Holiday Week Trash Pickup: Why the Shift Depends on Your City
"Pickup moves back a day on holiday weeks" sounds like a simple rule. In practice, which holidays count, and whether your day moves at all, depends on where you live.
Start with your regular day
Find your normal pickup day on the collection day map, then check below whether a holiday this week moves it.
Three cities, three different calendars
TrashAlert keeps verified holiday calendars for three cities so far. They show how much the rules can differ.
San Diego
When a city-observed holiday falls on a weekday, there is no collection that day, and pickups for the rest of that week move one day later. A Friday pickup moves to Saturday. In 2026 that applies to New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Independence Day does not shift 2026 pickup because July 4 falls on a Saturday. See the full San Diego 2026 holiday schedule.
Los Angeles
Los Angeles Sanitation delays collection by one day only for New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day follow the normal schedule. So a Memorial Day week that shifts pickup in San Diego does not shift it in Los Angeles.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia observes a longer list of city holidays that affect sanitation, including Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Juneteenth, Indigenous Peoples' Day and Veterans Day, along with the major national holidays. As in the other two cities, a holiday on a weekend does not delay the following week.
Everywhere else: check your city or hauler
For other cities, TrashAlert has not verified the holiday schedule yet. Holiday rules vary by city and by hauler, so confirm with your city's sanitation page or your collection company before a holiday week.
What the map does and does not show
The collection day map colors each area by its regular pickup day. It does not show holiday shifts. Use it to find your normal day, then apply your city's holiday rule for that week.
A simple holiday-week routine
- 1. Know your regular day. Look it up once on the map or with an address lookup.
- 2. Check the week, not just the day. A Monday holiday can move a Thursday pickup in cities that shift the rest of the week.
- 3. Look up your city's list. Whether a given holiday counts depends on your city or hauler.
- 4. Put bins out on the new day. Bins left out on the usual day during a shifted week can sit an extra day.
Frequently asked questions
Does every city shift pickup on the same holidays?
No. Los Angeles delays only for New Year's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, while San Diego and Philadelphia observe more holidays.
Does a weekend holiday change my weekday pickup?
Not in San Diego, Los Angeles or Philadelphia. Other cities may differ, so check with your city or hauler.
Does the map show holiday shifts?
No. The map shows regular pickup days only.
🗺️ Find your regular pickup day
Start with the map, then check your city's holiday rule on holiday weeks.
Open the Collection Day Map →