Minneapolis Trash & Recycling Pickup 2026: Holiday Schedule, Yard Waste & Large Items
When your garbage, recycling and organics carts get picked up, how holidays change the schedule, and what to do with yard waste, large items and extra trash. All from official City of Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling sources, in one page.
Thanksgiving delay
Pickup is delayed one day on Thanksgiving and the day after. Thursday moves to Friday, Friday moves to Saturday.
Last yard waste pickup
Your last 2026 yard waste pickup is on your collection day the week of November 30 – December 4.
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 collection day lookup.
This checker uses the City of Minneapolis 2026 holiday collection schedule for homes with City service. It applies to garbage, recycling, organics, yard waste and large items. Carts must be out by 6 a.m.
Minneapolis trash pickup: quick facts
Who gets City of Minneapolis garbage pickup?
By City ordinance, Solid Waste & Recycling collects from every home with four or fewer units. If your carts say “Property of the City of Minneapolis,” you have City service, and the fees are on your utility bill.
| Your home | Who picks up |
|---|---|
| House or building with 1–4 units | City of Minneapolis · service stays with the property |
| Building with 5 or more units, business or school | The owner must have garbage and recycling service from a licensed hauler (it can be the City) |
| Dumpsters or carts from a private company | Your private hauler · the name and phone are on the containers |
Minneapolis garbage, recycling and organics schedule
The City decides your pickup day and collection point (alley or curb), and it can’t be changed. Find yours with the official collection day lookup. Organics are picked up on your garbage day.
| Cart | How often | Sizes | How to set it out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garbage | Every week | 96 or 32 gallons | Bagged, lid closed · max 200 lbs (large) or 150 lbs (small) |
| Recycling (blue One-Sort) | Every other week | 95 or 64 gallons | Loose, not bagged · extra carts are free |
| Organics | Every week | City cart | Free, but you must sign up first |
| Yard waste | Every week, mid-April to early December | Your own container, paper bags or bundles | Not in any City cart · 40 lbs max each |
Minneapolis holiday trash schedule 2026–27
When a major holiday falls on a weekday, pickup is delayed one day for the rest of that week: if your day is on or after the holiday, it moves one day later. Holidays on a Saturday or Sunday don’t change pickup.
| Holiday | Date | Pickup | South Transfer Station |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veterans Day | Wed, Nov 11, 2026 | Not affected | Normal hours |
| Day before Thanksgiving | Wed, Nov 25, 2026 | Not affected | Closes 4:30 p.m. |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thu, Nov 26, 2026 | Delayed one day | Closed |
| Day after Thanksgiving | Fri, Nov 27, 2026 | Delayed one day | Normal hours |
| Christmas Eve | Thu, Dec 24, 2026 | Not affected | Closes 4:30 p.m. |
| Christmas Day | Fri, Dec 25, 2026 | Delayed one day | Closed |
| New Year’s Eve | Thu, Dec 31, 2026 | Not affected | Closes 4:30 p.m. |
| New Year’s Day | Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | Delayed one day | Closed |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Mon, Jan 18, 2027 | Not affected | Closed Mondays |
| Presidents’ Day | Mon, Feb 15, 2027 | Not affected | Closed Mondays |
| Memorial Day | Mon, May 31, 2027 | Delayed one day | Closed Mondays |
| Juneteenth · Independence Day | Sat, Jun 19 · Sun, Jul 4, 2027 | Not affected | Normal hours · Closed |
| Labor Day | Mon, Sep 6, 2027 | Delayed one day | Closed Mondays |
What goes in the Minneapolis recycling cart
Put everything in loose: don’t bag it. Keep containers in their 3-D shape, flatten boxes and leave caps on bottles.
| Material | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | Mail, magazines, newspapers, books, paper bags, flattened boxes and cardboard (up to 3 × 3 ft) | Shredded paper, napkins, paper cups and plates, egg cartons, takeout boxes, receipts |
| Plastic | Bottles, jugs, cups and containers #1, #2 and #5 | #3, #4, #6, #7, black plastic, plastic bags and film, foam, squeeze tubes |
| Glass | Food and drink bottles and jars | Drinking glasses, window glass, ceramics, mirrors |
| Metal | Food and drink cans, foil, pie and decorative tins | Pots, pans, cords, hangers, propane or helium tanks |
| Cartons | Milk, juice, soup and broth cartons | Ice cream tubs, coffee cups, foil pouches |
Yard waste and organics pickup
Yard waste is picked up every week on your garbage day during the season, at no extra cost. In 2026 it started the week of April 6 and ends on your pickup day the week of November 30 – December 4. There’s no yard waste service after that until spring.
| Yard waste | Rules |
|---|---|
| Containers | Reusable 32–38 gallon bins (26–32 in. tall, with handles), paper bags or BPI-certified compostable bags, or bundles tied with string |
| Weight | Under 40 lbs per container, bag or bundle |
| Accepted | Leaves, grass, garden plants, brush and branches under 3 ft long and 3 in. wide, pine cones and needles, wood chips |
| Not accepted | Dirt, sod, stumps, whole trees, pet waste, sawdust, bigger branches |
| Not allowed | Regular plastic bags, and yard waste in your garbage (both illegal in Minnesota) |
Christmas tree disposal in Minneapolis
| Tree | What to do |
|---|---|
| Real tree | Remove all lights and decorations and put it next to your garbage cart on your garbage day. If it’s 6 feet or taller, cut it in half. |
| Artificial tree | Donate it if it still works. If not, set it out as a large item on your garbage day (under 6 feet, labeled “For Solid Waste”), or take it to the South Transfer Station with a voucher. |
Large item pickup in Minneapolis
With City service, crews take up to two large items a week. Put them out by 6 a.m. and attach a note to each that says “For Solid Waste,” or they may be left behind.
