Tempe, Arizona resident guide
Tempe trash, recycling, bulk & green organics schedule
Find Tempe's weekly cart service, every other month bulk and green organics week, 2026 section dates, pile limits, placement rules, and extra disposal options.
Official source links checked on September 1, 2026.
Regular household service
Trash and recycling service
Start here for the recurring household collections residents use most often.
Tempe collects bagged household trash from the curb or alley once each week. Use the official address schedule for the assigned day.
Tempe collects loose accepted recyclables in the blue cart once each week. Do not bag recycling, and use the address schedule for the collection day.
Need it gone before the city service?
Get a LoadUp quote when the local date is too far away or an item is excluded.
Start here
How Tempe service works
Open the official 2026 schedule, identify section A through H for the address, and use that section's collection week. Call Tempe 311 at 480-350-4311 for questions or a fee based pickup outside the normal week.
Tempe 2026 resident collection guide
Find section A through H before preparing the two piles
Tempe assigns every address to a section with a published collection week every other month. The same route collects bulk trash and green organics as separate piles, while weekly trash and recycling use the address's regular day.
The 2026 calendar lists a collection week for each section from A through H.
Separate bulk trash from green organics before the crew arrives.
Material may not be placed outside more than 10 days early.
Qualifying residents may take up to 1,000 pounds, excluding soil and dirt.
Fall leaf and yard waste pickupTempe separates green organics from the bulk trash pileEvery other month collection confirmed
Tempe collects resident produced green organics during each section's every other month bulk week. Keeping separate piles for plant material and bulk trash allows the City to divert the organics from the landfill.
Use the same section calendar as the bulk trash route.
Branches may be up to 4 feet long and 19 inches in diameter.
Keep green organics separate from bulk trash and collection obstacles.
What residents should do
- Find the address section on Tempe's 2026 bulk and green organics calendar.
- Prepare leaves, pine needles, grass, hedge clippings, and weeds in cardboard or a compostable bag.
- Keep cactus, palm fronds, oleanders, and qualifying branches in the green organics pile.
- Have the separate pile ready by 6 a.m. Monday of the scheduled week, but no more than 10 days early.
City rules at a glance
Local limits before placement
Collection occurs every other month and the combined limit is 10 cubic yards. Tempe compares that volume to roughly the size of a small sport utility vehicle.
Have two separate piles ready by 6 a.m. Monday of the scheduled week: one for bulk trash and one for green organics. Keep the piles at least 4 feet apart and 4 feet from walls, mailboxes, vehicles, utility boxes, and other obstacles. Do not set material out more than 10 days early.
Local detail that matters
What makes Tempe service different
Tempe provides a monthly transfer station option for qualifying residents: one load up to 1,000 pounds at no additional charge. Soil and dirt do not qualify. Refrigerant appliances and household hazardous waste belong at the Household Products Collection Center instead of the bulk pile.
Item guidance
What may go in the bulk item pile
Accepted examples
Bulk collection accepts furniture, mattresses, bagged trash, washers, microwaves, and small appliances without refrigerant. Green organics accepts resident produced leaves, grass, weeds, cactus, palm fronds, oleanders, hedge clippings, and branches up to 4 feet long and 19 inches in diameter.
Not accepted
Refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, tires, loose trash, glass, mirrors, hazardous waste, vehicle parts, dirt, rock, concrete, remodeling debris, and landscaping material produced by a hired contractor are not collected on this route.
Holiday collectionTempe holiday collection guidancePublished city guidance
A holiday during the week does not change Tempe's scheduled bulk and green organics route.
TrashDayFinder does not fill this section with assumed federal holiday dates. A specific delay or makeup date will appear after it is confirmed in published local guidance.
Common questions
Tempe collection FAQ
Do I schedule Tempe bulk trash collection?
No appointment is needed for the normal route. Find the address section on the 2026 calendar and use its every other month collection week.
How large can a Tempe bulk pile be?
The combined limit is 10 cubic yards. Keep bulk trash and green organics in two separate piles.
When can I place Tempe bulk material outside?
Have it ready by 6 a.m. Monday of the scheduled week, but no more than 10 days before that week begins.
Can a landscaper leave branches for Tempe collection?
No. A hired landscaper must remove the material created by the landscaping work.
Sources used for this guide
Official supporting information
TrashDayFinder used these public sources to prepare the resident guidance above. They were checked on September 1, 2026 and are provided here as evidence.
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