Navigating Holiday Trash Schedules in Tucson

The holiday season often means disruptions to regular trash and recycling collection schedules. If you live in Tucson, Arizona, it’s important to know how holidays impact your pickup days to avoid missed collections. This guide provides everything you need to know about holiday trash and recycling schedules in Tucson.

Overview of Holiday Collection Changes

The city of Tucson and private haulers alter their normal collection schedules around major holidays. Here’s a quick rundown of how schedules are affected:

• Collections are suspended on the holiday itself.
• Pickups slide to the next day until the end of that week. For example, if the holiday falls on Monday, Monday customers slide to Tuesday, Tuesday to Wednesday, etc.
• Friday customers usually slide to Saturday.
• Weekend holidays do not change the collection schedule.

So if you usually put trash or recycling bins out on Mondays, a Monday holiday means waiting until Tuesday. Check directly with your hauler if unsure when your next pickup will occur.

Major Holidays Impacting Service

The following holidays impact trash collection schedules in Tucson:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• Presidents’ Day
• Cesar Chavez Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021 but does not alter Tucson’s trash pickup schedule.

Tucson Holiday Trash Schedule for 2023

Here are the 2023 holiday trash schedules for both city of Tucson residential collection and private haulers:

City of Tucson Customers

Holiday	Date	Schedule Change
New Year’s Day	Mon, Jan 2	Slide to Tue
MLK Day	Mon, Jan 16	Slide to Tue
Presidents’ Day	Mon, Feb 20	Slide to Tue
Cesar Chavez Day	Fri, Mar 31	No change
Memorial Day	Mon, May 29	Slide to Tue
Independence Day	Tue, Jul 4	No change
Labor Day	Mon, Sep 4	Slide to Tue
Veterans Day	Fri, Nov 10	No change
Thanksgiving	Thu, Nov 23	Slide to Fri
Christmas Day	Mon, Dec 25	Slide to Tue

Private Haulers

Holiday	Date	Schedule Change
New Year’s Day	Mon, Jan 2	Slide to Tue
MLK Day	Mon, Jan 16	Slide to Tue
Presidents’ Day	Mon, Feb 20	Slide to Tue
Memorial Day	Mon, May 29	Slide to Tue
Independence Day	Tue, Jul 4	No change
Labor Day	Mon, Sep 4	Slide to Tue
Thanksgiving	Thu, Nov 23	Thu/Fri slide to Fri/Sat
Christmas Day	Mon, Dec 25	Slide to Tue

Cesar Chavez Day and Veterans Day do not alter pickup schedules for private haulers.

If your regular collection lands on a Friday, expect Saturday pickup when a holiday is earlier that week.

Tucson Holiday Trash Schedule for 2024

The 2024 holiday collection schedule for Tucson has not been published yet. Once released, it will be added here.

Checking Your Individual Holiday Schedule

While theholiday schedules above cover most Tucson residents, it’s still smart to verify directly with your hauler. You can look up your scheduled pickup dates anytime by:

• City of Tucson Customers – Visit the Online Lookup Tool and enter your address.

• Private Haulers – Check your hauler’s website, contact customer service, or check account details online for your personalized schedule.

• TucsonTrash.com – This site compiles holiday schedules across providers like Waste Management, Right Away Disposal, and more.

• Eagle Trash Service – Our Collection Schedule Lookup finds your pickup dates by address.

Having your calendar marked with adjusted dates ensures you never miss a pickup due to holidays.

How Holiday Schedules Impact Waste Volumes

With holiday parties, food, gifts, and visitors, waste output surges up to 25% from Thanksgiving to New Years. When pickups slide due to holidays, the result is overloaded trash and recycling bins.

To avoid overflowing containers, be proactive:

• Break down boxes and fill space efficiently.
• Crush bottles, cans, and plastics where possible.
• Hold off adding trash bags until right before pickup.
• Contact your hauler to schedule extra collections or rent a temporary bin if needed.
• Drop off excess cardboard and packaging at recycling centers.

Staggering waste output over multiple pickup cycles also prevents holiday overload issues.

Planning for Holiday Waste and Recycling

The holiday trash rush can catch many homeowners off guard. Avoid hassles by planning ahead:

• Get updated pickup schedules from your hauler in advance. Add to your calendar.
• Set reminders on adjusted collection days so bins get out on time.
• Stock up on extra trash bags, recycling bins, compost liners, etc.
• Ensure bins are accessible with no ice or snow blocking access.
• Research options to recycle holiday lights, gift wrap, packaging, and trees.
• Review requirements for bulk item and appliance collection if needed.
• Find locations to drop off cardboard and Styrofoam recycling.
• Prep spaces for organizing waste and recyclables as they accumulate.

With proper preparation, you can maintain hassle-free collection through the busy holiday season.

Handling Trash and Recycling on Holidays

Trash doesn’t take holidays off even if haulers do! With pickups paused for holidays, it’s vital to store waste properly in the interim:

• Place bags, bins, and cans out of sight and away from pests.
• Double-bag smelly trash and freeze until collection.
• Keep recycling clean and dry so it can be emptied on the next pickup.
• Avoid packing bins so tightly that lids can’t shut.
• Use overflow garbage cans if Needed to contain excess trash.
• Drop off recyclables at collection centers if space runs out at home.

Proper storage prevents messes, keeps pesky animals away, and protects the value of recyclables.

Holiday Service Impacts for Tucson Businesses

Businesses and multifamily properties face greater holiday collection challenges due to their large waste volumes:

• Confirm your service schedule for all dumpsters, compactors, and bins.
• Strategize space to store excess trash between holidays and delayed pickups.
• Arrange for bin swaps or extra collections to handle increased holiday waste.
• Remind staff of collection changes and where to consolidate waste.
• Increase pickup frequency after the holidays to catch up.
• Check on access for trucks with icy or snowy conditions.

With hundreds of employees off work on holidays, businesses often end up with extra waste buildup. Planning ahead saves hassles!

Options for Managing Holiday Waste

When holiday disruptions and excess waste put a strain on regular trash collection, alternatives exist:

• Rent temporary dumpsters – Great for large holiday waste volumes. Schedule delivery when needed and pickup after holidays.

• Hire junk haulers – Take away large volumes of cardboard, packaging, wrapping paper, trees, and other items.

• Use waste compactors – Compress trash and recyclables to fit more between pickups.

• Drop off recycling – Remove excess cardboard, packaging, bottles, and cans to central recycling sites.

• Compost food scraps – Keep organic waste like turkey bones, peelings, and plate scrap out of trash.

• Burn paper waste – Use outdoor fire pits to safely burn recyclable paper and greenery.

• Donate usable excess – Local charities often take gently used decorations, clothing, toys, and food.

Getting creative helps manage holiday waste spikes without overloading your regular collection containers and schedule!

Key Takeaways on Tucson Holiday Trash Schedules

Coordinating trash and recycling pickup around the holidays takes a bit more effort. Keep these key tips in mind:

• Major holidays delay most residential and business collections by one day, with Friday sliding to Saturday.

• Always confirm your individual schedule with your specific hauler.

• Mark adjusted pickup dates on your calendar and set reminders.

• Store excess trash and recycling properly between holidays.

• Have a plan for managing increased holiday waste volumes.

• Avoid overpacking bins that can’t close completely.

• Contact your hauler if you foresee overflowing containers or access issues.

• Take advantage of recycling drop-offs and other waste diversion options.

With preparation and awareness of schedule