Howard County Trash Pickup & Garbage Schedule 2026

Howard County provides curbside service to eligible households that pay the county trash and recycling fee. Regular trash and recycling are both collected weekly, yard trim is collected weekly from April through mid-January in standard service areas, and some homes can set out food scraps year-round through the county’s Feed the Green Bin program.

How to Find Your Howard County Trash Pickup Day (Fast Lookup)

Howard County’s official lookup is the best way to verify your exact service day because collection depends on your address and service area. The county’s Data Explorer tool shows trash and recycling information for the location you search.

1. Open the official county lookup. Go to Howard County Data Explorer.
2. Type your exact address. Start with the address number and then select the correct property from the list.
3. Check all listed services. Review weekly trash, weekly recycling, yard trim, and any notes about county-provided service at your address.
4. Check holiday impacts too. Before a holiday week, review the 2026 slide schedule so you do not miss a shifted pickup day.
5. Keep the result handy. Howard County schedules are easiest to follow when you save your address result once and reuse it.

Howard County Trash Pickup Schedule: What Runs When

Howard County, Maryland keeps most curbside services on a weekly rhythm. The main differences are the seasonal yard trim window in standard service areas and the separate rules for bulk trash and scrap metal.

Howard County also reminds residents that no plastic bags are accepted in curbside recycling. If your address is in the Feed the Green Bin area, your green cart is serviced weekly by the yard trim truck and can be used year-round for food scraps and qualifying yard trim.

Howard County Trash, Blue Cart, Green Bin, and Bulk Pickup System

Howard County does not use one single cart for everything. Trash, recycling, yard trim, food scraps, and bulky items each follow their own setup rules.

For regular trash, Howard County will collect up to four cans, bags, or bundles on trash day. Each item must weigh less than 40 pounds, and bundles may not exceed 4 feet in length and 18 inches in diameter. If a container is larger than 40 gallons, each bag inside counts as one item.

Howard County Set-Out Rules

Howard County’s curbside rules are straightforward, but they are more detailed than many people expect. Placement, timing, and weight limits matter.

• Set materials out after 6:00 p.m. the day before collection or before 6:00 a.m. on collection day.
• Place items within 5 feet of the nearest public road fronting your home.
• Keep materials away from mailboxes and, if possible, place them on the opposite side of the driveway.
• Townhome communities without garages must use designated grouping areas that are accessible to the crews.
• Do not use plastic bags for curbside recycling or yard trim.

Howard County Bulk Trash and Scrap Metal Pickup

Howard County separates bulk trash from scrap metal, and both categories follow special rules. Bulk trash is for broken large items, while scrap metal is intended for oversized broken metal items only.

Common bulk trash items include:

• Broken furniture
• Mattresses and box springs
• Other broken household items too large for normal weekly trash

1. Schedule bulk items first. Use the county’s Bulk Trash & Scrap Metal page.
2. Put items out the night before your trash day. Howard County says they should be at the curb within 5 feet of the county roadway by the night before collection.
3. Stay within the limit. Bulk trash allows a maximum of 4 items per pickup.
4. Watch the size rule. Bulk trash items must be less than 6 feet in width.
5. Use separate rules for scrap metal. Scrap metal collections are scheduled, items must be less than 10 feet in length or width, and only two collections may be scheduled per year.

Howard County says bulk trash is collected on your trash collection day between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Pickup time may vary. Scrap metal should never be placed in trash or recycling containers.

Howard County 2026 Holiday Slide Schedule

Howard County uses a holiday slide schedule for certain county holidays. When the slide schedule is in effect, collections move one day later through the rest of that week, including Saturday service for Friday routes.

The county also says all items must be out by 6:00 a.m. on the day of collection during holiday slide weeks. If severe weather cancels service, the same one-day slide pattern is used.

What to Do If Howard County Missed Your Pickup

If your trash, recycling, yard trim, or food scraps were missed, Howard County provides an online collection complaint form and Bureau of Environmental Services contact options.

1. Check your address again. Use the county lookup to make sure you had the right day and service type.
2. Review the slide schedule. Many missed-pickup complaints are actually holiday or weather delays.
3. Confirm your set-out time. Howard County requires materials to be out after 6:00 p.m. the night before or before 6:00 a.m. on pickup day.
4. Make sure placement was correct. Materials should be within 5 feet of the road and not blocked by mailboxes, cars, or hydrants.
5. Contact the county. Use the collection complaint form or call 410-313-6444 for help.

Howard County Landfill and Drop-Off Options

Howard County residents can also use Alpha Ridge Landfill and related facilities when curbside service is not the best option. The county says residents can drop off small quantities of household trash and unlimited recyclables at Alpha Ridge Landfill with proof of residency.

Frequently Asked Questions About Howard County Trash Pickup

Official Howard County Trash Collection Resources

Reminder: Howard County collection is address-based, so always check your exact property in the county lookup before setting materials at the curb.