Nashville Recycling Guide & 2026 Calendar
Single-stream recycling pickup is listed for Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday. Item-specific answers appear below.
Nashville recycling calendar 2026
Regular collection days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. Check the current holiday delay notice for changes to regular pickup.
A verified 2026 recycling calendar has not been provided. Get the official calendar and confirm your route.
Accepted & prohibited recycling
Accepted items
- Paper (office paper, newspaper, magazines, mail, food and beverage cartons)
- Cardboard (corrugated cardboard, cereal boxes, paper towel rolls flattened)
- Food and beverage cans (aluminum and steel cans empty and clean)
- Plastic bottles, jars, and jugs (beverage bottles, milk jugs, detergent jugs)
Prohibited items
- Plastic bags, plastic wrap, and bubble wrap (strictly prohibited loose or bagged)
- Glass containers (no glass in curbside carts; drop off at convenience centers)
- Food or liquid waste (all recyclables must be empty, clean, and dry)
- Plastic items other than bottles, jars, and jugs (no tubs, cups, or takeout trays)
- Styrofoam, hoses, wires, electronics, clothing, and linens
Can you recycle these items in Nashville?
Can you recycle cardboard in Nashville?
AcceptedFlatten all corrugated cardboard boxes; place loose inside green cart.
Can you recycle pizza boxes in Nashville?
Accepted with conditionsClean sections free of food and grease can be recycled; soiled portions belong in trash.
Can you recycle plastic #1 in Nashville?
AcceptedRinse beverage bottles; caps may remain screwed on or thrown away loose.
Can you recycle plastic #2 in Nashville?
AcceptedRinse milk jugs, juice jugs, and laundry bottles; reattach caps.
Can you recycle plastic #3 in Nashville?
Not acceptedPVC piping, vinyl siding, and hazardous containers are prohibited.
Can you recycle plastic #4 in Nashville?
Not acceptedPlastic grocery bags, shrink film, and wrap are strictly prohibited from curbside carts.
Can you recycle plastic #5 in Nashville?
Not acceptedPlastic tubs, yogurt cups, and takeout containers are not accepted in Nashville curbside carts.
Can you recycle plastic #6 in Nashville?
Not acceptedStyrofoam and polystyrene cups, packaging peanuts, and takeout containers are prohibited.
Can you recycle plastic #7 in Nashville?
Not acceptedMixed or bulky plastic items not shaped as bottles, jars, or jugs are prohibited.
Can you recycle glass in Nashville?
Not acceptedCurbside glass collection is not offered; drop off glass bottles and jars at convenience centers.
Can you recycle aluminum in Nashville?
AcceptedEmpty and rinse aluminum beverage cans and food tins; place loose in cart.
Can you recycle shredded paper in Nashville?
Not acceptedShredded paper jams sorting machinery; compost at home or drop off at collection sites.
DPW & sanitation contact
Metro Nashville Department of Waste Services · municipal dpw
Phone: 615-862-5000
1600 2nd Ave NNashville, TN 37208
These collection rules cover Zone Nashville Urban Services District Curbside Collection Routes.
Trash & recycling questions
What days is trash collected in Nashville, TN?
Listed trash collection days are Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday. Set containers out Set out your cart on the curb or alley by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day with the arrow on the lid pointing toward the street or alley. Collection takes place between 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.. These rules apply to Zone Nashville Urban Services District Curbside Collection Routes.
Is garbage pickup delayed for holidays in Nashville?
As of 2026-09-23: No observed holidays this week. Collections follow the regular schedule. Pickups on a listed holiday are skipped until the next scheduled cycle. Observed holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. These rules apply to Zone Nashville Urban Services District Curbside Collection Routes.
How do I schedule bulk trash pickup in Nashville?
Items too bulky to fit in a curbside cart should be taken to a Convenience Center for proper disposal or recycling. Davidson County residents may drop off excess trash and bulk items during regular operating hours (Tuesday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.). The listed limit is 4 items per pickup. Advance notice is not required under the listed rules. Contact sanitation at 615-862-5000 to confirm eligibility and arrange service. These rules apply to Zone Nashville Urban Services District Curbside Collection Routes.
What items are accepted for recycling in Nashville?
The listed accepted materials are Paper (office paper, newspaper, magazines, mail, food and beverage cartons), Cardboard (corrugated cardboard, cereal boxes, paper towel rolls flattened), Food and beverage cans (aluminum and steel cans empty and clean), Plastic bottles, jars, and jugs (beverage bottles, milk jugs, detergent jugs). Keep these listed prohibited items out: Plastic bags, plastic wrap, and bubble wrap (strictly prohibited loose or bagged), Glass containers (no glass in curbside carts; drop off at convenience centers), Food or liquid waste (all recyclables must be empty, clean, and dry), Plastic items other than bottles, jars, and jugs (no tubs, cups, or takeout trays), Styrofoam, hoses, wires, electronics, clothing, and linens. Confirm item-specific preparation rules with the official sanitation office. These rules apply to Zone Nashville Urban Services District Curbside Collection Routes.