Q.  What services does the City of Charlotte Solid Waste Services provide?
A.  The City of Charlotte sponsors the CURB IT! program.  Garbage, residential recycling, yard waste and bulky item collection are all services offered under the CURB IT! program for single-family residences and multi-family complexes with fewer than 30 units in the City of Charlotte boundaries.

Q.  Is there a cost for CURB IT! services?
A.  CURB IT! services are funded through City of Charlotte tax-dollars.  There is no additional cost for services to residents.

Q.  Can you detail the services offered in each component of the CURB IT! program?

-  Garbage

- The City of Charlotte provides residential garbage collection for residents living in the City of Charlotte. 

- Garbage is defined as the by product of animal or vegetable foodstuffs resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking and consumption of food or other matter which is subject to decomposition, decay, petrifaction, and/or the generation of noxious or offensive gases or odors, or which doing and/or after decay may serve as breeding or feeding material for flies, insects and/or animals. 

- Residents should place garbage in the 96-gallon rollout container provided by the City of Charlotte.  Garbage not placed in this container will not be collected. 

- Garbage is collected from curbside weekly on residents' specified collection day. 

Recycling

- The City of Charlotte sponsors a voluntary residential recycling program. 

- Recyclables are defined as newspapers and accompanying inserts, glass food and beverage containers, plastic soft drink and liquor bottles, spiral paper cans, aluminum, bimetal cans, steel or tin cans and other items determined to be recyclable by the solid waste services director.

- Residents are asked to place all recyclable material in the 18-gallon recycling bin provided to each household.

- Cardboard should be recycled and not placed in the rollout cart.  Please see item-preparation for guidelines for preparing cardboard for collection.

- Recycling is collected once a week from curbside on the same day as garbage collection. 

Yard Waste

- The City of Charlotte offers unlimited yard waste collection for residents of the City of Charlotte.

- Yard waste is defined as grass, weeds, leaves, tree trimmings, plants, shrubbery pruning, and such other similar materials which are generated in the maintenance of yards and gardens, which are separated from tether solid waste materials and placed in a designated recycling collection area.  Yard waste shall not include trees, tree limbs, brush and other material resulting from commercial tree trimmers and/or commercial lawn care services.

- Yard waste should be placed at curbside on the same day as residents' specified garbage collection day.

- View yard waste item-preparation guidelines under Item Preparation Guidelines below.

Bulky-Items

- Household items not considered garbage, recycling or yard waste can be scheduled for collection, and are called bulky items.

- Bulky item is comprised of household trash and junk.  Household trash is defined as any waste accumulation of paper, sweepings, rags, bottles, cans, or other matter of any kind, other than garbage, which is usually attendant to housekeeping, except recyclables. 

 Junk is defined as any item creating a littered condition including but not limited to, dilapidated furniture, appliances, machinery, equipment, building material, automotive parts, tires, or other similar items which are either in a wholly or partially rusted, wrecked, junked, dismantled, or inoperative condition and are not completely enclosed in a building or dwelling.

Q.  Can I put cardboard in my rollout cart?
A. Cardboard should not be placed in the rollout cart.  Cardboard should be placed at curbside with recyclables.  Cardboard should be cut, not folded, into 3X3 feet, and stacked neatly at curbside.

Q.  What items are eligible for bulky item scheduling?
A.  Please click here to find the list of approved bulky items.

 Q.  When scheduling a bulky item pick up, what information should I have available?
A.  When calling to schedule a bulky item collection, please have the following information available:
 - Your name
- Your address
- A description of items being collected

Q.  How do I get a rollout cart?
A.  Residents moving into new structures should call 311 to order new service.  A rollout cart and recycling bin will be delivered to these residents within one day of the order.

Q.  Can I take my rollout cart with me when I move?
A.  One 96-gallon rollout cart is assigned to each qualifying residential address in the Charlotte city limits.  This cart is the property of the City of Charlotte, and cannot be taken with residents when they move.  Rollout carts purchased by residents (see additional rollout cart information below) are the resident's private property, and can be taken with residents when they move. 

Q.  How can I get an additional rollout cart?
A.  Residents are allowed to collection of two rollout carts per week, and can purchase one additional cart for $44.86.  To purchase an additional cart, please call 311.

Q.  What if my rollout cart needs service?
A.  Please call 311 to place a damaged cart request for service.  Carts scheduled for service must be placed at the curb before 8 a.m. of the next business day (after initial service call).  If you forget to place the cart at the curb by that time, please call to reschedule.

Q.  How do I get a recycling bin?
A.  Charlotte residents are provided with one recycling bin when they first order service, and may pick up additional recycling bins at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center or by visiting one of the following recycling locations:
- Adam Area Services Center
- Albemarle Road Recreation Center
- Carmel Branch Library
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center
- Coulwood Branch Library
- Hal Marshall Center
- Hickory Grove Recycling Center
- Latta Park Recreation Center
- Latin American Coalition
- Mallard Creek Recreation Center
- Marion Diehl Senior Center
- Mecklenburg County Recycling Center
- Methodist Home Recreation Center
- Naomi Drenan Recreation Center
- South County Regional Library
- Special Services Division
- Steele Creek Library
- Sugaw Creek Recreation Center
- Town of Davidson
- Tuckaseegee Recreation Center
- University City Regional Library
- West Charlotte Recreation Center

Q.  When should I put my items at the curb?
A.  Please place your rollout cart, recycling bin, yard waste, and bulky items at the curb no later than 6:30 a.m. the day of your scheduled collection day.  Rollout carts and recycling bins must be removed from the curb by midnight on the day of collection.  A minimum $50 citation may be issued if you leave any carts at the curb past midnight on your collection day.

Q.  Will my garbage, recycling, yard waste be collected on holidays?
A.  Sanitation crews observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.  If your collection day falls on an observed holiday you will receive service the next business day, with Friday customers receiving collection Saturday.  Look for additional information City Notes, the water bill insert; in the Charlotte Observer; and on The Government Channel, Cable 16. 

Q.  How do I find my day of collection?
A. To find or verify your collection day visit the Address Information Center,

Q.  Why is my garbage, recycling and yard waste not collected at the same time by the same truck?
A. Because the disposal processes differ for garbage, recyclables, yard waste and bulky items, each type of item has its own dedicated collection truck.  While these trucks collect your items on the same day, they do not necessarily arrive at the same time.