London Trash Pickup & Garbage Schedule 2026

London’s curbside system changed recently and it works a little differently than many Ontario cities. Garbage is collected every other week, Green Bins are collected every week, recycling remains curbside but is now overseen by Circular Materials, and yard waste runs on “green weeks” through the warmer seasons. If you also need to get rid of a couch or mattress, the City now has a free bulky-item booking system for residential curbside homes.

How to Find Your London Trash Pickup Day (Fast Lookup)

The City of London’s online collection calendar is the easiest way to confirm your curbside schedule. It shows garbage, Green Bin, recycling, and yard waste dates for your zone. It is also the best place to verify your holiday-shifted collection weeks and the special “three-container exemption” dates when the usual garbage limit is not enforced.

1. Open London’s official collection calendar. Visit the City of London collection calendar.
2. Check your exact schedule. Garbage is biweekly, Green Bin is weekly, and recycling follows your posted curbside schedule.
3. Use Recycle Coach if you prefer reminders. London points residents to the Recycle Coach app for collection reminders and “what goes where” searches.
4. Re-check around statutory holidays. London says collection moves forward one day after each statutory holiday, so your weekday will shift multiple times during the year.
5. Use the city map if needed. If you are unsure about zone boundaries or special collection differences, use the city’s schedule tools before putting waste out.

London Trash Pickup Schedule: What Runs When

London’s curbside system is easy once you know the pattern. Green Bin is picked up every week. Garbage goes out every other week. Yard waste follows “green weeks,” and recycling still happens curbside even though the City no longer directly manages that stream in 2026.

London also makes a big distinction between normal curbside waste and downtown/core-area collection rules, but for most residential households the standard set-out rule is simple: have materials out by 7 a.m. and no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before.

London Garbage Rules: 3-Container Limit, Weight Limits, and Garbage Tags

London limits most residential curbside garbage to three containers per collection day. One container means one garbage can or one garbage bag that meets the size and weight rules. If you have more than three containers, you must attach a garbage tag to each extra container.

Important garbage rules in London:

• Garbage collection is biweekly
• Place garbage out by 7 a.m., but no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before
• Use standard plastic garbage bags or metal/plastic cans
• Each bag or can must weigh less than 20 kg (44 lbs)
• Cans must be between 30 L and 125 L
• Do not set out individual small grocery or kitchen garbage bags by themselves
• Do not place bags on top of cans or overfill cans above the rim

London also has several three-container exemption periods each year. The city says the limit is not enforced on exemption dates marked in the collection calendar, usually around early March, late April or early May, early September, and the collection after Christmas.

London Recycling in 2026: What Changed

As of January 1, 2026, London’s residential recycling is no longer managed by the City. Circular Materials now oversees the residential Blue Box system, while Miller Waste handles the curbside collection side for missed pickups, replacement bins, and other recycling questions.

The good news is that for most residents there were minimal curbside changes. Blue boxes are still collected at the curb, and London says your recycling collection days remain the same. The city also notes that more items are now accepted, including flexible plastic packaging, foam packaging, and squeeze-type tubes like toothpaste and deodorant tubes.

London Green Bin Collection Rules

London’s Green Bin program is now a core part of the residential system. The City says Green Bins are picked up every week, which helps reduce odours from food waste, while garbage remains every other week.

Green Bin set-out rules:

• Put it at the curb by 7 a.m.
• Do not set it out earlier than 6 p.m. the night before
• Maximum Green Bin weight is 20 kg (44 lbs)
• Keep the latch closed and place the lid opening toward the street
• Set it on level ground within 1 metre of the curb
• Do not place it on top of or behind snowbanks

London Bulky Item Pickup

London now offers a free booking service for large furniture and bulky items for curbside residential households. Large bulky items are defined as items more than 1 metre wide and 1.5 metres tall, such as couches, mattresses, and large wooden bookshelves.

1. Book the pickup first. Submit a request online or call 519-661-2489.
2. List your items. You can request pickup for up to four large furniture or bulky items for each garbage collection day.
3. Choose your zone’s garbage day. Bulky items are tied to your preferred garbage collection date for your zone.
4. Set items out properly. Put them next to your garbage by 7 a.m. on collection day, but no earlier than 6 p.m. the night before.
5. Prepare problem items correctly. Remove glass inserts, box sharp parts separately in labeled cardboard, and wrap bed bug–soiled mattresses or furniture in sealed plastic.

Important bulky-item rules:

• 4-item limit per booking request per garbage collection day
• No annual limit on booking requests
• No fee to book
• Appliances and electronics are not accepted at the curb under this bulky-furniture request
• Renovation materials, vehicle parts, batteries, tires, and mostly metal items are not accepted

London Yard Waste Collection

London collects yard waste during “green weeks” rather than every week. The City says yard waste collection happens every five weeks during spring and summer and every two to three weeks during the fall. Materials collected include plant trimmings, brush, leaves, Christmas trees, and pumpkins.

Yard waste can also be dropped off at City EnviroDepots at no charge, which is useful if you miss a green week or have more bags than you want to leave at the curb.

London 2026 Holiday Trash Schedule

For residential curbside households, London’s general rule is simple: every statutory holiday pushes the regular collection day forward by one day. The City says this means your pickup day changes about ten times a year instead of every week.

The city’s collection calendar is still the best source for exact holiday dates, because your regular pickup week, Green Bin schedule, recycling schedule, and yard waste weeks all need to line up properly.

What to Do If London Missed Your Garbage, Green Bin, or Recycling Pickup

If your collection was missed, London separates contacts by waste stream. Garbage and Green Bin remain City-managed. Recycling questions and missed recycling pickups go through Miller Waste in 2026.

1. Check the collection calendar first. Many missed pickups are actually holiday-shifted weeks or the wrong garbage week.
2. Confirm the set-out time. Garbage and Green Bins must be out by 7 a.m. and not before 6 p.m. the previous evening.
3. Review the curbside limits. Garbage over the 3-container limit needs tags, and overweight cans or bags can be left behind.
4. Use the right contact. Garbage and Green Bin issues go through the City; recycling issues go through Miller Waste.
5. Check bulky-item preparation. Furniture, mattresses, and sharp items left without proper preparation can also be rejected.

London EnviroDepots and Landfill Options

London operates several EnviroDepots where residents can drop off recyclables, yard waste, electronics, scrap metal, batteries, tires, and certain other waste items. They are also the main place to buy garbage tags. However, the City says EnviroDepots do not accept furniture or mattresses. Those either go through curbside bulky pickup or to the W12A Landfill Site for a fee.

Typical EnviroDepot hours:

• Clarke Road South, Oxford Street, and Clarke Road North: Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• W12A EnviroDepot: Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., closed Sundays

Garbage tags cost $2.00 and are sold at EnviroDepots and selected City locations. London also lists no-charge depot items such as blue-box recyclables, yard waste, batteries, scrap metal, electronics, and repairable bikes.

Frequently Asked Questions About London Trash Pickup

Official London Waste Collection Resources

Need help? Call 519-661-2489 or use Service London for garbage, Green Bin, or bulky-item requests. For recycling collection issues, call 1-888-852-2376.