Living in Little Elm, Texas? Wondering when your trash and recycling will be picked up each week? You’ve come to the right place!
Having a reliable trash and recycling schedule is important for keeping your neighborhood clean and minimizing odor and pests. The Town of Little Elm provides trash and recycling collection services to residents through a contract with Community Waste Disposal (CWD).
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Little Elm’s trash and recycling schedule, including:
- Regular weekly schedule
- Holiday schedule changes
- Bulk and brush pickup
- Cart placement procedures
- Recycling program
- Hazardous waste disposal
- And more!
Regular Weekly Trash and Recycling Schedule
Trash and recycling pickup occurs once per week on your designated day. Most households have received a 95-gallon cart for trash and a 95-gallon cart for recycling from the town.
Your regular collection day is determined by where you live. Trash routes are set up by geographic zone.
Here is the regular weekly schedule:
- Monday: South of Eldorado Pkwy, West of I-35E
- Tuesday: North of Eldorado Pkwy, West of I-35E
- Wednesday: South of Eldorado Pkwy, East of I-35E
- Thursday: North of Eldorado Pkwy, East of I-35E
- Friday: A small section just North of Eldorado Pkwy, West of I-35E
Both trash and recycling are collected on your designated weekday.
On your pickup day, carts must be placed curbside by 7 AM. Remember to position your cart properly:
- With the handle facing your house
- Within 3 feet of the curb
- At least 4 feet away from any obstacles like mailboxes or vehicles
Overfilled carts will not be serviced. Any trash outside the cart will not be collected either.
After pickup, carts must be removed from the curb by 7 AM the following day. HOAs may have additional rules about storing carts out of sight.
Holiday Schedule Changes
Some holidays disrupt the regular trash collection schedule in Little Elm.
On these holidays, services slide over 1 day:
- New Year’s Day – No change
- Memorial Day – Slides 1 day
- Independence Day – Slides 1 day
- Labor Day – Slides 1 day
On these holidays, trash pickup operates as normal:
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day – No change
- Good Friday – No change
- Christmas Day – No change
Thanksgiving is more complicated:
- Thanksgiving – Skips Thursday route, picks up Thursday route on Friday, picks up Friday route on Saturday
So if your regular day is Thursday, it will slide to Friday. Friday will slide to Saturday.
Check the official holiday schedule for exact dates. The town publishes an updated holiday schedule each year.
Bi-Weekly Bulk and Brush Pickup
In addition to weekly trash service, the Town of Little Elm offers bulk and brush pickup every other week.
Your bulk pickup day is determined by your normal trash day:
- Monday trash route – 1st and 3rd Mondays
- Tuesday trash route – 1st and 3rd Tuesdays
- Wednesday trash route – 2nd and 4th Mondays
- Thursday trash route – 2nd and 4th Tuesdays
- Friday trash route – 1st and 3rd Mondays
Bulk items must be placed at the curb by 7 AM on your designated day. CWD aims to complete all bulk routes by Wednesday but may run longer if volume is high.
There is a limit of 6 cubic yards per household per pickup. Items must be neatly stacked at the curb and not blocking storm drains or the road.
Acceptable bulk items include:
- Furniture
- Carpet
- Mattresses
- Appliances (refrigerant must be removed)
- Tree branches and yard waste (bundled and tied)
Unacceptable items:
- Construction debris
- Hazardous waste
- Loose yard waste (must be bagged)
Brush and limbs should be cut, bundled, and tied into 4ft by 2ft bundles under 50 lbs.
For oversized bulk items like pianos, residents can request a special pickup for an extra fee.
Cart Placement Procedures and Storage
To keep your neighborhood looking tidy, Little Elm has rules about trash cart storage and placement.
Storage:
All carts must be stored behind the front building line of your home when not in use. They cannot be left curbside. Your HOA may have additional rules about storing carts out of sight.
Placement for pickup:
Carts can only be placed curbside for pickup after 7 PM the evening before your collection day.
They must be brought back in by 7 AM the morning after pickup. Leaving carts curbside all week long is prohibited.
Position carts at least 4 feet away from any obstacles like mailboxes or vehicles. Trash workers should have clear access.
Recycling Program
Little Elm aims to be environmentally-friendly by offering recycling pickup along with trash service. Check below to see what can and cannot be recycled curbside:
Acceptable for curbside recycling:
- Paper and cardboard
- Plastic bottles and containers
- Glass bottles and jars
- Aluminum cans, foil, and baking tins
- Steel food cans and tins
Not acceptable for curbside recycling:
- Plastic bags, wrap, or film
- Foam cups or containers
- Food waste
- Yard waste
- Electronics
- Batteries
- Light bulbs
- Scrap metal
- Clothing, fabrics, etc.
Check that containers are empty and rinse residue prior to recycling. Flatten cardboard boxes.
Keep an eye out for Little Elm’s recycling education campaigns on social media and utility bill inserts. Getting community involvement is key to having an effective recycling program.
Hazardous Waste Disposal
Certain types of waste are hazardous and require special disposal methods. Do not place these items in your normal trash.
Examples of household hazardous waste:
- Used motor oil
- Antifreeze
- Paints and solvents
- Pesticides and herbicides
- Fluorescent light bulbs
- Needles and syringes
- Batteries
- Electronics
- Propane tanks
Twice per year, Little Elm Police Department hosts a prescription drug take-back event to properly dispose of medications.
For syringe disposal, place sharps in a sturdy sealed container labeled “syringes.” Put the container in your normal trash – do not recycle.
For most other hazardous waste, Denton County offers household hazardous waste drop-off days several times per year. Events are free for county residents.
We’re Here to Help!
Trash and recycling services in Little Elm don’t have to be confusing. Now that you know the basic schedule and guidelines, you can take pride in keeping your neighborhood clean and green.
For additional questions about your collection schedule, billing, or reporting a missed pickup, contact Little Elm Utility Billing at 214-975-0480. We’re happy to help!
Properly disposing of waste according to these guidelines will keep Little Elm a pleasant place to live for all. Let’s work together to keep our community healthy and beautiful!
Reference
https://www.littleelm.org/293/Solid-Waste-TrashRecycling-Division
https://www.littleelm.org/DocumentCenter/View/16707/2022-Solid-Waste-Holiday-Schedule