, Nov 26, 2026

    See note

    Metro Waste Services trash and recycling (USD)

    Only Thursday routes move, to the following Monday (four days later): "Thursday routes will be collected on Monday, November 30, 2026." Other days are normal.

    Source: nashville.gov

  3. Day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday), Fri, Nov 27, 2026

    Normal pickup

    Metro Waste Services trash and recycling (USD)

    Metro says: "Black Friday (Friday, November 27) will be collected as normal."

    Source: nashville.gov

  4. Christmas Eve, Thu, Dec 24, 2026

    Normal pickup

    Metro Waste Services trash and recycling (USD)

    Metro says: "Christmas Eve (Thursday, December 24) will be collected as normal."

    Source: nashville.gov

  5. Christmas Day, Fri, Dec 25, 2026

    See note

    Metro Waste Services trash and recycling (USD)

    Only Friday routes move, to the following Monday (three days later): "Friday routes will be collected on Monday, December 28, 2026."

    Source: nashville.gov

2027

  1. New Year's Day, Fri, Jan 1, 2027

    See note

    Metro Waste Services trash and recycling (USD)

    Only Friday routes move, to the following Monday (three days later): "Friday routes will be collected on Monday, January 4, 2027."

    Source: nashville.gov
See note
A different change, such as only some routes moving. The note says what changes.
Normal pickup
Pickup runs as usual.
Cleaning bins in Nashville?

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

Questions about trash pickup in Nashville

Who picks up trash in Nashville?

Metro Nashville's Department of Waste Services (NWS), now its own department rather than part of Metro Water Services, collects curbside trash weekly and recycling every other week for single-family homes (up to quadplexes) in the Urban Services District (USD). Homes in the General Services District (GSD) get no Metro curbside trash; they hire a private hauler or use convenience centers. Since February 2, 2026, crews run Tuesday through Friday, and Monday is used for holiday make-up routes. About 50,000 homes once served by contractors (Red River, then WM on an emergency basis) are now collected by Metro crews.

How do I find my trash day in Nashville?

Each address has a route day. Look it up by address in the Nashville Waste and Recycling app or the Waste Wizard collection calendar. New days took effect Feb 2, 2026, announced by postcard and a QR sticker on the cart. Regular collection runs Tuesday to Friday.

Is recycling picked up every week in Nashville?

No, every other week. Metro says: "Trash is collected weekly, and recycling is collected every other week." Recycling goes loose in the cart, not bagged. Up to two recycling carts are free.

When do trash carts go out in Nashville?

At the curb or in the alley by 6 a.m. on pickup day, with the lid arrow facing the street. Collection runs 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Carts must be off the street by 7 p.m. on pickup day.

Is trash picked up on Thanksgiving in Nashville?

Thanksgiving is Thu, Nov 26, 2026. Metro Waste Services trash and recycling (USD): Only Thursday routes move, to the following Monday (four days later): "Thursday routes will be collected on Monday, November 30, 2026." Other days are normal.

Is trash picked up on Christmas in Nashville?

Christmas is Fri, Dec 25, 2026. Metro Waste Services trash and recycling (USD): Only Friday routes move, to the following Monday (three days later): "Friday routes will be collected on Monday, December 28, 2026."

Is trash picked up on New Year’s Day in Nashville?

New Year’s Day is Fri, Jan 1, 2027. Metro Waste Services trash and recycling (USD): Only Friday routes move, to the following Monday (three days later): "Friday routes will be collected on Monday, January 4, 2027."

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 (4)
  • wasteadvantagemag.com: Feb 2026 route overhaul, crew schedule and in-house collection of about 50,000 homes
  • hoodline.com: In-house collection about a year old (July 2026)
  • hoodline.com: GSD residents' private hauler costs (about $60 to $90 a quarter) and USD/GSD parity review
  • waste360.com: WM emergency service for about 49,000 homes after Red River

More cities

All 50 cities

Cleaning bins in Nashville? Let trash day set your routes.

1 day free with every feature, and nothing is charged until the trial ends. Everything begins in test mode, so nothing reaches your customers until you’re ready.

Start free trialSee pricing