St. Paul Trash & Recycling Pickup 2026: Holiday Schedule, Bulky Items & Yard Waste
When your garbage and recycling get picked up, how holidays change the schedule, and what to do with bulky items, mattresses, yard waste, Christmas trees and hazardous waste. All from official City of Saint Paul and Ramsey County sources, in one page.
Thanksgiving delay
Pickup is delayed one day if your day is on or after Thanksgiving. Thursday moves to Friday, Friday moves to Saturday.
Last yard waste pickup
The 2026 yard waste season was extended one week. The last pickup is Friday, November 20.
When is my pickup this holiday week?
Pick the holiday week and your normal pickup day.
Don’t know your pickup day? Use the City’s “Find My Collection Day” map.
This checker uses the City of Saint Paul 2026 collection calendar for homes with City-coordinated service. It applies to garbage and recycling. Carts must be out by 6 a.m.
St. Paul trash pickup: quick facts
Who gets City-coordinated pickup in St. Paul?
The City of Saint Paul coordinates garbage and yard waste collection for homes with one to four units, and recycling for every household in the city, apartments included.
| Your home | Garbage | Recycling |
|---|---|---|
| House or building with 1–4 units | City-coordinated · billed quarterly | City |
| Building with 5 or more units | Your landlord or a private hauler | City |
St. Paul garbage and recycling schedule
Garbage and recycling are picked up between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday to Friday. Yard waste, for subscribers, goes out on the same day as garbage.
| Cart | How often | Sizes | How to set it out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garbage | Every week, or every other week (small cart only) | 32, 64 or 96 gallons | In the cart · extra garbage bags don’t count as bulky items |
| Recycling | Every week | City recycling cart | Single-sort: everything loose in one cart, no plastic bags |
| Yard waste | Weekly in season, subscribers only | 64-gallon City cart | Plus up to 8 bags or bundles a week |
St. Paul holiday trash schedule 2026–27
Garbage and recycling are delayed one day if your pickup day falls on or after one of these holidays during the week. Holidays on a Saturday or Sunday don’t change pickup.
| Holiday | Date | Pickup |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Day | Wed, Nov 11, 2026 | Not affected |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 26, 2026 | Delayed one day · Thu → Fri, Fri → Sat |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25, 2026 | Delayed one day · Fri → Sat |
| New Year’s Day | Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | Delayed one day · Fri → Sat |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day · Presidents’ Day | Jan 18 · Feb 15, 2027 | Not affected |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 31, 2027 | Delayed one day · all week |
| Juneteenth | Sat, Jun 19, 2027 | Not affected (weekend) |
| Independence Day | Sun, Jul 4, 2027 | Not affected (weekend) |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sep 6, 2027 | Delayed one day · all week |
What goes in the St. Paul recycling cart
St. Paul uses single-sort recycling: everything goes in one cart, loose. Never put recyclables in plastic bags. If an item isn’t on the list, keep it out.
| Material | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Paper and boxes | Office paper, mail, newspapers, magazines, cardboard, pizza boxes, cereal and shoe boxes (flattened) | Shredded paper, paper to-go cups and containers |
| Plastic | Bottles, jugs, cups, tubs and take-out containers #1, #2 and #5 (caps on) | Bags and film, #3, #4, #6, #7, black plastic, toys, bins and laundry baskets |
| Metal | Food and drink cans, foil and trays, pie tins, empty aerosol cans | Scrap metal, hangers, pipes, cookware |
| Glass | Food and drink bottles and jars (lids off) | Dishes |
| Cartons | Milk, juice, soup, broth and wine cartons | Egg cartons, foam containers |
Yard waste and food scraps
Yard waste pickup in St. Paul isn’t included with garbage: it’s a paid, opt-in Seasonal Yard Waste Subscription. Leaves and yard waste can never go in your garbage or recycling cart.
| Option | Cost and dates |
|---|---|
| Seasonal subscription | $165 for the 2027 season, April 12 – November 12, 2027 · one 64-gallon cart plus up to 8 bags or bundles a week |
| One-time pickup | $4.25 per bag or bundle (2026) · request at least 2 business days ahead |
| Extra bags on a subscription | $6 each |
| Ramsey County drop-off sites | Free for county residents · 7 sites, including Midway (1943 Pierce Butler Rt.), Summit Hill (870 Pleasant Ave.) and Battle Creek (389 S. Winthrop St.) |
Christmas tree pickup in St. Paul
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| When | January 2–15, on your regular garbage day |
| How | Remove all decorations and the stand. Lay the tree next to your garbage cart, not upright in the snow or leaning on the cart |
| Pickup | By the end of the next business day |
| Limit | One tree per home (one per unit in 1–4 unit buildings) |
| Not accepted | Artificial trees (schedule them as a bulky item) and live trees over 6 ft and 20 lbs |
Bulky item and mattress pickup in St. Paul
With City-coordinated garbage service you get 12 bulky item pickups a year per garbage cart, at no extra cost. Since July 1, 2026, you don’t need to schedule them.
