How Does Columbus Day Affect Trash Pickup in Columbus, Ohio?

Columbus Day is a federal holiday that occurs every second Monday in October. This holiday honors Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas back in 1492. All non-emergency city offices are closed on this day, including the Division of Refuse Collection. So how does this affect your weekly trash and recycling pickup schedule if you live in Columbus, Ohio? Let’s take a look.

Trash Schedule Changes

• If you live in a color collection zone (navy, pink, ruby, gold, gray), your pickup will shift forward one day after Columbus Day. For example, if your normal pickup is Monday and Columbus Day falls on Monday, your pickup will be on Tuesday that week.

• If you are assigned a two-day pickup window, service will occur on the second day if your regular pickup falls on or after Columbus Day. So if you normally have pickup on Monday/Tuesday and Columbus Day is on Monday, your pickup will be on Tuesday.

• Recycling and yard waste pickup also shifts forward one day, with Friday pickups being done on Saturday.

How to Find Your Correct Pickup Date

With the holiday schedule changes, it can get confusing to figure out your adjusted trash and recycling dates. Here are some ways to find your correct pickup day:

• Check the City’s Collection Day Lookup Tool: You can enter your address on the City of Columbus website to see your scheduled pickup dates.

• Call the Color Collection Hotline: If you live in a color zone, call the hotline number for your color to hear a recording of your adjusted schedule:

  • Navy: (614) 645-NAVY (6289)
  • Pink: (614) 645-PINK (7465)
  • Ruby: (614) 645-RUBY (7829)
  • Gold: (614) 645-GOLD (4653)
  • Gray: (614) 645-GRAY (4729)

• Check the Published Calendars: The City publishes calendars each year showing the adjusted pickup dates around holidays. You can view or print these calendars here.

• Contact Waste Management: If you have private trash collection through Waste Management, you can call them at (614) 870-0064 to confirm your Columbus Day schedule.

• Check Your Hauler’s Website: Other private waste haulers like Rumpke may also list holiday collection schedules on their website or social media pages.

Holiday Guidelines for Trash and Recycling

Here are some key guidelines to follow around Columbus Day and other holidays that affect your pickup:

• Make sure bins are curbside by 6AM on your scheduled day. With the shifted schedule, collection times may differ from normal.

• Don’t place extra trash bags or piles beside your bins. Drivers won’t collect any waste set outside the carts.

• Check ahead for the next holiday to know what pickup changes to expect. Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s also impact schedules.

• If pickup was missed due to the holiday, leave your bins out an extra day in case drivers come by late.

• Don’t try to dispose of holiday waste like gift wrap and packaging in recycling bins. Most of it is not recyclable.

• Christmas trees are collected separately for three weeks after Christmas. Remove all decorations before setting trees curbside.

Managing Your Columbus Day Waste

With some planning, you can make the most of the altered trash schedule around Columbus Day:

• Hold off doing major cleaning projects until after your adjusted pickup occurs. This prevents overflowing bins.

• Take advantage of the extra day without collection to drop off recycling at a local center.

• Use the delay as motivation to reduce your waste – by meal planning, buying reusable items, and composting if possible.

• If an item can’t wait until your next pickup, see if any neighbors have availability in their bins for bagged waste disposal.

• Review what waste items are accepted curbside vs. what must be taken to a specialty drop-off site, like hazardous household waste.

• Ensure bins are visible and accessible to drivers on the adjusted day. Obstructions like parked cars can prevent pickup.

With hundreds of thousands of households affected, the Columbus Day schedule changes impact a major portion of the local population. But being informed and prepared makes navigating these holiday tweaks much smoother. Just check your specific pickup dates ahead of time and make any adjustments needed to ensure your trash, recycling and yard waste materials are collected properly.