Tacoma Trash Pickup Schedule & Holiday Delays
Source-reviewed schedule
Trash pickup is scheduled for this date.
- Trash pickup days
- Monday & Tuesday & Wednesday & Thursday & FridaySet carts out Set container out by 7 a.m. on your pickup day. For curbside pickup, place container in the street or alley with wheels toward the curb.
- Next trash pickup
- Sep 23Based on the listed schedule
- Recycling days
- Monday & Tuesday & Wednesday & Thursday & FridaySingle-stream collection
Regular trash pickup & collection details
| Service | Collection days | Placement or collection rule |
|---|---|---|
| Trash | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday · Weekly | Placement cutoff: Set container out by 7 a.m. on your pickup day. For curbside pickup, place container in the street or alley with wheels toward the curb. |
| Recycling | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | Single-stream recycling |
| Bulk waste | City of Tacoma residential customers receive two Call-2-Haul pickups or self-hauls per calendar year included in their standard utility rates. Each service accommodates up to 3 large items (such as mattresses, sofas, major appliances, or lawn mowers) and up to 15 boxes or bags of smaller household items. Appointments must be reserved in advance by calling 253-573-2468 or booking online through MyTPU. Place items at the front curb by 7 a.m. on your scheduled pickup date. | Up to 18 items per pickup |
| Yard waste | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | Year-round. Food and yard waste is collected curbside year-round on an every-other-week schedule, alternating with garbage and recycling. Accepted items include vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds, grass clippings, leaves, and small branches under 4 inches in diameter. Do not bag organics in plastic bags. |
Trash container requirements
- City-provided container weighing 250 pounds or less
- Standard single-family residential garbage is collected every other week alternating with food and yard waste
- Set container out by 7 a.m. on your scheduled pickup day
- Place container four feet away from other containers, vehicles, poles, fences, and buildings
- Lid must sit completely flat on top without overfilling
- All household garbage must be bagged and tied before placing inside cart
- Remove containers from the curb or alley after collection has occurred
- Extra bags outside container require additional tags or fees
Tacoma recycling overview
Single-stream recycling · Collection days: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Accepted items
- Cardboard and paperboard boxes (flattened)
- Newspapers, magazines, junk mail, and mixed paper
- Aluminum and tin beverage and food cans
- Rigid plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs (empty, clean, dry)
Prohibited items
- Glass bottles and jars (curbside collection discontinued; take glass to neighborhood drop-off stations)
- Plastic bags, plastic film, and bubble wrap (never bag recyclables)
- Batteries (car, button, and household alkaline/lithium; drop off at Recycle Center)
- Styrofoam cups, containers, and packing peanuts
- Clothing, textiles, and shoes
- Food waste and organic materials
- Garden hoses, cords, wires, and holiday lights
- Medical waste and needles
Tacoma bulk pickup rules
| Collection rule | City of Tacoma residential customers receive two Call-2-Haul pickups or self-hauls per calendar year included in their standard utility rates. Each service accommodates up to 3 large items (such as mattresses, sofas, major appliances, or lawn mowers) and up to 15 boxes or bags of smaller household items. Appointments must be reserved in advance by calling 253-573-2468 or booking online through MyTPU. Place items at the front curb by 7 a.m. on your scheduled pickup date. |
|---|---|
| Limit per pickup | 18 items |
| Permitted materials | No unconditional accepted-material list is verified. Confirm eligibility before putting items out. |
| Advance notice | Required before collection. |
| Dispatch phone | 253-573-2468 |
Tacoma holiday trash delays
Listed strategy: one day slide. A listed holiday shifts remaining pickups in its Monday-Saturday service week by one day.
Observed holidays: New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. Named holidays recur each year; explicit dates apply only to their listed year.
