Trash and recycling pickup in Mobile: schedule, holidays and bulk pickup

Last checked Oct. 17, 2026. Facts on this page come from the City of Mobile Sanitation, Garbage Collection Rules, Trash Collection Rules, Recycling and Sanitation Holiday Schedule pages.

The City of Mobile runs two curbside services, and they use different words. Garbage is household waste, bagged and placed in the city’s brown cart, picked up once a week. Trash is yard debris, limbs, old furniture and bedding left in a pile at the curb, picked up every other week. There is no curbside recycling; the city runs three drop-off recycling centers instead.

Updated Nov. 12: the City Council approved moving A-1 McDuffie Sanitation’s city garbage contract to EcoSouth Services of Mobile, with no change to schedules or prices. What changes.

Who to call

• Mobile 311 (missed pickup, carts, bulk items, your collection day): 311 inside the city limits or 251-208-5311, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday; Mobile311@CityofMobile.gov
• Online and app requests: cityofmobile.public.311service.com
• Find your garbage day and trash day by address: the city’s MyPlace tool

Mobile 311 handles City of Mobile service only. If you live in unincorporated Mobile County or in a neighboring city such as Prichard, Chickasaw or Saraland, your service comes from that government or a private hauler.

Garbage: the brown cart, once a week

Garbage pickup runs Tuesday through Friday, split into east and west zones. The city posts a printable map for each day on its household garbage page. The garbage collection rules say:

• Put the cart at the curb, not in the street, by 6 a.m. on collection day.
• Bring the empty cart back by 11:59 p.m. the same day.
• Face the handle away from the street, and keep the cart at least 3 feet from cars, hydrants, trees, poles, fences and low wires.
• Bag all garbage and close the lid. Overloaded carts with lids that will not close are not picked up.
• Only city-issued carts are emptied, up to two per household. Loose bags and boxes beside the cart are left behind.

Not allowed in the cart: yard debris, tires, construction debris, metal, concrete, sod, dirt, rocks, hot ashes, flammable or chemical products, liquid paint, car parts, batteries and dead animals.

New homes get a 96-gallon or 64-gallon cart. A second or replacement cart carries a fee; ask Mobile 311. A resident who cannot get the cart to the curb can apply for help with the city’s garbage assistance form.

A contract hauler changes hands

Some of the city’s residential garbage and trash routes are run under contract by A-1 McDuffie Sanitation. On Nov. 10, the City Council approved the city’s consent for that contract to pass to EcoSouth Services of Mobile, which is buying A-1 McDuffie’s assets. The resolution, 01-1179, is in the Nov. 10 agenda packet, and the council adopted it by voice vote on the city’s video of the meeting.

The consent agreement says:

• rates and the city’s payments cannot go up because of the change
• pickup frequency, quality and scope cannot be cut or interrupted
• the contract still ends Aug. 28, 2029, with payments capped at $1.5 million a city fiscal year
• city garbage carts stay city property

The agreement takes effect only after the sale closes and the new company files its insurance and a performance bond. It does not say which neighborhoods the company serves. Missed pickups still go to Mobile 311.

Trash: yard debris and bulk items, every other week

Trash pickup runs Monday through Friday every other week on two route sets, north and south. The city posts its 2026 dates for the north routes and the south routes, each with a downloadable map.

The trash collection rules set the limits:

• About 2 cubic yards a pickup (3 feet by 3 feet by 6 feet), or the equivalent of 15 bags. The city will haul a larger pile for a charge; call 311 for an estimate.
• Limbs no thicker than 12 inches and no longer than 6 feet.
• Put the pile out no more than 48 hours before your day. An early pile, or one in a median or on a vacant lot, can bring a $532 fine and court costs.
• Keep piles off sidewalks, out of ditches and the street, and away from hydrants, poles, water meters, fences and low wires.
• Do not blow grass or leaves into the street or storm drains. Bag clippings and set them with the pile.

Leave out of the pile: electronics, appliances, paint, tires, glass, household chemicals, sinks, tubs, air conditioners, sheetrock, insulation, fencing and construction debris. One of these items on the pile means the whole pile is skipped. Call 311 to book a separate electronics or appliance pickup. The city does not take refrigerators, freezers or air conditioners that still hold Freon, oil or gas. Debris from a paid contractor, from an eviction or from a business is the contractor’s or owner’s to haul.

Tires are not collected at the curb. The city’s scrap tire page lists tire stores and landfills that take them, most for about $2 a tire.

Holiday schedule, rest of 2026

From the city’s sanitation holiday schedule, which the city says is subject to change:

Recycling: three drop-off centers

Mobile uses single-stream recycling, so you do not sort. The city’s recycling centers are open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday:

• 4851 Museum Drive, the Western Administrative Complex in Langan Park, across from the Mobile Museum of Art
• 308 Pinehill Drive, behind the Police Department headquarters between Government Street and Airport Boulevard
• 1750 Dauphin Island Parkway, between Faye Street and Magnolia Lane

The centers serve City of Mobile residents only, and staff may ask for proof of residence. They do not take glass (since April 1, 2024), Styrofoam, plastic bags, bows, gift bags or most wrapping paper. Glass goes in the brown garbage cart.

Electronics: blue bins at all three centers take phones, computers, game consoles, DVD players, surge protectors and other small electronics, processed by Ransom Recycling. No TVs at the centers. Ransom Recycling takes TVs at 320 South Craft Highway in Chickasaw, with a $30 fee for older tube (CRT) sets, according to the city’s 311 page.

Landfills for loads the city will not take

The city’s landfill page lists:

• Chastang Landfill, 17045 Highway 43, Mount Vernon, 251-829-4006: garbage, trash and demolition debris; 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays; credit cards only
• Dirt Inc., 8081 Cottage Hill Road, 251-633-7474: trash and demolition debris; 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday
• H&S Land Inc., 8700 Howells Ferry Road, Semmes, 251-645-9702: trash and demolition debris; 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday
• Lott Road Landfill, 5400 Dossett Road, Prichard, 251-456-5321: trash and demolition debris; 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays

Related guides

• Who to call at City Hall
• Moving to Mobile
• Hurricane prep guide for Mobile County

Frequently asked questions

What day is garbage pickup in Mobile?

The City of Mobile collects household garbage in the brown cart once a week, Tuesday through Friday, by address. Look up your day with the city’s MyPlace tool or call Mobile 311 at 251-208-5311.

How often does Mobile pick up yard trash and limbs?

Every other week. The city runs separate north and south routes, Monday through Friday, and publishes the 2026 dates for each. Each home is limited to about 2 cubic yards, or 15 bags, per pickup.

Does Mobile have curbside recycling?

No. Recycling is drop-off only, at three city centers: 4851 Museum Drive, 308 Pinehill Drive and 1750 Dauphin Island Parkway. They do not take glass, Styrofoam or plastic bags.

Is trash pickup delayed for Thanksgiving in Mobile?

Yes. There is no pickup Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026. Thursday routes run Saturday, Nov. 28, and Friday routes run as usual on Nov. 27. Recycling centers are closed both days.

How early can I put a trash pile at the curb in Mobile?

No more than 48 hours before your scheduled trash day. The city’s fine and court costs for an early pile are $532.