Household Garbage
Residents are to place garbage, recycling, and/or bulky items, at the curb on their collection days no later than 6 a.m. Do not block sidewalks or driveways. Do not place any carts or bulky items behind parked vehicles, utility poles, trees or any other obstructions. One bag of overflow garbage is allowed. It must be placed on top of the green garbage cart. Once emptied, carts must be removed from the curb within 24 hours after pickup.
Automated Trucks
The City of Durham services the majority of its customers with automated trucks. The truck has a mechanical arm that grabs, empties, and returns the cart to its original position. This makes cart placement essential to collection.
Automated Trucks
The City of Durham services the majority of its customers with automated trucks. The truck has a mechanical arm that grabs, empties, and returns the cart to its original position. This makes cart placement essential to collection.
Proper Cart Placement
Carts must NOT be blocked by vehicles or other obstructions. Lids must remain closed. It is important to remember the rule of 3s:
Carts must NOT be blocked by vehicles or other obstructions. Lids must remain closed. It is important to remember the rule of 3s:
- Carts must also be at least 3 feet from other objects such as mail boxes, fire hydrants, trees, or utility poles.
- Carts must be placed at least 3 feet apart.
- Place the cart no more than 3 feet from the curb.
Driver Misses or Late Set Outs
If your cart was not serviced by 4:30 p.m. on collection day:
If your cart was not serviced by 4:30 p.m. on collection day:
- First, verify that you set your cart out on the correct day. Holidays normally push collections back one business day.
- Collections can, at times, be delayed due to staff and/or vehicle related issues. Check our website for announcements, or better yet, sign up for notifications and service alerts through our app.
- If the cart was set out on the proper day, check to see if your cart was tagged by a driver.
- If your cart WAS tagged, you will need to correct the issue identified by the driver, then call 919-560-1200 to request collection or you can wait until your next regular collection day.
- If the cart was set out on the correct day and was NOT tagged, report your missed collection here or by calling 919-560-1200.
- Any of the prohibited items (listed on the right) are found in the green cart.
- Cart is too heavy for the truck to lift.
- Cart contains hazardous materials.
- Cart contains fluorescent light bulbs.
- Cart contains large amounts of liquid.
- Cart is more than five feet from the curb.
- Cart was not set out on time.
- Trash was not disposed of in a city-issued cart.
If the following items are placed in green carts, the carts will be not be emptied and they will be tagged, alerting the residents of the reasons they did not receive service that day.
- Car parts
- Carpets (Set out as bulky item pickup)
- Construction materials (Contact the City of Durham Waste Disposal and Recycling Center for proper disposal options)
- Dead animals (Place at curb and contact Durham One Call)
- Glass window panes (Contact the City of Durham Waste Disposal and Recycling Center for proper disposal options)
- Loose ashes; must be cold and tightly bagged (Bagged ashes should only be placed in the green garbage cart and not the brown yard waste or blue recycling cart)
- Loose pet litter (Feces that is not bagged)
- Paints (These items can be taken to the City of Durham Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Facility)
- Pesticides (These items can be taken to the City of Durham Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Facility)
- Targeted recyclables
- Tires (Contact the City of Durham Waste Disposal and Recycling Center for proper disposal options)
- Yard waste or other organic matter (No leaves, grass, branches, dirt, rocks, etc.) Yard waste should only be placed in brown carts (subscription service)
Service request:
Click or call 919-560-1200