San Antonio, the second most populous city in Texas, provides trash and recycling collection services to residents through the Solid Waste Management Department. The collection schedule follows regular weekly routes, except when there are city holidays. During holiday weeks, the collection days can shift to accommodate the time off for sanitation workers.
It’s important for San Antonio residents to know when these schedule changes will occur so they can properly set out their garbage, recycling and other waste on the correct day. The city provides an annual holiday collection schedule and an online lookup tool to find your specific collection days.
When are trash collection holidays in San Antonio?
The San Antonio Solid Waste Management Department observes 10 holidays each year:
- Veteran’s Day (November 11)
- Thanksgiving Day and the following Friday (fourth Thursday and Friday in November)
- Christmas Day and the rest of that week (December 25-30)
- New Year’s Day and the rest of that week (January 1-6)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day (third Monday in January)
- Cesar Chavez Day (March 31)
- Fiesta San Jacinto Day (April 21)
- Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
- Juneteenth (June 19)
- Independence Day (July 4)
- Labor Day (first Monday in September)
On these holidays, garbage and recycling collection services are suspended so sanitation workers can enjoy the time off.
How do holidays affect the collection schedule in San Antonio?
When holidays fall on a weekday, it causes the regular trash and recycling collection schedule to slide. Here is what typically happens:
- If the holiday falls on a Monday, Monday’s collection slides to Tuesday, Tuesday slides to Wednesday, and so on for the rest of the week.
- If the holiday is on a Tuesday through Friday, that day’s collection slides to the following day, with the rest of the week sliding accordingly.
- Saturday collection remains unchanged.
During holiday weeks, especially those with multiple holidays like Christmas and New Year’s, the sliding schedule can result in 5-6 day delays from the regular collection day.
For example, if your regular pickup is Thursday, and the holiday is on Monday, your collection will slide to Friday. With multiple holidays, a Monday pickup could slide all the way to Saturday by the end of the week.
Finding your revised collection day in San Antonio
To find your specific revised collection day during holiday weeks, San Antonio provides two easy options:
Holiday Collection Schedule Lookup
The Solid Waste Management Department publishes the holiday collection schedule each year in November, showing the affected dates and how service days will slide for each holiday week.
You can view the current schedule on their website. Check this schedule to see when your collection day will change.
My Collection Day Lookup
The city also provides an online lookup tool where you can enter your address and view your regular collection schedule as well as adjusted days for upcoming holidays.
Visit My Collection Day and enter your address to find your customized schedule.
This tool provides your specific collection days for the next 4 weeks, accounting for any holidays. It’s the easiest way to see exactly when to take out your trash and recycling during holiday weeks.
Setting out garbage and recycling on the proper day
The Solid Waste Management Department emphasizes the importance of setting out trash and recycling on the scheduled collection day during holidays. Putting it on the curb too early or late can lead tocitations and fines.
Here are some tips for proper garbage and recycling collection during San Antonio’s holiday schedule:
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Consult the resources above to find your revised collection day. Don’t rely on your regular day.
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Note changes to your calendar, post reminders, and plan accordingly for altered collection.
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Set items at the curb after 6pm the evening before your scheduled pickup.
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Remove empty carts by 10pm on collection day. Don’t leave them out overnight after they’ve been emptied.
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Avoid citations and follow the adjusted collection schedule. Fines start at $300 for violations.
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Sign up for reminders through the city’s collection day app to get alerts about your service days.
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Contact San Antonio 311 if you have any questions or issues related to holiday trash and recycling collection.
Properly managing waste collection around holidays is important for public health and cleanliness. Following the rules helps ensure trash is picked up in a timely manner.
Recycling and waste options in San Antonio
In addition to regular curbside collection for garbage, recycling and yard waste, San Antonio offers these other waste disposal and diversion services:
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Household Hazardous Waste – Drop off hazardous items like chemicals, batteries and electronics at the drop-off center on Callaghan Road.
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Community Collection Events – Special collections for tires, bulky items and other waste are held periodically in neighborhoods.
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Landfill Discount Days – Receive discounted unload fees at the city landfill on the first Wednesday of each month.
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Brush Recycling Centers – Drop off tree and yard trimmings at 14 brush recycling centers around the city.
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Bulky Item Drop-Off Centers – Discard large, oversized items like furniture at three drop-off locations. Fees apply.
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Recycling Block Parties – Host or attend these community events for proper disposal of various waste items.
More program details are available on the Solid Waste Management Department website.
Holiday schedule contacts and information for San Antonio
For further information about San Antonio’s holiday trash and recycling collection schedule, contact:
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Solid Waste Management Department – 210-207-6410
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San Antonio 311 – Dial 3-1-1 or 210-207-6000
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Email: [email protected]
You can also follow San Antonio 311 on social media for schedule updates and reminders:
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Twitter: @SanAntonio311
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Facebook: @SanAntonio311
Properly managing garbage and recycling collection around holidays keeps neighborhoods clean and safe. San Antonio provides multiple resources so residents can easily look up schedule changes and set materials out for pickup on the right day. Following the holiday collection schedule helps keep the city healthy and vibrant.
Reference
https://311.sanantonio.gov/kb/docs/articles/graffiti-and-waste-collection/holiday-waste-collection-schedule
https://www.sa.gov/Directory/Departments/SWMD/Garbage/My-Collection-Day