Refuse and Recycling

How much trash can I put out and when is the truck coming?How can I get rid of old furniture and appliances?What happens if my trash day is a holiday?What do I do about dead animals?Can I recycle tree debris and fallen leaves? What about free mulch?How can I recycle at the curb?Where can I take materials to be recycled?Where do I take household pollutants and hazardous wastes?


How much trash can I put out and when is the truck coming?
 The City of Tulsa provides curbside trash removal with several service options depending on your location in the service area. Services include unlimited amounts of household garbage, plus bags or bundles of yard trimmings, placed within four feet of the curb or traveled portion of the road. Overflow materials can be boxed, bagged or tied. Refuse should be accessible for collection by 6 a.m. on collection day. Trash collection schedules vary across residential areas in the city. To find out the collection schedule for your neighborhood along with rates, rules and regulations, call the Customer Care Center at (918) 596-2100.

What will be collected:

  • Six-item limit on bags, cans or bundles of yard waste - set within four feet of the curb
  • Brush tied in bundles no larger than four feet long and two feet around
  • Bags, cans, boxes and bundles limited to 50 pounds
  • Excreta, human or animal, soiled diapers, cat litter, fish cleanings and wet garbage ONLY if they are placed in sealed plastic bags
  • Loose materials such as sawdust or cold ashes ONLY if securely bagged

What will not be collected:

  • Toxic waste or liquids, including motor oil

  • Construction or demolition debris, excess yard waste (more than 12 bags, cans or bundles per week), trees, stumps or automobiles

You should:

  • Dispose of hypodermic needles and any other sharp medical wastes by placing the items in a rigid or semi-rigid sealed container before discarding into your trash container.

  • Make refuse and recyclables available and accessible for collection by 6 a.m. on collection day.

  • Put refuse containers on the curb no more than 12 hours before collection and remove them within 12 hours after collection.

For information on other services provided such as Backyard Service, Extra Service and Low-income/Disabled Service, please call (918) 596-9511 or refer to City Services - Refuse.
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How can I get rid of old furniture and appliances?
 Curbside pick up of large household-related items is free with City of Tulsa refuse service.

To arrange for pick up of large items, call Refuse Services at (918) 596-9511.

Types of items: household items such as furniture and appliances. Does not include: construction or demolition debris, excess yard waste, trees, stumps, or autos.
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What happens if my trash day is a holiday?
 There is no trash pick up in your service area on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas Day. If one of these holidays falls on a regular pick-up day, customers with twice-a-week service can put out twice the amount of trash on their next regularly scheduled pick-up day. Once-a-week service will be collected on the Saturday following the holiday. For more information, contact the Customer Care Center at (918) 596-2100.

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What do I do about dead animals?
 Public Works staff will remove dead animals from public streets or private property if the animals are placed on the curb for pick up. This service is provided at no extra charge. Call (918) 596-2100 and leave a message giving the exact location and specific directions to the pick-up site. This is a voice-mail system, which is checked and cleared daily Monday through Friday. All calls received on weekends will be serviced on the next working day.
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Can I recycle tree debris and fallen leaves? What about free mulch?
 The City of Tulsa accepts tree trimmings and yard waste from citizens, processes the material, and gives away wood chips to Tulsa citizens. This service is available, for a fee, to businesses and those living outside the city limits. Tulsa residential customers will not be charged. Chips may be picked up or drop-offs made from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., seven days a week, at 10401 East 56th Street North, (one-half mile west of Highway 169 on 56th Street North). The site is closed during official holidays. For more information, call (918) 596-2100.
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How can I recycle at the curb?
 Convenient Curbside Recycling is available to citizens who receive a residential refuse bill from the City of Tulsa. The cost is $2 per month for the twice-a-month pick up. You may recycle aluminum, glass, plastic (#1 or #2) and newspapers in unlimited quantities. All recyclable materials may be mixed together, except newspaper, which must be kept separate from the other recyclables. All containers should be rinsed and the lids removed. For more information, contact the Customer Care Center at (918) 596-2100 or visit the Tulsa Recycles Web site. Contact the Customer Care Center for changes in recycling pick up if your collection day falls on a holiday.
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Where can I take materials to be recycled?
 The Metropolitan Environmental Trust (M.e.t.) operates several convenient recycling drop-off centers in the Tulsa area. Products that can be recycled at no charge are newspapers, magazines, office paper, plastic, aluminum, glass, motor oil and batteries. For more information and special site hours, call the M.e.t. at (918) 584-0584 or e-mail: MET@metrecycle.com or visit the M.e.t. Web site.

Drop off recyclables at Tulsa M.e.t. depots at the following locations:

  • East Admiral Place and North Louisville Avenue
  • East 21st Street and South 129th East Avenue - southwest corner
  • East 81st Street and South Lewis Avenue - Wal-Mart Super Center
  • West 51st Street and South Union Avenue - Warehouse Market
  • East 35th Street and Sheridan

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Where do I take household pollutants and hazardous wastes?
 The M.e.t. sponsors special collection days for household hazardous wastes and household chemicals. These events, held in the spring and fall, are designed to take household substances that may harm the environment if poured down the drain, into a storm sewer or tossed into the trash. Among the products that can be disposed of safely at the collection events are pesticides, cleaners, batteries, yard-care products, acids, caustics, oil-based paint, thinners, household flammable liquids, oil, antifreeze, bullets (50-caliber and smaller), and smoke alarms. For the date of the next event, call the M.e.t. at (918) 584-0584.

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