Trash and Recycling Collection Schedules in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Fort Wayne, Indiana provides trash and recycling collection services to residents through contracted private haulers. This article provides an overview of collection schedules, guidelines, and other key details for Fort Wayne households.

Trash Collection

• Trash collection in Fort Wayne is provided by GFL Environmental USA.

• Trash is collected once per week on a designated day depending on your neighborhood.

• To find your designated trash day, use the Find My Trash Day lookup on the City of Fort Wayne website. Simply enter your address.

• Trash carts must be placed at the curb by 6AM on collection day. Carts should be removed from the curb by 6PM the same day.

• The city provides one 96-gallon cart per household included with trash collection service. Additional carts can be rented for $4/month.

Recycling Collection

• Recycling is collected every other week on a designated day depending on your neighborhood.

• Neighborhoods are designated as either “A Week” or “B Week” for recycling collection.

• To find your recycling collection schedule, use the Recycling Collection Calendar on the City of Fort Wayne website. This shows the collection weeks.

• Then use the Find My Trash Day lookup to see if you are A Week or B Week.

• The city provides one 96-gallon recycling cart per household included with service.

Trash Cart Guidelines

• Trash carts must not exceed 60 pounds when full.

• Bag all trash items first before placing in the cart.

• Only fill the cart itself first before setting out any additional trash bags.

• Up to 3 additional trash bags are allowed if the cart is already full.

• Extra trash bags should not exceed 33 gallons in size.

Recycling Cart Guidelines

• The recycling cart is for the following empty and clean items only:

  • Paper, cardboard, cartons
  • Plastic bottles and jugs
  • Glass bottles and jars
  • Aluminum cans, clean foil, empty aerosol cans
  • Steel food cans

• Do not bag recyclables before placing in the cart. Keep items loose.

• Rinse food residue out of containers but do not need to scrub clean.

• Flatten cardboard boxes.

• Do not include plastic bags, foam containers, paper towels, shredded paper, or food waste.

Holiday Collection Schedules

Trash and recycling collection are delayed by one day on these holidays:

• New Year’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

If your normal collection day falls on or after the holiday, it shifts to the following day that week.

Bulky Items

Large bulky items like furniture can be placed at the curb on your normal trash day. These items will be collected separately.

• Accepted bulky items include furniture, mattresses, appliances without freon, grills, lawn mowers, etc.

• Bulky items must not block the trash cart from being emptied.

• Carpet must be cut into 3 foot sections and rolled up.

• Glass windows and mirrors should be taped for safe handling.

Yard Waste

• Grass clippings, leaves, branches and other yard waste can be placed in the trash cart, as long as weight limits are followed.

• Branches cannot exceed 3 feet long and 3 inches in diameter. Bundle branches securely.

• Leaves also can be raked to the curb during fall leaf collection from October to December. Sign up for email alerts on the city website.

• For large volumes of yard waste, use the city’s compost sites. Fees may apply.

Hazardous Waste

Household hazardous waste like chemicals, gasoline, motor oil, and batteries cannot be placed in the trash. The city holds special drop off days for these items. See the Hazardous Waste page for details.

Resources

• City of Fort Wayne Solid Waste – Department home page
• Find My Trash Day – Collection day lookup
• Recycling Rules – Recycling collection calendar and guidelines
• Yard Waste – Yard waste disposal options
• Hazardous Waste – Safe disposal of hazardous household waste

Knowing the trash and recycling schedules for Fort Wayne can help residents properly set out materials for collection. Check the city website or call 311 for assistance if you have any other questions. Proper disposal of waste helps keep neighborhoods clean and safe.