Trash and recycling pickup in Norfolk: schedule and holidays

Last checked Oct. 19, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of Norfolk Trash & Recycling and Waste Management pages and the city’s 2026 holiday schedule, each linked below.

Norfolk Public Works’ Waste Management Division collects trash and yard waste every week and recycling every other week, on the same day. Your day depends on your address. Look it up with the city’s Collection Schedule Search, or call Norfolk Cares at 757-664-6510.

Who to call

• Missed pickup, carts, bulk items: Norfolk Cares, 757-664-6510, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, or healthyneighborhoods@norfolk.gov
• Online requests: the MyNorfolk app or mynorfolk.org
• Waste Management office: 1176 Pineridge Road, 757-664-6510
• Not sure which bin? The city’s Waste Wizard on the Trash & Recycling page

When to put your carts out

The city’s collection rules:

• Put carts at the curb no earlier than 5 p.m. the day before and no later than 7 a.m. on collection day.
• Close the lids.
• Leave the carts 6 feet from cars, poles and anything else in the way.
• Turn each cart so the bar faces the street and the wheels face the house.
• Household trash, recycling, bulk waste, yard waste and tires all go at the curb.

Recycling every other week

Blue recycling carts go out on the same day of the week as the green trash carts, but only every other week. The city’s 2026 recycling calendar (PDF) marks Week One and Week Two; find out which week is yours with the address search or by calling 757-664-6510.

Homes and buildings of four units or fewer on city collection can have curbside recycling, and a household may have up to two recycling carts at no extra charge. Report a service problem within 24 hours of collection day, the curbside recycling page says. The city’s rule of thumb: when in doubt, throw it out.

The city also runs two recycling drop-off centers, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for the same items as curbside: Waste Management, 1176 Pineridge Road, and Towing and Recovery, 1188-A Lance Road.

Holiday schedule for the rest of 2026

From the city’s 2026 holiday collection schedule:

On Monday holidays, such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the schedule moves the bulk deadline for the Tuesday pickup back to the Friday before. The holiday collection page has the latest version.

Bulk pickup

Bulk items are collected at the curb on request. Ask by 3 p.m. the day before your collection day through the MyNorfolk app, the MyNorfolk portal, by phone at 757-664-6510 or by email to healthyneighborhoods@norfolk.gov, the Waste Management page says.

Tires that are not commercial size are limited to four per collection day and 12 a year.

Yard waste

Yard waste is picked up on your regular trash day, under the city’s yard waste rules:

• Use clear plastic bags, or cut, tie and bundle branches.
• Up to 20 clear bags, each no more than 45 pounds, or 20 bundles a collection.
• Limbs no thicker than 6 inches, in bundles no longer than 4 feet and no wider than 18 inches.
• No other debris mixed in. Lawn services and contractors haul away their own.

Paint, chemicals, batteries and electronics

The SPSA Norfolk Transfer Station, 3136 Woodland Ave., takes household hazardous waste and electronics from residents noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays, according to the city’s household hazardous waste page. Lithium batteries count as hazardous waste: never put them in a trash or recycling cart.

Special Waste Collection Event, Saturday, Oct. 31: Keep Norfolk Beautiful takes household hazardous waste, electronics, plastics and documents for shredding from 9 a.m. to noon at Southside STEM Academy, 1106 Campostella Road. It is free for Norfolk residents with proof of residency, the city announced. The full list of accepted items is at norfolk.gov/SWCE.

What this means for you

• Look up your day and your recycling week once and save them in your phone.
• Thanksgiving week, Thursday carts wait until Saturday, Nov. 28.
• Bulk items need a request by 3 p.m. the day before; they are not picked up unannounced.

Related: who to call at City Hall, moving to Norfolk and hurricane prep.

Frequently asked questions

What day is trash pickup in Norfolk?

It depends on your address. Search it in the city’s Collection Schedule Search tool at norfolk.gov/collectionsearch, or call Norfolk Cares at 757-664-6510.

How often is recycling picked up in Norfolk?

Every other week, on the same day as your trash. The city’s 2026 recycling calendar shows Week One and Week Two.

Is there trash pickup in Norfolk on Thanksgiving?

No. Thursday, Nov. 26, routes are collected Saturday, Nov. 28. Friday routes the day after Thanksgiving are not changed. Christmas Day’s Friday routes move to Saturday, Dec. 26.

How do I schedule a bulk pickup in Norfolk?

Request it by 3 p.m. the day before your collection day in the MyNorfolk app, at mynorfolk.org, by calling 757-664-6510 or by emailing healthyneighborhoods@norfolk.gov.

Where can I take paint and batteries in Norfolk?

To the SPSA Norfolk Transfer Station, 3136 Woodland Ave., open to residents noon to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays. Lithium batteries must not go in trash or recycling carts.