Racine Trash Pickup & Garbage Schedule 2026

Racine’s Department of Public Works provides weekly solid waste service on an address-based collection day. Recycling is collected every other week using the blue cart, bulky items are collected on your solid-waste day when tagged correctly, and yard waste is handled through the Pearl Street yard-waste site plus spring and fall leaf programs.

How to Find Your Racine Trash Pickup Day

Racine uses an address-based lookup tool for solid waste and recycling. The city also offers printable calendars and reminder signups, which is the easiest way to stay accurate after holiday rotations.

1. Open the official collection schedule page. Go to Collection Schedule.
2. Use the online lookup tool. Enter your address to find your solid waste day, recycling week, and leaf collection information.
3. Check your regular solid-waste day. Racine service follows area-based weekly pickup.
4. Check your recycling week. Recycling uses alternating weeks, often shown by zone color in the city calendar.
5. Save reminders. The city says you can sign up for text, email, phone-call reminders, or print the annual calendar.

Racine Trash Pickup Schedule: What Runs When

Racine keeps regular trash pickup weekly, while recycling uses every-other-week collection. Bulky items follow your regular trash day if they are properly tagged, and yard waste uses separate drop-off or seasonal programs instead of a normal curbside cart route.

Racine also allows residents to place up to three black bags outside a full solid-waste cart, as long as those bags do not exceed 42 gallons each.

Racine Trash, Recycling, Bulky Items, and Yard Waste

Racine separates normal weekly trash, alternating recycling, stickered bulky items, and yard-waste disposal into different service channels. That makes it important to match the material to the correct program before putting it out.

Racine says recyclables may be placed loose in the cart. Extra recyclables that do not fit inside a full cart may be placed in additional clear blue 42-gallon bags, and broken-down cardboard may be boxed, bundled, or tied within the city’s size limits.

Racine Set-Out Rules

Racine’s curbside rules are clear, and following them matters. Late or badly placed material is one of the easiest ways to trigger a missed collection.

• Place materials out no sooner than 4:00 p.m. the day before collection.
• Have all carts and bulky items out by 7:00 a.m. on collection day.
• Remove carts by 7:00 p.m. on the day of collection.
• Put all carts at the curb or alley line.
• Do not put extra trash bags out without the cart. Racine says the allowed extra bags only count when placed outside a full solid-waste cart.

Racine Bulky Waste Rules

Racine’s bulky-item program is tied to your regular solid-waste day. You do not need to call ahead for normal household bulky items, but you do need the correct stickers.

Qualified bulky items include:

• Furniture
• Mattresses
• Box springs
• Prepared carpet cut in lengths less than 4 feet and tied in rolls

1. Use a decal for each item. Racine says you may place up to 5 items, and each one must have a Household Bulky Item decal.
2. Put them out on your solid-waste collection day. No call-ahead is required for standard eligible bulky items.
3. Know what is excluded. Construction waste, regulated waste, tires, microwaves, electronics, and white goods are not part of the standard curbside bulky-item program.
4. Get decals from city locations. Racine says bulky-item decals are available at the Library, City Hall, or any Community Center.
5. Use the transfer station if needed. Racine residents may also bring bulky waste to the Racine Transfer Station.

Racine 2026 Holiday Trash Schedule

Racine does not just delay one holiday week and then go back to normal. The city says holiday changes permanently rotate the schedule after each observed holiday on the 2026 calendar.

The city’s 2026 rotating holiday calendar is the best source for your exact new day after each holiday because the schedule change does not reset the following week.

What to Do If Racine Missed Your Pickup

If your pickup is missed or you are unsure about a holiday rotation, Racine directs residents to customer service for help.

1. Check your lookup tool first. Make sure you used the correct current collection day after any recent holiday rotation.
2. Confirm your set-out time. Materials must be out by 7:00 a.m.
3. Check placement. Racine requires carts and bulky items at the curb or alley line.
4. Call customer service. The city says to call 262-636-9171 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday with questions or missed-pickup concerns.
5. Clear snow access when needed. Racine notes that alley collection after snowstorms requires a clear path to the items.

Racine Drop-Off and Yard Waste Options

Racine uses drop-off sites and seasonal programs for materials that do not fit the weekly curbside system.

Frequently Asked Questions About Racine Trash Pickup

Official Racine Trash Collection Resources

Reminder: The easiest way to avoid a missed Racine pickup is to check your address in the city lookup tool, put materials out by 7:00 a.m., and remember that holiday changes permanently rotate your collection day.