Austin recycling rules and pickup schedule

Short answer

Austin Resource Recovery picks up residential recycling every other week for single-family homes through four-plexes. Paper, food and beverage cartons and coated paper cups, hard plastics, metal cans, glass bottles and jars, and cardboard broken down to about 2 by 2 feet all go loose in the blue cart, with no sorting and no bags. Set the cart out by 5:30 a.m. on your collection day, five feet from other carts and clear of bike lanes and sidewalks. Your exact day is in the city's My Schedule tool, and only Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day slide the schedule by a day.

Who this is for

Austin residents with city curbside service who want their recycling day, the blue-cart rules, or a fix for a missed or rejected cart.

Next steps

1. Find your collection day in the city's My Schedule tool or the Austin Recycles app; if you live in a condo or townhome, search the street address without the unit number or letter.
2. Set the blue cart out by 5:30 a.m. on collection day, five feet from other carts and clear of bike lanes and sidewalks.
3. Put recyclables in loose: paper, cartons and coated paper cups, hard plastics, metal cans, glass, and cardboard broken down to about 2 by 2 feet. Never bag recycling.
4. Keep out plastic bags, film, styrofoam, batteries, electronics, and clothing; batteries and electronics go to a scheduled on-demand collection or the Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center.
5. If your cart is missed, report it to Austin 311 within two days; extra recycling in a cardboard box next to the cart is collected at no charge.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Bagging recyclables; bags jam the sorting equipment and can send the whole load to the trash
• Putting plastic bags, film, or styrofoam in the blue cart; some retailers and the Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center take them instead
• Searching a multifamily address with the unit letter or number in My Schedule; leave the unit designator off
• Waiting more than two days to report a missed pickup
• Assuming every holiday moves the schedule; only Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day slide collection, and not when they fall on a weekend

Key facts

• Recycling is collected every other week; mixed paper, hard plastics (no bags), metal, and glass go in one cart with no sorting.
• Carts go out by 5:30 a.m. on collection day, five feet apart and clear of bike lanes and sidewalks.
• Food and beverage cartons and coated paper products, including coffee cups, are now accepted in the blue cart.
• Extra recycling that does not fit with the lid closed goes in a cardboard box or reusable container next to the cart at no charge, and an extra blue cart is free by calling 512-494-9400.

Checked September 10, 2026 against the official source.

Common questions

How do I find my Austin recycling day?

Use the My Schedule tool on austintexas.gov or the Austin Recycles app for a personalized calendar. You can add it to Google, iCal, or Outlook and sign up for text, email, or phone reminders. Multifamily residents should search the street address without the unit designator.

Do holidays change Austin recycling pickup?

Only Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. If your collection day falls on or after one of those holidays in the same week, it slides one day later. A holiday that falls on a Saturday or Sunday does not move your day.

Can plastic bags go in the blue recycling cart?

No. Plastic bags, film, and wrap jam sorting equipment. Some local retailers accept them, and the Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center takes them along with styrofoam, batteries, and electronics.

What do I do if my Austin recycling was not picked up?

Report the missed collection to Austin 311 within two days and the city will return as soon as possible. Extra recycling that does not fit in the cart can go out in a cardboard box next to it at no charge, and an extra blue cart is free.

Official sources

• Residential curbside recycling collection
• View your recycling, composting, and trash schedule
• Proper set-out guidelines

Checked September 10, 2026. Recheck the official page monthly and when the official page changes.

Related resident guides

• Missed trash, recycling, or compost pickup in Austin
• How to dispose of bulky items in Austin
• Austin curbside composting: green cart rules and schedule