| Set out on | Items |
|---|---|
| Your garbage day | Wood or upholstered furniture, couches under 6 ft, plastic items, carpet rolls (under 5 ft, 12 in. wide, 40 lbs) |
| Your recycling week | Appliances (remove fridge and freezer doors), TVs, computers and electronics, mattresses and box springs, hide-a-beds and recliners, metal items |
South Transfer Station
| With a voucher | Limit | Over the limit |
|---|---|---|
| Garbage or construction debris | 2,000 lbs | $41 per ton |
| Appliances, electronics, mattresses | 2 items | $25 each |
| Tires (17 in. or smaller) | 8 tires | $6 each |
Paint, batteries, electronics and other hazardous waste
Hazardous products can’t go in any City cart or to the South Transfer Station. Hennepin County residents can take them to the county’s two drop-off facilities.
| Item | Rules |
|---|---|
| Paint, stain, solvents | Free · up to three 5-gallon pails a year |
| Batteries (all types) | Free · tape the ends or bag them |
| Pesticides, motor oil, aerosols, fluorescent bulbs, sharps | Free |
| Phones, small electronics | Free · up to five of the same type a year |
| TVs, monitors, laptops | $10 each |
| Large appliances · tires | $15 each · $5 each |
How much Minneapolis garbage service costs (2026)
| Fee | Per month |
|---|---|
| Base fee | $33.99 per unit |
| Small garbage cart | $2.23 |
| Large garbage cart | $5.69 |
| Additional large garbage cart | $5.69 |
| Recycling and organics carts | Free |
| Common extra charges | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cart left at the curb after 7 a.m. the next day | $12 per cart |
| Crews shovel out your cart | $30 per cart |
| Changing cart size within 6 months | $15 |
| Address numbers installed for the alley | $18 |
The base fee covers collection, processing (except garbage, which the cart fee covers) and your South Transfer Station vouchers. Part of it is taxed by the State and County.
Missed pickup or damaged cart
- Call the next business dayReport a missed pickup to Solid Waste & Recycling at 612-673-2917. Emails may not arrive in time.
- Within two business daysAfter that, crews may not be able to come back.
- Cart wasn’t out?If your cart wasn’t at the collection point when the crew came, they won’t return.
- Damaged or missing cartRepairs are free. Call or email the office.
5 mistakes that cost Minneapolis residents fees
- Leaving carts at the curbMove them back by 7 a.m. the day after pickup, or pay $12 per cart.
- Bagging recyclingRecycling goes in loose. Plastic bags jam the sorting machines.
- Not shoveling around cartsIf crews do it, it’s $30 per cart.
- Forgetting the holiday delayThanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s push pickup one day later.
- Unlabeled large itemsWithout a “For Solid Waste” note, they may stay on the curb.
Who to contact
| For | Contact |
|---|---|
| Missed pickup, carts, vouchers, large items | Solid Waste & Recycling · 612-673-2917 · Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
| Bills and fees | Utility Billing · 612-673-1114 |
| Hazardous waste drop-off | Hennepin County Environment · 612-348-3777 |
| Anything else | Minneapolis 311 · 311 or 612-673-3000 · relay service available |
Minneapolis trash pickup: frequently asked questions
Is garbage pickup delayed on Thanksgiving in Minneapolis?
Yes. Thanksgiving Day and the day after are both delayed one day: Thursday moves to Friday and Friday moves to Saturday. Monday to Wednesday aren’t affected.
Is trash pickup delayed on Christmas 2026?
Christmas is on a Friday in 2026, so only Friday pickup moves, to Saturday, December 26. The same happens on New Year’s Day: Friday moves to Saturday, January 2.
Is pickup affected by Veterans Day?
No. Pickup is normal on Veterans Day, but the Solid Waste & Recycling office is closed.
How often is recycling picked up?
Every other week. Garbage and organics are picked up every week.
What time should my carts be out?
By 6 a.m. on your pickup day. Crews can come any time until 6 p.m.
Can I change my pickup day?
No. The City decides your pickup day and collection point, and they can’t be changed.
When does yard waste pickup end?
On your pickup day the week of November 30 – December 4, 2026. It starts again in mid-April.
How many large items can I put out?
Up to two a week, each labeled “For Solid Waste.” Appliances, electronics and mattresses go out on your recycling week.
How do I get rid of my Christmas tree in Minneapolis?
Take off all lights and decorations and put the tree next to your garbage cart on your garbage day. Cut it in half if it’s 6 feet or taller. Artificial trees go out as a large item.
Where can I take paint and batteries?
To Hennepin County’s drop-off facilities in Bloomington or Brooklyn Park, Tuesday to Saturday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Paint and batteries are free.
What does ABE or CD week mean?
It’s your recycling week. Recycling is every other week, and the City’s lookup tool shows whether you’re on the ABE or CD week.
Do apartments get City trash pickup?
Only buildings with four or fewer units. Larger buildings hire a licensed hauler, which can be the City.
How much does Minneapolis garbage service cost?
In 2026, $33.99 a month per unit plus $2.23 (small) or $5.69 (large) for the garbage cart. Recycling and organics carts are free.
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