Columbus, OH Trash Pickup Schedule
Collection days, holiday changes, recycling rules, and drop-off options for Columbus, Ohio — in one page, with sources.
Trash pickup in Columbus, OH is assigned by zone or street — Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Match your area in the trash schedule table below.
Trash Recycle Yard
When is each service collected?
Recurring schedule for Columbus services.
| Service | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trash | Depends on your zone | Depends on your zone — check the zone list |
| Recycling | Monday · Tuesday · Wednesday · Thursday · Friday | Depends on your zone — check the Recycling zone list |
| Yard waste | Monday (A cycle) · Monday (B cycle) · Tuesday (A cycle) · Tuesday (B cycle) · Wednesday (A cycle) · Wednesday (B cycle) · Thursday (A cycle) · Thursday (B cycle) · Friday (A cycle) · Friday (B cycle) | Depends on your zone — check the Yard waste zone list |
| Bulk | By appointment only - schedule online through 311 or call (614) 645-3111; free for eligible items on a specially scheduled collection day. | Provider: City of Columbus Department of Public Service, Division of Refuse Collection (scheduled free pickup). |
Which zone is my street in?
Collection day by zone. Confirm at the edges with the city.
| Zone | Day | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| columbus-garbage-monday | Monday | Day-legend zone (one of four Mon-Thu legends; no Friday legend in data) |
| columbus-garbage-tuesday | Tuesday | Day-legend zone |
| columbus-garbage-wednesday | Wednesday | Day-legend zone |
| columbus-garbage-thursday | Thursday | Day-legend zone |
| columbus-garbage-gold | rotating weekday | Gold color collection zone - current weekday via Rotating Color Calendar/address lookup |
| columbus-garbage-gray | rotating weekday | Gray color collection zone |
| columbus-garbage-navy | rotating weekday | Navy color collection zone |
| columbus-garbage-pink | rotating weekday | Pink color collection zone |
| columbus-garbage-ruby | rotating weekday | Ruby color collection zone |
When is recycling collected?
Recycling day by zone — recycling runs on its own schedule, which can differ from trash. Confirm at the edges with the city.
| Zone | Day | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| columbus-2014-recycle-monday-a | Monday | Legacy A-cycle zone (pre-June 2023 biweekly structure) |
| columbus-2014-recycle-monday-b | Monday | Legacy B-cycle zone |
| columbus-2014-recycle-tuesday-a | Tuesday | Legacy A-cycle zone |
| columbus-2014-recycle-tuesday-b | Tuesday | Legacy B-cycle zone |
| columbus-2014-recycle-wednesday-a | Wednesday | Legacy A-cycle zone |
| columbus-2014-recycle-wednesday-b | Wednesday | Legacy B-cycle zone |
| columbus-2014-recycle-thursday-a | Thursday | Legacy A-cycle zone |
| columbus-2014-recycle-thursday-b | Thursday | Legacy B-cycle zone |
| columbus-2014-recycle-friday-a | Friday | Legacy A-cycle zone |
| columbus-2014-recycle-friday-b | Friday | Legacy B-cycle zone |
Yard waste collection days by zone
Use the zone list with the city’s current schedule.
| Zone | Day | Covers |
|---|---|---|
| columbus-2014-yardwaste-monday-a | Monday (A cycle) | |
| columbus-2014-yardwaste-monday-b | Monday (B cycle) | |
| columbus-2014-yardwaste-tuesday-a | Tuesday (A cycle) | |
| columbus-2014-yardwaste-tuesday-b | Tuesday (B cycle) | |
| columbus-2014-yardwaste-wednesday-a | Wednesday (A cycle) | |
| columbus-2014-yardwaste-wednesday-b | Wednesday (B cycle) | |
| columbus-2014-yardwaste-thursday-a | Thursday (A cycle) | |
| columbus-2014-yardwaste-thursday-b | Thursday (B cycle) | |
| columbus-2014-yardwaste-friday-a | Friday (A cycle) | |
| columbus-2014-yardwaste-friday-b | Friday (B cycle) |
What changes on holidays?
Upcoming days that move your pickup, with the exact shift rule.
| Holiday | Observed | Pickup |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Day * | Wed, Nov 11, 2026 | Runs one day later |
| Thanksgiving Day * | Thu, Nov 26, 2026 | Runs one day later |
| Christmas Day * | Fri, Dec 25, 2026 | Runs one day later |
| New Year's Day * | Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | Runs one day later |
* Observed date derived from the standard U.S. calendar; the service rule comes from the linked source.
Which bin does it go in?
