Trash pickup in Philadelphia, PA

Who collects trash in Philadelphia, 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, 2026Slides a daySee every holiday

At a glance

Who collects
City crews
Hauler
City of Philadelphia Department of Sanitation
Recycling
Every week
Holiday schedule
2026 posted, 2027 not posted yet
Last checked
Oct 15, 2026

The City of Philadelphia Department of Sanitation (split from the Streets Department in 2024) collects residential trash and recycling citywide. Recycling goes out every week on the same day as trash, and trash day is assigned by address through the City's online lookup. Parts of South Philly and Center City (since Dec 2024) and North Philly (since Jan 5, 2026) get a second, trash-only pickup each week, which is cancelled in any week with a City holiday. On a City holiday there's no pickup, and the rest of that week's collections run one day late.

Who picks up trash in Philadelphia

City crews.

City of Philadelphia Department of Sanitation

City serviceTrashRecyclingYard wasteBulk
Area
Whole city (eligible properties of six units or fewer, plus qualifying condos and co-ops). Twice-a-week trash zones: Phase 1 (from Dec 2, 2024) covers Callowhill St to Pattison Ave between the Schuylkill Expressway (30th St) and Delaware Ave. Phase 2 (from Jan 5, 2026) covers Vine St to Hunting Park Ave from Broad St to the Schuylkill River, and Vine St to Glenwood Ave from Broad St to the Delaware River.
Phone
311 (215-686-8686)
Website
phila.gov

Yard waste goes out with trash and counts toward the weekly limit. Two bulk items a week can go out at the curb, and there's also a Bulk Collection program (bulkcollection.phila.gov). Twice-a-week day pairs are Mon/Thu, Tue/Fri, Wed/Sat, Thu/Mon and Fri/Tue, with recycling only on the first (regular) day. The City also has a fall leaf collection program.

Not covered

Private haulers serve properties with more than six units (unless they're qualifying condos or co-ops that request service), gas and service stations, body and auto repair shops, manufacturers and wholesalers, and any property using private collection.

How trash day works in Philadelphia

By address: enter your address in the City's 'Find your trash and recycling collection day' lookup. Twice-a-week zones get a fixed second, trash-only day paired with the regular day.

Find a trash day on phila.gov

Recycling: every week. "Put your recycling bin out every week on the same day as trash day." In twice-a-week zones, there's no recycling on the second pickup. Use a City or partner bin, or any container up to 32 gallons.

Carts out: Outside Center City: 7 p.m. the night before to 7 a.m. on collection day from Apr 1 to Sep 30, and 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. from Oct 1 to Mar 31. Center City (Vine to Bainbridge, river to river): 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. from April to September, and 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. from October to March. The City doesn't publish a time for bringing containers back in. Source

Weekly limits: 4 cans or 8 bags for a single-family home, and 6 cans or 12 bags for 2 to 6 units. Cans can be up to 32 gallons. In twice-a-week zones, up to 8 bags or four 32-gallon cans per collection.

Philadelphia trash pickup holiday schedule

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

The City's holiday rule (the same every year): no trash or recycling collection on City holidays, and collections run one day behind for the rest of that week. In twice-a-week zones, the second weekly pickup is cancelled in any holiday week. The 2026 holiday dates come from City Council's holiday list. The City hasn't posted its 2027 holiday list yet.

2026

  1. Veterans Day, Wed, Nov 11, 2026

    Slides a day

    Trash and recycling, all city routes

    City holiday on a Wednesday. Under the City's holiday rule (the same every year), there's no collection that day and the rest of the week runs one day behind: Wednesday routes on Thursday, Thursday routes on Friday and Friday routes on Saturday. The City hasn't posted a separate 2026 notice yet.

    Source: phila.gov

  2. Veterans Day, Wed, Nov 11, 2026

    No pickup

    Twice-a-week zones (second pickup)

    "There will be NO second collection during a holiday week." Only the regular (first) pickup happens that week.

    Source: phila.gov

  3. Thanksgiving Day, Thu, Nov 26, 2026

    Not announced

    Trash and recycling, all city routes

    Not announced yet. Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov 26) and the day after (Friday, Nov 27) are both City holidays. In 2025, Thursday routes ran Saturday and Friday routes ran Sunday, and Monday to Wednesday were normal. Check the City's notice closer to the date.

