Solid Waste Services Announces 2026 Holiday Collection Schedule

Published on December 30, 2025

Open door of a solid waste services truck with the city crown logo and text that reads 'solid waste operations.'

The City of Charlotte’s Solid Waste Services (SWS) has announced its 2026 holiday collection schedule, which includes updates to how some holidays will be serviced. 

What’s Changing

Starting in January 2026, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day will follow an updated collection pattern. 

  • There will be no collection on the holiday (Monday). 
  • Crews will begin service on Tuesday and work through Friday to complete all routes. 
  • No Saturday collection will occur during these holiday weeks. 
  • No yard waste will be collected during these weeks so crews can focus on completing garbage and recycling routes. 

Residents should set their carts out on their normal collection day and leave them at the curb until they are collected. Pickup may occur later in the week than usual. 

What’s Staying the Same

Thanksgiving and Christmas will continue to operate on a one-day delay, consistent with previous years: 

  • During Thanksgiving week, Thursday collection will be serviced Friday and Friday collection will be serviced Saturday. 
  • During Christmas week, Friday collection will be serviced Saturday. 

Other 2026 Holidays

New Year’s Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Juneteenth, Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Veterans Day fall on weekdays in 2026. There will be no delay or service change during those weeks. 

Why these Updates are Being Made

The updated holiday schedule helps Solid Waste Services: 

  • Support employee work-life balance 
  • Use taxpayer resources responsibly 
  • Maintain reliable, high-quality service for all residents 

Tips for Holiday Weeks

During MLK Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day weeks: 

  • Expect service to occur later in the week. 
  • Set carts out on your normal collection day and leave them out until collected. 
  • If your collection hasn't occurred within 48 hours of your normal scheduled collection day, call 311 or 704-336-7600 to report a missed pickup.
  • There will be no yard waste collection.

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You can find your collection day by visiting the city’s property tool, My Charlotte Lookup. Type in your address to be reminded of what day of the week you receive service and if you are an orange or green recycling week. 

Solid Waste Services offers text alerts for collection updates, service disruptions, recycling and waste preparation tips, quick surveys, and other important city service information. Residents who would like to receive updates can text their day of service to 73224. For example, if their collection day is Thursday, they would text “Thursday” to 73224.  

For more information, visit the Solid Waste Services web pages.

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