2026 Holiday Collection Calendar: Tacoma, WA
Official schedule adjustments for recognized 2026 holidays. When a holiday falls on or before your collection day, review whether curbside pickups slide forward:
| Holiday | Observed Date | Schedule Status | Curbside Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Thursday, Jan 1, 2026 | 1-Day Slide | Collections on Thursday and the remainder of the service week are delayed by 1 day. |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Monday, Jan 19, 2026 | Not Observed | Regular collection schedule. Trash and recycling run as normal. |
| Presidents' Day | Monday, Feb 16, 2026 | Not Observed | Regular collection schedule. Trash and recycling run as normal. |
| Memorial Day | Monday, May 25, 2026 | Not Observed | Regular collection schedule. Trash and recycling run as normal. |
| Juneteenth | Friday, Jun 19, 2026 | Not Observed | Regular collection schedule. Trash and recycling run as normal. |
| Independence Day | Saturday, Jul 4, 2026 | Weekend Holiday | Holiday falls on a weekend. Regular weekday curbside routes are unchanged. |
| Labor Day | Monday, Sep 7, 2026 | Not Observed | Regular collection schedule. Trash and recycling run as normal. |
| Columbus Day | Monday, Oct 12, 2026 | Not Observed | Regular collection schedule. Trash and recycling run as normal. |
| Veterans Day | Wednesday, Nov 11, 2026 | Not Observed | Regular collection schedule. Trash and recycling run as normal. |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday, Nov 26, 2026 | 1-Day Slide | Collections on Thursday and the remainder of the service week are delayed by 1 day. |
| Christmas Day | Friday, Dec 25, 2026 | 1-Day Slide | Collections on Friday and the remainder of the service week are delayed by 1 day. |
DPW & sanitation contact
City of Tacoma Solid Waste Management · municipal dpw
Phone: 253-502-2100
3510 S Mullen StTacoma, WA 98409
These collection rules cover Zone City of Tacoma Solid Waste Collection Routes.
Trash & recycling questions
What days is trash collected in Tacoma, WA?
Listed trash collection days are Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday and Friday. Set containers out Set container out by 7 a.m. on your pickup day. For curbside pickup, place container in the street or alley with wheels toward the curb.. These rules apply to Zone City of Tacoma Solid Waste Collection Routes.
Is garbage pickup delayed for holidays in Tacoma?
As of 2026-09-23: No observed holidays this week. Collections follow the regular schedule. A listed holiday shifts that day and the remaining collection days in its service week by one day. Observed holidays: New Year's Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. These rules apply to Zone City of Tacoma Solid Waste Collection Routes.
How do I schedule bulk trash pickup in Tacoma?
City of Tacoma residential customers receive two Call-2-Haul pickups or self-hauls per calendar year included in their standard utility rates. Each service accommodates up to 3 large items (such as mattresses, sofas, major appliances, or lawn mowers) and up to 15 boxes or bags of smaller household items. Appointments must be reserved in advance by calling 253-573-2468 or booking online through MyTPU. Place items at the front curb by 7 a.m. on your scheduled pickup date. The listed limit is 18 items per pickup. Advance notice is required. Contact sanitation at 253-573-2468 to confirm eligibility and arrange service. These rules apply to Zone City of Tacoma Solid Waste Collection Routes.
What items are accepted for recycling in Tacoma?
The listed accepted materials are Cardboard and paperboard boxes (flattened), Newspapers, magazines, junk mail, and mixed paper, Aluminum and tin beverage and food cans, Rigid plastic bottles, tubs, and jugs (empty, clean, dry). Keep these listed prohibited items out: Glass bottles and jars (curbside collection discontinued; take glass to neighborhood drop-off stations), Plastic bags, plastic film, and bubble wrap (never bag recyclables), Batteries (car, button, and household alkaline/lithium; drop off at Recycle Center), Styrofoam cups, containers, and packing peanuts, Clothing, textiles, and shoes, Food waste and organic materials, Garden hoses, cords, wires, and holiday lights, Medical waste and needles. Confirm item-specific preparation rules with the official sanitation office. These rules apply to Zone City of Tacoma Solid Waste Collection Routes.