Burlington, VT Recycling Schedule & Private Trash Info
Municipal recycling routes are assigned by street. The city does not provide municipal trash collection; residents use private licensed haulers. Find a recycling route below and confirm details on the city's page.
Municipal recycling in Burlington, VT is assigned by street each week; mapped route weekdays include Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. The city does not provide municipal trash collection; residents use private licensed haulers. See the recycling route table.
Recycle
When is each service collected?
Recurring schedule for Burlington services.
| Service | When | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Recycling | Monday · Tuesday · Wednesday · Thursday · Friday | Depends on your street — check the Recycling zone list |
| Trash | No municipal trash collection - residents contract a private licensed hauler; haulers collect the city Solid Waste Generation Tax ($12/month per residential dwelling unit as of the 2025 page) with the recycling program funded citywide. | Provider: Private licensed haulers (city licenses under Solid Waste Ordinance Ch. 14). |
| Leaf collection | Annual Fall Leaf Pickup week (November 16-20, 2025): leaves collected ON YOUR RECYCLING DAY that week; biodegradable bags curbside by 7AM. Off-season drop-off: McNeil Wood & Yard Waste Depot (111 Intervale Rd) or BED Waste Wood Yard; CSWD Burlington does not accept leaves. | Provider: City of Burlington DPW. |
| Yard waste | Drop-off only: McNeil Wood and Yard Waste Depot, 111 Intervale Road (seasonal hours); CSWD Drop-Off Centers (Burlington 339 Pine St, South Burlington, Essex, Williston); leaves refused at CSWD Burlington. | Provider: CSWD / Burlington Electric (McNeil) / BED Waste Wood Yard. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Monday recycling route | Monday | 83 mapped street segments (citywide, street-level table) |
| Tuesday recycling route | Tuesday | 78 mapped street segments (citywide, street-level table) |
| Wednesday recycling route | Wednesday | 85 mapped street segments (citywide, street-level table) |
| Thursday recycling route | Thursday | 84 mapped street segments (citywide, street-level table) |
| Friday recycling route | Friday | 72 mapped street segments (citywide, street-level table) |
What changes on holidays?
Upcoming days that move your pickup, with the exact shift rule.
| Holiday | Observed | Pickup |
|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 26, 2026 | Skipped that week |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25, 2026 | Skipped that week |
Which bin does it go in?
Search the material, follow the color: green chip recycles, red goes to trash.
| Material | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| cart | Recycle Approved covered recycling cart required, curbside by 7:00 am (mandatory since July 1, 2023; sizes 35/65/95 gal). As of July 1, 2024 recycling left outside the pre-approved covered bin is not picked up and may be subject to a fine [btv-315] |
| bags | Recycle No recyclables in plastic bags; exception: shredded paper in clear plastic bags [btv-faq] |
| cardboard | Recycle Cardboard must be flattened and cut to no more than 2 ft x 2 ft pieces [btv-315] |
| contamination | Recycle Carts repeatedly contaminated with non-recyclables may be removed by DPW; recyclables list follows Chittenden Solid Waste District (cswd.net/recycling) [btv-faq] |
| food_scraps | Recycle Vermont Act 148 mandatory food-scraps law applies citywide (see city 'Managing Food Scraps in BTV' guidance) [btv-315] |
| destinations | Recycle Recyclables go to Chittenden County MRF in Williston; compostables to Green Mountain Compost, Redmond Rd, Williston [btv-faq] |
What about bulky or special items?
Mattresses, appliances, storm debris — the rules before you set them out.
- Missed pickup — Call (802) 863-9094 during business hours or submit a SeeClickFix ticket.
- Mobility assistance — Mobility-assistance (carry-out) recycling service available - call 802-863-9094 or email DPW.
- Solid Waste Generation Tax — Collected by private trash haulers and passed to the city; rose from $6.90 to $12/month per residential dwelling unit; funds weekly recycling, CSWD 339 Pine St drop-off expansion, soil management and the closed Manhattan Drive landfill stewardship.
- Winter parking-ban zones on same layer — The recycling-streets layer also carries PARKINGBAN (winter overnight parking ban zone) per street segment - useful cross-reference for the site's street pages.
More details: bulk & yard waste page.
Who collects what?
The provider for each service and how to reach them.
| Service | Provider | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Recycling | City of Burlington DPW (municipal service) | |
| Trash | Private licensed haulers (city licenses under Solid Waste Ordinance Ch. 14) | |
| Leaf collection | City of Burlington DPW | |
| Yard waste | CSWD / Burlington Electric (McNeil) / BED Waste Wood Yard |
Common questions
The things Burlington residents ask most.
What day is recycling pickup in Burlington VT?
Weekly on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday depending on your street - the city maps all 388 streets with their recycling day (436 segments). Carts must be out by 7:00 am.
Does Burlington VT collect trash?
No - trash is collected by private haulers licensed by the city (Solid Waste Ordinance Ch. 14); you choose and pay your hauler, who also collects the city's $12/month Solid Waste Generation Tax.
When is leaf pickup in Burlington VT?
During the announced fall week (Nov 16-20 in 2025), on your regular recycling day; leaves go out in biodegradable bags by 7AM. CSWD's Burlington drop-off does not accept leaves - use McNeil Depot or BED Waste Wood Yard.
What if a holiday falls on my recycling day?
No collection on Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas - your recyclables are collected the following week on your regular recycling day.
Can I put recycling in a plastic bag?
No - bagged recyclables are rejected except shredded paper in clear plastic bags. Recycling outside your covered city-approved cart is not collected as of July 1, 2024 and can draw a fine.
What changed recently?
Every update to this page, newest first.
- Record created for Burlington VT - VERMONT'S FIRST RECORD (last zero-record state): city DPW recycling at street granularity from the city's own AGOL Recycling_Streets layer (436 segments, Mon-Fri), private-hauler trash with Solid Waste Generation Tax, fall leaf week on recycling day, CSWD/McNeil drop-off facilities, 5-holiday calendar with following-week shift rule.
Population 44,528 · Sources: City of Burlington AGOL org 'Recycling_Streets' layer 'Streets_Name_Z…, City of Burlington DPW 'Recycling & Solid Waste Collection', City of Burlington DPW 'Recycling and Solid Waste FAQs', City of Burlington DPW 'Fall Leaf Pickup', City of Burlington DPW department page, City of Burlington DPW 'Hauler Resources' (Solid Waste Ordinance Ch. … · Summarized from municipal, hauler, and public-data records; schedules change without notice.