    Source: phila.gov

  4. Thanksgiving week, Thu, Nov 26, 2026

    No pickup

    Twice-a-week zones (second pickup)

    No second pickup during a holiday week.

    Source: phila.gov

  5. Day after Thanksgiving, Fri, Nov 27, 2026

    Not announced

    Trash and recycling, all city routes

    Not announced yet. It's a City holiday with no collection. In 2025, Thursday routes ran Saturday and Friday routes ran Sunday. Check the City's notice closer to the date.

    Source: phlcouncil.com

  6. Christmas Day, Fri, Dec 25, 2026

    Next day

    Trash and recycling, all city routes

    City holiday on a Friday. Under the City's holiday rule (one day behind for the rest of the week), only Friday routes move, to Saturday, Dec 26. Monday to Thursday are normal.

    Source: phila.gov

  7. Christmas week, Fri, Dec 25, 2026

    No pickup

    Twice-a-week zones (second pickup)

    No second pickup during a holiday week.

    Source: phila.gov
Slides a day
That day’s pickups and the rest of the week move one day later (Friday’s move to Saturday).
Next day
Only that day’s pickups move, to the next day. The rest of the week is normal.
No pickup
The pickup is skipped, not moved. It waits for the next regular pickup day.
Not announced
The city hasn’t said yet. The note has what’s known, such as last year’s pattern.
Cleaning bins in Philadelphia?

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

Philadelphia neighborhoods

18 names from Philadelphia Planning Districts (City Planning Commission). Planning districts: Philadelphia has no single official neighborhood list.

  • Central
  • Central Northeast
  • Lower Far Northeast
  • Lower North
  • Lower Northeast
  • Lower Northwest
  • Lower South
  • Lower Southwest
  • North
  • North Delaware
  • River Wards
  • South
  • University Southwest
  • Upper Far Northeast
  • Upper North
  • Upper Northwest
  • West
  • West Park

Source: phila.gov

Questions about trash pickup in Philadelphia

Who picks up trash in Philadelphia?

The City of Philadelphia Department of Sanitation (split from the Streets Department in 2024) collects residential trash and recycling citywide. Recycling goes out every week on the same day as trash, and trash day is assigned by address through the City's online lookup. Parts of South Philly and Center City (since Dec 2024) and North Philly (since Jan 5, 2026) get a second, trash-only pickup each week, which is cancelled in any week with a City holiday. On a City holiday there's no pickup, and the rest of that week's collections run one day late.

How do I find my trash day in Philadelphia?

By address: enter your address in the City's 'Find your trash and recycling collection day' lookup. Twice-a-week zones get a fixed second, trash-only day paired with the regular day.

Is recycling picked up every week in Philadelphia?

Yes, every week. "Put your recycling bin out every week on the same day as trash day." In twice-a-week zones, there's no recycling on the second pickup. Use a City or partner bin, or any container up to 32 gallons.

When do trash carts go out in Philadelphia?

Outside Center City: 7 p.m. the night before to 7 a.m. on collection day from Apr 1 to Sep 30, and 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. from Oct 1 to Mar 31. Center City (Vine to Bainbridge, river to river): 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. from April to September, and 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. from October to March. The City doesn't publish a time for bringing containers back in.

Is trash picked up on Thanksgiving in Philadelphia?

Thanksgiving is Thu, Nov 26, 2026. Trash and recycling, all city routes: Not announced yet. Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov 26) and the day after (Friday, Nov 27) are both City holidays. In 2025, Thursday routes ran Saturday and Friday routes ran Sunday, and Monday to Wednesday were normal. Check the City's notice closer to the date. Twice-a-week zones (second pickup): that day’s pickup is skipped, not moved, and waits for the next regular pickup day. No second pickup during a holiday week.

Is trash picked up on Christmas in Philadelphia?

Christmas is Fri, Dec 25, 2026. Trash and recycling, all city routes: that day’s pickups move to the next day. City holiday on a Friday. Under the City's holiday rule (one day behind for the rest of the week), only Friday routes move, to Saturday, Dec 26. Monday to Thursday are normal. Twice-a-week zones (second pickup): that day’s pickup is skipped, not moved, and waits for the next regular pickup day. No second pickup during a holiday week.

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 (3)

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