Customers should place their carts at the curb by 5:30 a.m. on their scheduled collection day. Cart lids should be fully closed with the handles toward your house. Carts should be placed five feet apart for efficient collection. We understand that some areas may lack space to follow these space guidelines. Do your best to set your carts as far apart as possible. 

Collection guidelines

Set your carts five feet apart when possible, with handles toward your house.

  • Place your carts at the curb with the lids fully closed by 5:30 a.m. on your collection day.
  • Place carts five feet apart with cart handles toward your house. This space allows our automated trucks to collect materials safely and efficiently. If carts are set too close together or too close to other objects, our drivers must get out of their trucks and move the carts so the automatic arm can pick them up without bumping into or knocking over anything.
  • Make sure your carts do not block a bike lane or sidewalk. Review our cart set-out scenarios if there is a bike lane in front of your home or if you don’t have enough space without blocking a bike lane or sidewalk.
  • Do not block mailboxes or water meters.
  • Avoid placing your carts under power lines or low-hanging tree branches.
  • Bag and tie all trash to keep it contained and help protect the health and safety of our staff.
  • Extra bags of trash that do not fit in your trash cart with the lid closed must be placed next to the trash cart and tagged with an extra trash sticker, which can be purchased at most local grocery stores.
  • Do not put recycling or composting (including yard trimmings) in plastic bags. Plastic bags cannot be recycled in your blue cart or composted. BPI-certified compostable bags or paper bags can be used for composting.

Did we miss your cart? Call Austin 3-1-1 or send us an email within two days of the missed collection. We will come by to pick up the material as soon as possible.  

Cart set-out scenarios where bike lanes are present

These scenarios are intended to help you determine where to place your carts. We understand that you may have a unique situation or a different challenge. If you are still unsure where to set your carts, call Austin 3-1-1 or send us an email about the obstacle you are facing, and someone will contact you to discuss a solution. 

Scenario 1: There is a protected bike lane in front of your home, but there is enough space at the curb for your carts without blocking bike traffic.

Place your carts at the curb following regular set-out guidelines only if the carts will not block bike lane traffic.

When there is a protected bike lan, but enough space at the curb for carts without blocking bike traffic: Place your carts at the curb following regular set-out guidelines only if the carts will not block bike lane traffic.

Scenario 2: There is a protected bike lane in front of your home without enough space to set your carts at the curb without blocking bike traffic.

Place the carts within the buffer strip area. A buffer strip is the space between the sidewalk and the curb/bike lane. It often includes a strip of grass, trees or concrete.

Scenario 2: There is a protected bike lane in front of your home without enough space to set your carts at the curb without blocking bike traffic. Place the carts within the buffer strip area. A buffer strip is the space between the sidewalk and the curb/bike lane. It often includes a strip of grass, trees or concrete. 

Scenario 3: There is a protected bike lane in front of your home, but there is no usable buffer strip area between the sidewalk and the curb/bike lane.
  • Option 1: Place the carts on your lawn or property next to the sidewalk, with the handle toward your house. Make sure your carts do not block the sidewalk.
    There is a protected bike lane in front of your home, but there is no usable buffer strip area between the sidewalk and the curb/bike lane.  Option 1: Place the carts on your lawn or property next to the sidewalk, with the handle toward your house. Make sure your carts do not block the sidewalk. 
  • Option 2: Place the carts at the edge of your driveway apron but behind the sidewalk. Make sure your carts do not block pedestrians’ paths. 
    Scenario 3: There is a protected bike lane in front of your home, but there is no usable buffer strip area between the sidewalk and the curb/bike lane. Option 2: Place the carts at the edge of your driveway apron but behind the sidewalk. Make sure your carts do not block pedestrians’ paths.  
Scenario 4: You have no space at the curb because of a road or bike lane and no buffer strip area between the sidewalk and curb.
  • Option 1: Place the carts on your lawn or property next to the sidewalk, with the handle toward your house. Make sure your carts do not block the sidewalk.
    Scenario 4: You have no space at the curb because of a road or bike lane and no buffer strip area between the sidewalk and curb. Option 1: Place the carts on your lawn or property next to the sidewalk, with the handle toward your house. Make sure your carts do not block the sidewalk. 
  • Option 2: Place the carts at the edge of your driveway apron but behind the sidewalk. Make sure your carts do not block pedestrians’ paths. 
    Scenario 4: You have no space at the curb because of a road or bike lane and no buffer strip area between the sidewalk and curb. Option 2: Place the carts at the edge of your driveway apron but behind the sidewalk. Make sure your carts do not block pedestrians’ paths.

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