Holiday Trash Roundup: Slide Schedules, Christmas Tree Disposal and Helpful Tips to Clean Up After the Holidays

In observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holiday, the Indianapolis Department of Public Works would like to remind residents of altered trash pick-up schedules and other tips to dispose of additional waste this holiday season.

Slide Schedules for Regular Trash Pick-Up 

• Christmas Day – There will be no trash pick-up Christmas Day, Thursday, December 25. All collections will run one day behind for the remainder of the week. Thursday routes will be collected on Friday; Friday collections will be made on Saturday. All routes will return to normal schedules on Monday, December 29.
   
• New Year’s Day – There will be no trash pick-up New Year’s Day, Thursday, January 1. All collections will run one day behind for the remainder of the week. Thursday routes will be collected on Friday; Friday collections will be made on Saturday. All routes will return to normal schedules on Monday, January 5.

2015 Christmas Tree Collection

Marion county residents can dispose of their live Christmas trees as easily as getting them to the curb during the month of January. In this specialized collection season, crews will pick up trees in addition to trash on their regular routes.

To be collected on residents’ regular trash pick-up days, trees must be cut and bundled in 3-foot to 4-foot sections with all decorations and lights removed.

Additionally, residents may set out their trees for collection on their monthly heavy trash days year-round. A Christmas tree will count as one heavy trash item. Christmas trees collected on heavy trash days do not need to be cut and bundled.

Click here to find your regular and heavy trash collection days. 

Note this means residents may not drop-off Christmas trees at Indy Parks sites as they have in the past.

Click here for more information on the City’s 2015 Christmas Tree Collection program.

Post-Holiday Trash and Recycling Tips

• Lots of gifts means lots of boxes. Be sure to break down cardboard boxes and bundle them for curbside recycling or drop-off at any of the City’s recycling collection sites.

• Great news, you got a new T.V., computer or gaming system! Now, what do you do with the old model? DON’T leave it at the curb! The City’s Office of Sustainability has partnered with RecycleForce to offer T.V. recycling free of charge for Indy residents in January.You may also drop off electronics at the City’s ToxDrop locations on designated collection days or at any of Indy’s many private recyclers.

• Check out the Indy Holiday Recycling Guide for more tips on how to “green” holiday season.

• Unwanted trash items, scrap goods and other debris are often dumped illegally during the holidays. Illegal dumping is any unwanted item dumped without permission on either private or public property. If you witness illegal dumping, please contact the Mayor’s Action Center at 317-327-4MAC.

• Let it snow! When snow accumulates, residents are responsible not just for shoveling sidewalks, but also for clearing a 4 foot space around trash carts and bags. Learn more about trash and recycling in winter here.

For more information or to report any trash related issues, please use RequestIndy online or the mobile application on your smart phone, visit www.indy.gov/trash or call the Mayor’s Action Center at 317-327-4MAC.