- Label itWrite “bulky” on each item and empty it of food, liquids, gas and batteries.
- Set it out by 6 a.m.Next to your garbage cart (not leaning on it) on your collection day.
- Wait for the stickerThe driver tags it and a truck comes back within two business days.
- Over the limit?Extra items cost $30 plus tax each. Anything within 10 feet of your cart counts toward your limit.
| Accepted | Not accepted |
|---|---|
| Couches, tables, dressers, chairs, rugs · washers, dryers, fridges, ovens (drained water heaters too) · TVs, printers, consoles · bikes, exercise equipment | Construction debris, drywall, concrete, treated wood, tires, yard waste, extra garbage bags, cardboard (recycle it flat) |
Paint, chemicals and other hazardous waste
Hazardous products can’t go in your garbage or recycling cart. Ramsey County takes them at its Environmental Center and at seasonal collection sites.
How much St. Paul garbage service costs
Garbage is billed quarterly, at the end of each service period. Rates change every April. This is the latest rate table the City has published, for April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026.
| Cart | Pickup | Per quarter | Total per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small (32 gal.) | Every other week | $58.47 | $276.74 |
| Small (32 gal.) | Weekly | $82.69 | $373.62 |
| Medium (64 gal.) | Weekly | $113.19 | $495.62 |
| Large (96 gal.) | Weekly | $137.53 | $592.98 |
Yearly totals include a $42.86 annual solid waste fee, which is added to your Ramsey County property tax statement. Every rate includes 12 bulky items a year. Changing cart size or frequency more than once a quarter costs a fee.
Missed pickup
- Wait until after 6 p.m.Crews work until 6 p.m. If your carts are still full after that, or the next day, report it.
- Report itCall 651-266-6101, use the City’s online missed collection form, or email garbage@ci.stpaul.mn.us (recycling: recyclingprogram@ci.stpaul.mn.us).
- Check the usual causesCarts not out by 6 a.m., less than three feet of space around them, or more than four feet from the curb or alley.
- Holiday week?Your pickup may simply be one day later.
5 mistakes St. Paul residents make
- Bagging recyclingRecyclables in plastic bags aren’t accepted.
- Squeezing carts togetherLeave three feet on every side or they can be skipped.
- Leaving stuff near your cartAnything within 10 feet counts as a bulky item, and after 12 it’s $30 each.
- Putting leaves in the garbageYard waste needs a subscription, a paid pickup or a county drop-off site.
- Forgetting the holiday delayThanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s push pickup one day later.
Who to contact
| For | Contact |
|---|---|
| Missed pickup, carts, bulky items | Garbage & Recycling Program · 651-266-6101 · garbage@ci.stpaul.mn.us |
| Mattress pickup | Second Chance Recycling · 612-230-7524 |
| General Public Works questions | 651-266-8989 · weekdays 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
| Food scraps program | 651-661-9393 |
St. Paul trash pickup: frequently asked questions
Is garbage pickup delayed on Thanksgiving in St. Paul?
Yes. If your day is on or after Thanksgiving, pickup moves one day later: Thursday to Friday and Friday to Saturday.
Is trash pickup delayed on Christmas 2026?
Christmas is a Friday in 2026, so only Friday pickup moves, to Saturday, December 26. New Year’s Day works the same way: Friday moves to Saturday, January 2.
Is pickup affected by Veterans Day or MLK Day?
No. They aren’t on the City’s holiday delay list.
How often is recycling picked up?
Every week. Garbage is weekly too, unless you chose every-other-week service with a small cart.
What time should my carts be out?
By 6 a.m. Crews collect between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
How many bulky items can I put out?
12 per garbage cart per year at no extra cost, labeled “bulky” and set next to your cart. Extra items are $30 plus tax each.
How do I get rid of a mattress in St. Paul?
Schedule a free pickup with Second Chance Recycling online or at 612-230-7524. It’s unlimited and available to apartments too.
When is Christmas tree pickup?
January 2–15, on your garbage day. Remove decorations and the stand and lay the tree next to your cart.
Does St. Paul pick up yard waste for free?
No. It’s a paid subscription ($165 for 2027) or $4.25 per bag for one-time pickups. Ramsey County drop-off sites are free.
Is there curbside composting in St. Paul?
Not yet. Use a free food scraps drop-off site and pick up free compostable bags there.
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