Prince Georges County Trash Pickup & Garbage Schedule 2026
If you live in Prince George’s County, the confusing part is usually not weekly pickup itself. It is knowing whether your address is in a county-contracted collection area, remembering that organics run on Monday while regular trash and recycling run Tuesday through Friday, understanding the newer curbside bulky system, and checking which 2026 holidays actually change service. This guide keeps the prince georges county trash pickup schedule garbage collection details simple.
📝 What’s in this guide
Prince George’s County curbside service is only for residents in county-contracted collection areas. If your municipality or private hauler handles waste, your schedule may be different. For eligible county-collected homes, organics are collected on Mondays, while regular trash, recycling and curbside bulky trash are handled Tuesday through Friday based on your assigned collection day.
How to Find Your Prince George’s County Pickup Day
The County’s online address tool is the fastest way to confirm whether your home receives county-contracted waste service and what your exact collection day is. This matters because not every Prince George’s County address follows the county route system.
- Open the official lookup map. Go to Collection Look-up.
- Enter your exact address. The tool helps confirm whether your property gets county-contracted service.
- Check all streams. Look for your regular trash and recycling day, plus Monday organics service if your home is eligible.
- Use PGC311 if anything is unclear. The County directs residents to PGC311 for service questions, missed collections and appointment-only pickups.
Prince George’s County Collection Schedule Overview
County-contracted homes follow a split schedule rather than a single all-in-one pickup day. Organics and yard trim are collected on Mondays, while regular trash, recycling and standard bulky items follow your regular weekly collection day Tuesday through Friday.
| Service | How It Works | Typical Frequency | Where to Confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Trash | Trash cart or approved container on your assigned route day | Weekly, Tuesday–Friday | Collection lookup / residential collections |
| Recycling | County-issued recycling cart on your assigned route day | Weekly, Tuesday–Friday | Collection lookup / recycling page |
| Food Scraps & Yard Trim | Green organics cart and approved yard trim setup | Weekly, Monday only | Organics and yard trim pages |
| Curbside Bulky Trash | Up to 4 bulky items or 4 tightly secured bags next to trash can | Weekly on regular collection day | Bulky trash page |
| Electronics & Scrap Metal | Appointment only through PGC311 | Third Monday of each month | PGC311 / waste & recycling pages |
Prince George’s County also says that all recyclable materials can be placed in the same recycling container without sorting them into separate categories first.
Trash, Recycling, Organics and Bulky Pickup System
The County issues one recycling wheeled cart, one trash wheeled cart and one green wheeled cart to homes that receive county-contracted collection services. Those three carts cover the core curbside program.
Trash Cart
Recycling Cart
Green Cart
Bulky Set-Out
Food-related materials must go into the County-issued 32-gallon green organics cart, while yard trim cannot be placed in plastic bags. For garbage and recycling, carts and receptacles must be removed from the curb on the scheduled collection day after service is completed.
Best way to avoid rejection
Do not mix up standard bulky trash with appointment-only items. The County allows regular curbside bulky set-out now, but appliances, white goods and scrap tires still need a PGC311 appointment.
Prince George’s County Set-Out Rules
Prince George’s County says curbside collection begins at 6:00 a.m. for compost, yard trim, bulky items, regular trash and recycling. Residents should have items ready before collection starts.
- Put all items at the curb by 6:00 a.m.
- Trash and recycling carts may be set out after 6:00 p.m. the day before.
- Remove trash and recycling carts from the curb the day of collection after service is complete.
- During summer, collection can start even earlier. From June 30 through September 30, county haulers may begin collecting compost, trash and recycling at 5:00 a.m.
- All collections can run as late as 8:00 p.m.
Bulky Trash and Appointment-Only Items
Prince George’s County now allows a simpler curbside bulky system for many homes in county-contracted areas. On your regular collection day, you may place up to four bulky items or four tightly secured bags with small household items next to your trash can with no appointment needed.
Standard curbside bulky set-out can include:
- Up to four bulky household items, or
- Up to four tightly secured bags with small household items
Still appointment-only through PGC311:
- Scrap tires
- White goods and large appliances
- Electronics recycling
- Scrap metal
- Use your regular collection day for normal bulky items. No appointment is needed for the standard four-item curbside bulky program.
- Use PGC311 for appliances, scrap tires, electronics and scrap metal.
- Place items out by 6:00 a.m. on the scheduled day.
- Cover mattresses and box springs in protective plastic if you are requesting curbside bulky collection for them.
Good to know
Electronics recycling and scrap metal collection are available by appointment only on the third Monday of every month for eligible homes. That makes them different from the standard weekly bulky program.