Search the material, follow the color: green chip recycles, red goes to trash.
| Material | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| cadence | Recycle WEEKLY residential recycling collection since the week of June 12, 2023. |
| legacy_zone_note | Recycle ReCollect 'Columbus Recycle {day} A/B' zones date from the 2014 biweekly program and persist in the API; current program is weekly - resolve day via the city Collection Day Lookup. |
| eligibility | Trash Not eligible if you are a business, your residence is not within the city limits of Columbus, or you live in a multi-family housing complex that does not receive City trash service (boundary-zone description). |
| materials | Recycle |
What about bulky or special items?
Mattresses, appliances, storm debris — the rules before you set them out.
- Set-out windows — Containers out by 6:00 a.m. on collection day and no earlier than 6 p.m. the day before; pulled back to property by 2 p.m. the day after; collection operates 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Trash bagged and tied inside the city-owned container (City Code 1303.021); only container contents collected.
- Color rotation system — Nearly all households hold a color (Gold/Gray/Navy/Pink/Ruby); the color's collection day moves forward one day after every observed holiday. 24/7 color hotlines: Navy (614) 645-NAVY, Pink (614) 645-PINK, Ruby (614) 645-RUBY, Gold (614) 645-GOLD, Gray (614) 645-GRAY.
- September 2025 route rebalance — Collection day and color changed for roughly half of households effective the week of Sept 2, 2025; recycling and yard waste schedules were unaffected. Historical color-day pairs in cached sources may be stale.
- Yard waste program — Biweekly curbside collection via contractor Rumpke (1-888-786-7531); SWACO rules bar dumping yard waste at the Franklin County Landfill; material becomes mulch/Com-Til compost. Free drop-off at two convenience centers (Tue-Sat 9-5) and Com-Til (7000 Jackson Pike).
More details: bulk & yard waste page.
Who collects what?
The provider for each service and how to reach them.
| Service | Provider | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Trash | City of Columbus Department of Public Service, Division of Refuse Collection (city-run) | (614) 645-3111 · website |
| Recycling | City of Columbus Department of Public Service, Division of Refuse Collection (city-run) | (614) 645-3111 |
| Yard waste | City of Columbus Department of Public Service (collection contracted to Rumpke) | 1 (888) 786-7531 |
| Bulk | City of Columbus Department of Public Service, Division of Refuse Collection (scheduled free pickup) | (614) 645-3111 |
Common questions
The things Columbus residents ask most.
What color is my trash day in Columbus Ohio?
Nearly all households are assigned Gold, Gray, Navy, Pink or Ruby; use the city Collection Day Lookup, the Rotating Color Calendar at columbus.gov/trash, the PickUp CBUS app, or your color's 24/7 hotline (e.g., (614) 645-NAVY). Call 311 (614) 645-3111 if you don't know your day.
Why did my Columbus trash day change?
Color-zone collection days rotate forward one day after every city-observed holiday, and a route rebalance effective the week of Sept 2, 2025 changed the day/color for roughly half of households (recycling and yard waste days were not affected).
Is recycling weekly or biweekly in Columbus?
Weekly - the city moved to Weekly Residential Recycling Collection the week of June 12, 2023.
How do I schedule bulk pickup in Columbus?
Bulk items are never collected without an appointment - schedule online through 311 or call (614) 645-3111. Pickup is free for eligible items (furniture, mattresses, tied carpet rolls, non-refrigerant appliances); alternatively drop off free at the Alum Creek or Georgesville convenience centers, Tue-Sat 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
What changed recently?
Every update to this page, newest first.
- Record created for Columbus OH: 64 ReCollect zones decoded (5 rotating color trash zones + 4 day legends, legacy 2014 recycle/yardwaste A/B zones, 12 abbreviated amendment zones, study/messaging zones); measured facts: DPS Refuse Collection city-run, weekly trash by color zone with post-holiday one-day rotation, weekly recycling since June 2023, biweekly Rumpke yard waste, appointment-only free bulk, 11 measured holidays.
Population 913,175 · Sources: ReCollect waste zones for Columbus, City of Columbus Trash, Recycling & Bulk Collection (fetched 2026-10-10), City of Columbus Find My Collection Day (fetched 2026-10-10), City of Columbus Household Trash Collection (fetched 2026-10-10), City of Columbus Recycling (fetched 2026-10-10), City of Columbus Yard Waste Collection (fetched 2026-10-10), City of Columbus Bulk Collection (fetched 2026-10-10) · Summarized from municipal, hauler, and public-data records; schedules change without notice.