Trash, Recycle, Compost: Collection Schedules and Guidelines

If you are a current compost customer or not filling up your trash cart on a weekly basis, here's how to downsize your cart:

1. Manage your cart through your Denver Utilities Online account.
2. Request a cart exchange by calling 311
3. Exchange in person at the SWM Cart Maintenance Facility:

2013 S. Osage St.
Denver, CO 80223

Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Residents MUST bring their current cart to swap at the Cart Maintenance Facility.

If you are moving out, please leave all carts at the service location and notify Solid Waste Management of any changes in residency. You may contact SWM with questions about your bill via swmbillinginquiries@denvergov.org or by calling (303) 446-3733. 

Create an account at Denver Utilities Online to manage service requests, review your bill, or make payments. All Status and Transfer requests must be done online via our Transfer of Service Form.

Residents are responsible for:

• Maintaining a minimum height clearance for our trucks of 13 feet for tree branches and wires stretching out from your property into the alley or street.
• Resolving tree branch clearance issues. Contact the City’s Forestry Division for a list of licensed contractors at 720-913-0651 or online.
• Resolving downed or low-hanging wires and lines contact:
  • Power lines, Xcel at 1-800-628-2121
  • Phone lines, Qwest at 1-800-573-1311
  • Cable lines, Comcast at 303-930-2000
• Properly disposing of unacceptable items. For a list of registered hauling companies, call 311 (720-913-1311) or visit online at Registered Trash Haulers.
• Dead animal removal in streets or alleys, please call 311 (720-913-1311).

The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure and Parks and Recreation remind homeowners that they are responsible for trees on the public right-of-way. If a Public Right-of-Way (PROW) tree or tree part is blocking a roadway, it must be removed immediately. Removal can occur one of three ways:

1. Homeowner removes the obstruction on their own.
2. Homeowner contracts for the removal of the obstruction; or
3. The city contracts for the removal of the obstruction and the homeowner is then responsible for any associated costs incurred by the city.

Residents are responsible for the removal and disposal of tree stumps and all branches over 4 inches in diameter and/or 4 feet in length. Tree branches and stumps under 4 inches in diameter and less than 4 feet in length should be composted.

To find out your cart set out location enter your home address at our Schedules and Reminders page or please contact our Customer Service team directly at 311 (720-913-1311). 

CURB SET OUT:

• Place your cart in the street adjacent to the curb in front of your house. The front of the cart should face the street.

ALLEY SET OUT:

• Do not block access to your neighbor’s driveway, gate, garage or property.
• Place your cart at least four feet away from any trash containers, fences, cars or other obstructions.
• Make sure the front of the cart faces the alley.

All service carts must be stored on your property, out of public view as best as you can on non-collection days.

• Do NOT store your carts in the alley or on the street.
• Store your carts in your garage, breezeway, side of house, shed, or other location.
• Carts continually left in alleys or on the street may be removed.

All trash, recycling, and compost carts must be stored on your property in between collections. You may set your carts out as early as the night before your collection day and then return your carts to your property within a day after collection occurs.

Keeping carts out of the alley and off the streets will:

• Ensure each neighbor takes responsibility for their own waste and carts
• Ensure each neighbor has access to the public right-of-way
• Improve the appearance of the alley
• Prevent cart loss or damage, and misuse or vandalism to the carts
• Minimize recycling and compost contamination (non-acceptable items can contaminate entire loads)
• Reduce litter and the potential for illegal dumping
• Discourage waste scavengers in your neighborhood

It is your responsibility to manage and care for your city-issued carts. Take pride in your neighborhood and bring your carts back. 

What do I do when my collection is on the same day as my scheduled street sweeping?

When your collection day and street sweeping day are both scheduled for the same day you have three options for setting out your containers.

Option 1: Set your containers on the apron (edge) of your driveway.

• Your containers should be placed on the apron of the driveway only when collection days conflict with designated street sweeping days.
• Make sure that containers areas close to the street as possible and not on the sidewalk. If containers are placed too far away from the street the automated collection trucks will not be able to reach them.
• The handle of the container should be facing away from the street.
• Make sure that your containers are at least 2 feet from any obstructions such as other containers, lampposts, trees or mailbox posts.

Option 2: Set your containers off the street on the edge of the curb-line.

• Your containers should be placed off the street only when collection days conflict with designated street sweeping days.
• Make sure that containers areas close to the street as possible and not on the sidewalk. If containers are placed too far away from the street, the automated collection trucks will not be able to reach them.
• Make sure that containers are at least 2 feet from any obstructions such as other containers, lampposts, trees or mailbox posts.

Option 3: Set your containers on the opposite side of your street.

• Your containers should be placed on the opposite side of your street only when collection days conflict with designated street sweeping days.
• Container wheels should be against the curb and the handle of the container should be facing away from the street.
• Make sure that your recycling containers are at least 2 feet from any obstructions such as other containers, lampposts, trees or mailbox posts.
• Collection trucks will run both sides of the street on overlapping collection/street sweeping days.

Moving your containers off the street on sweeping days will reduce the in & out "snaking" by the sweepers and enable the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure to keep your street clean.