Prince George’s County 2026 Holiday Trash Schedule
Prince George’s County does not change every holiday. Some holidays have no schedule change at all, while others move only the affected days later. The County’s 2026 holiday schedule is specific by weekday.
| 2026 Holiday | Collection Impact |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day — Thursday, January 1, 2026 | Thursday collections move to Friday, January 2; Friday collections move to Saturday, January 3 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day — Monday, January 19, 2026 | Monday organics move to Tuesday, January 20; Tuesday–Friday collections slide one day later through Saturday |
| Presidents’ Day — Monday, February 16, 2026 | No change listed |
| Memorial Day — Monday, May 25, 2026 | Monday organics move to Tuesday, May 26; Tuesday–Friday collections slide one day later through Saturday |
| Juneteenth — Friday, June 19, 2026 | Friday collections move to Saturday, June 20; Monday–Thursday show no change |
| Independence Day Observed — Saturday, July 4, 2026 | No change listed for regular weekday routes |
| Labor Day — Monday, September 7, 2026 | Monday organics move to Tuesday, September 8; Tuesday–Friday collections slide one day later through Saturday |
| Native American Day / Columbus Day — Monday, October 12, 2026 | No change listed |
| Veterans Day — Wednesday, November 11, 2026 | No change listed |
| Thanksgiving Day — Thursday, November 26, 2026 | Thursday collections move to Friday, November 27; Friday collections move to Saturday, November 28 |
| Christmas Day — Friday, December 25, 2026 | Friday collections move to Saturday, December 26 |
The holiday page also notes that no scheduled bulky pickups for white goods, appliances or scrap tires take place on some affected holidays, so always check the official schedule before setting out appointment-only items.
What to Do If Prince George’s County Missed Your Pickup
The County says missed trash, yard trim, recycling and bulky trash collections can be reported starting at noon on the day of collection.
- Wait until at least noon on collection day. The County says that is when missed collections can first be reported.
- Use PGC311 online or call 3-1-1. Residents outside the County can call 301-883-4748.
- Check weather and holiday alerts first. Prince George’s County posts delay and suspension updates during storms and major disruptions.
- Remember the Monday / Tuesday–Friday split. Organics follow a different schedule than regular trash and recycling.
Prince George’s County Drop-Off and Disposal Options
When curbside pickup is not enough, the County also provides public drop-off and disposal sites for residents. These are useful for extra household trash, recycling and yard trim that do not fit the normal curbside setup.
Brown Station Road Convenience Center
3501 Brown Station Road, Upper Marlboro. Accepts household trash, household recycling, batteries, cardboard, yard trim and more. Open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Brown Station Road Sanitary Landfill
11611 White House Road, Upper Marlboro. Open to the public Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Convenience Centers
Official County page for public drop-off options, including updated notices about electronics and hazardous-waste changes.
Materials Recycling Facility
1000 Ritchie Road, Capitol Heights. Facility information and hours for County recycling operations.
Frequently Asked Questions About Prince George’s County Trash Pickup
How do I find my Prince George’s County trash pickup day?
Use the official County collection lookup map and enter your address to confirm whether you receive county-contracted service and what your collection day is.
Is regular trash collected every week in Prince George’s County?
Yes. For homes in county-contracted collection areas, regular trash is collected weekly on an assigned Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday route.
When are yard trim and food scraps collected?
Food scraps and yard trim are collected weekly on Mondays only, except when certain holidays shift the schedule.
Is recycling weekly in Prince George’s County?
Yes. Recycling is collected on your regular Tuesday–Friday collection day in county-contracted areas.
How many bulky items can I set out?
You can set out up to four bulky items, or four tightly secured bags with small household items, next to your trash can on your regular collection day with no appointment needed.
Do appliances and scrap tires need an appointment?
Yes. White goods, large appliances and scrap tires must still be scheduled through PGC311.
What time should I set my items out?
Prince George’s County says curbside collection begins at 6:00 a.m., and items should be at the curb by then. During the June 30 to September 30 period, some county haulers may begin at 5:00 a.m.
When can I report a missed pickup?
You can report a missed trash, yard trim, recycling or bulky trash collection starting at noon on the collection day through PGC311 or by calling 3-1-1.
Is Presidents’ Day a collection holiday in 2026?
The County’s 2026 holiday schedule lists Presidents’ Day as no change for regular organics, trash and recycling collections.
What if I live in a municipality or use a private hauler?
Your schedule may be different. This page covers county-contracted collection areas, so municipal and private-hauler homes should verify their own local service rules.
Official Prince George’s County Waste Collection Resources
Residential Collections
Main County overview for trash, recycling, organics and bulky services
Collection Look-up
Official address tool to verify county-contracted service and pickup day
Bulky Trash
Up-to-date curbside bulky rules and appointment-only exceptions
Holiday Waste Collection Schedule
Official 2026 holiday changes for organics, trash, recycling and bulky-related services
PGC311
Report missed pickups, schedule appointments and submit service requests
Convenience Centers
Official drop-off options for residents with extra trash, recycling and accepted special items
Reminder: The most accurate schedule is always the one tied to your address in the official Prince George’s County collection lookup tool.