How Calgary garbage and cart collection works

Start with your exact address, then check each cart’s next date. Community summaries help you browse, but they do not replace an address-specific schedule.

Checked against City of Calgary sources on September 10, 2026

Three carts, different jobs

• Black cart: household garbage that has no accepted recycling, composting or special-disposal route. Collection is generally every two weeks. Black cart guide.
• Blue cart: accepted household paper and packaging. Collection is weekly. Blue cart guide.
• Green cart: food scraps, accepted soiled paper and yard waste. Collection changes between weekly in the warmer season and every two weeks in winter; use your address result for the actual transition dates. Green cart guide.

Several packaging types moved to the blue cart on October 1, 2026. An item’s material and preparation matter more than its colour or a recycling symbol. Search the item if you are unsure.

Find a schedule you can use

1. Enter your Calgary street address and choose the matching result.
2. Read the next collection date for each cart, along with the data freshness and published coverage notice.
3. Save the address on your device or add the published dates to your phone calendar.
4. Check the City’s live schedule when dates are unavailable, your street has a service alert, or a holiday arrangement is awaiting publication.

This tool calculates dates from imported City open data within the source’s published periods. It does not fill missing future periods with guessed dates. For apartment or condo bins, confirm your building’s provider and schedule.

Set carts out correctly

• Have needed carts ready by 7 a.m. on pickup day, on level ground with lids shut.
• At the front street, put the wheels against the curb. For alley service, leave walking room behind the cart.
• Keep at least 1 metre from obstacles at the sides, 0.5 metres behind and 3 metres clear above. Follow the City’s placement diagrams for your location.
• Do not pack material tightly or exceed the 60 kg cart limit. Nothing extra is collected outside a blue cart.

If something changes

Review holiday collection notices. If a cart is still full after the 7 a.m.–4:30 p.m. collection window, check alerts and follow the missed pickup steps. A tag on the cart explains a problem to correct for the next collection.