Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Salisbury
North Carolina residential routes run Monday through Friday. Please refer to your city or county zoning map for your specific curbside collection day.
State Mandate
NC DEQ strictly bans aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and electronics from landfill disposal.
Green Bin (Trash)
All garbage must be securely bagged before going into the green cart. Place the cart at the curb by 7:00 a.m. with the handle facing your house and keep it three feet away from all obstacles.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Standard household refuse
Blue or City-Branded Cart Bin (Recycling)
Recycling is collected bi-weekly on your regular trash day. All items must be placed loose in the cart. Glass is strictly prohibited and must be taken to a county drop-off site.
Accepted Items
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs (Numbers 1 and 2)
- ✓Paper, junk mail, and magazines
- ✓Flattened corrugated cardboard
Do NOT Include
- ✕Glass bottles and jars
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Tanglers and cords
Yard Waste Bin
Yard debris is collected weekly. Do not set out piles of dirt. Limbs and yard debris are limited to one truckload per week. Place separate from your garbage and recycling carts.
Accepted Items
- ✓Limbs and branches
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Shrubbery clippings
- ✓Leaves and vegetation
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By appointment on your regular collection day
Placement
Place scheduled items at the curb no later than 7:00 a.m. on your regular trash day, keeping them at least three feet away from your roll-out carts.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (couches, tables, chairs)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Appliances (refrigerators, washers)
- ✓ Treadmills and exercise equipment
- ✓ Drained lawnmowers
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste and chemicals
- ✕ Propane tanks
- ✕ Fuel-filled equipment
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Soil and dirt piles
Fees start at $10 for the first two bulky items, plus $5 for each additional item. Bags or boxes of extra trash cost $2.50 each. Payments must be made in advance.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Regular garbage, recycling, and yard waste collection occurs on EVERY holiday, except Christmas. When Christmas falls on a weekday, collections for the rest of the week are typically delayed by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste collections follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as regular garbage and recycling.
Because Salisbury crews work through major holidays like Thanksgiving and July 4th, always have your bins out by 7:00 a.m. on those days.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Glass Belongs at the County Drop-Off
The City of Salisbury no longer accepts glass in curbside recycling bins. Placing glass in your cart will contaminate the load and wear down processing machinery. Instead, take glass bottles and jars to a nearby Rowan County recycling convenience center.
Keep Recyclables Completely Loose
Do not bag your recyclables. Plastic grocery bags and trash bags easily tangle in the sorting equipment at the processing center. Dump your clean paper, plastics, and cans loosely directly into your recycling cart.
Drain Lawn Equipment Fluids
If you are putting out a lawnmower or weed eater for a scheduled bulk pickup, you must completely drain all gasoline and oil. Grills are accepted but must have their propane tanks entirely removed.
Seasonal Information
Winter Holidays
DecemberChristmas is the only holiday where standard garbage and recycling collections are suspended. Service will shift by one day for the remainder of the week following Christmas Day.
Autumn/Winter
October to JanuaryTake advantage of the city's loose leaf collection. Rake leaves to the edge of your yard (no more than five feet deep) and keep them out of the street and away from storm drains to prevent flooding.
Spring/Summer
March to AugustIf your spring yard cleanup produces more than one truckload of brush and limbs, you will be subject to a minimum $75 bulk brush removal charge. The exact fee is determined by the Public Services Director.
About Salisbury Waste Management
The Convenience of Coordinated Collection
The City of Salisbury Public Services department coordinates residential waste collection to make life easier: garbage, recycling, and yard waste are all collected on the same designated day each week. Recycling operates on a bi-weekly schedule. Residents must ensure their carts are placed at the curb by 7:00 a.m. and removed from the street by midnight on their service day.
Cart Placement and Spacing Rules
Because Salisbury utilizes automated rear-loader trucks for collection, proper cart placement is crucial. Your green trash cart and recycling cart must be placed within two feet of the roadside. The handles should face your property, and you must maintain a three-foot clearance between each cart and any obstructions like mailboxes, parked cars, or utility poles.
Pre-Paid Bulk and Appliance Removal
Salisbury does not offer an unlimited, free curbside bulk pickup service. To dispose of large items like mattresses, couches, or appliances, you must schedule and pay for the collection in advance. The minimum fee covers your first two bulky items, with an additional cost for each extra piece. Collections must be scheduled by 2:30 p.m. the week prior, and the items will be picked up on your regular trash day by a specialized truck.
Navigating the Loose Leaf Vacuum Season
During the autumn and winter months, the City of Salisbury provides a specialized loose leaf collection process. Residents can rake leaves into piles up to five feet deep, starting just behind the curb. For the rest of the year, standard yard debris like grass clippings and branches must be properly separated into small piles or bundled, and residents are limited to one truckload of yard waste per week without incurring extra fees.
Transition to City-Managed Recycling
Salisbury operates a city-managed recycling collection program, replacing its former private contractor. While the bi-weekly schedule remains the same, the city utilizes Salisbury-branded recycling carts. Importantly, glass is no longer accepted in the curbside recycling carts and should instead be dropped off at a Rowan County recycling convenience center to avoid contaminating the paper and plastics.
Drop-off Facilities
Rowan County Recycling Processing Center
1102 N Long Street, Salisbury, NC 28144
Materials Accepted
Rowan County Landfill
785 Campbell Road, Woodleaf, NC 27054
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does bulk trash pickup cost in Salisbury?
Bulk trash collection is not free. The City charges $10 for the first two bulky items, and $5 for each additional item (with a $10 minimum). Extra bags or boxes cost $2.50 each. All fees must be paid in advance by calling 704-638-5260 or visiting the Public Works office.
Do I need to bag my garbage and recycling?
All household garbage must be placed inside plastic bags before going into your green roll-out cart. Conversely, recycling must remain completely loose and unbagged in your recycling cart.
Will my trash be picked up on Thanksgiving or July 4th?
Yes. The City of Salisbury runs its regular garbage, recycling, and yard waste collection routes on all holidays except for Christmas Day.
Can I put glass bottles in my curbside recycling cart?
No. The City of Salisbury no longer accepts glass in its curbside recycling program. Residents should take clean glass bottles and jars to one of the Rowan County Convenience Centers, such as the Recycling Processing Center on N Long Street.