Last verified: June 1, 2026. Hours, fees, and program rules change seasonally and around holidays — always confirm the current details on the City of Tacoma’s official pages, linked throughout this guide, before you load the truck or set out your cart.
If you live in Tacoma, the same handful of solid-waste questions come up again and again: When does my garbage actually get picked up? What time does the dump close on a Saturday? Can I get that old couch hauled away without renting a trailer? And what is that compost everybody’s lawn seems to love? This is the local operator’s reference for all of it — the stable facts on this page, and a live link for anything that changes day to day.
Tacoma solid waste at a glance
- Look up your pickup schedule on the City’s Collection Schedule tool — click “My Schedule” and enter your address. Garbage and recycling are collected every other week, alternating with food/yard waste.
- The dump (Recovery & Transfer Center) at 3510 S. Mullen St. is open daily, 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Confirm current hours on the Hours & Directions page.
- Call-2-Haul gives every residential customer two free bulky pickups or self-hauls a year — schedule at (253) 573-2468 or through your MyTPU account. Details on the Call-2-Haul page.
- TAGRO, Tacoma’s award-winning compost and potting soil, is sold year-round at 2301 Cleveland Way with a self-load “Free Pile” of Mix. See the TAGRO page or call (253) 502-2150.
- General solid-waste questions: (253) 502-2100 or solidwaste@tacoma.gov, phone/lobby hours Monday–Friday 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Finding your garbage and recycling pickup schedule
Tacoma doesn’t run every household on the same day, and it doesn’t pick up everything every week, which is why “what day is my garbage?” has no single answer. The reliable move is to use the City’s address-based lookup rather than trust a neighbor’s memory or an old calendar.
Head to the Collection Schedule tool and click “My Schedule” to pull the exact pickup days tied to your address — this is a live lookup, so it always reflects current routes. The underlying pattern is consistent: garbage and recycling are collected every other week, alternating with food/yard waste. In practice that means one week your garbage and recycling go out, the next week your food/yard waste cart goes out.
This tool covers single-family homes and duplexes. If you’re in a multifamily building or have a commercial account, the routes are handled differently — call (253) 502-2100 for your specifics. Set your carts at the curb the night before or by your pickup-day morning, with lids closed and a few feet of clearance between containers so the automated arm can grab them.
Holiday collection: when pickup slides a day
Tacoma observes four collection holidays: New Year’s Day, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. There is no pickup on those days. When your normal collection day falls on or after one of these holidays in the same week, everything shifts one day later — so a Thursday route during Thanksgiving week moves to Friday, and Friday moves to Saturday.
Because the exact shift depends on where the holiday lands, the safest habit is to re-check the Collection Schedule tool the week of any holiday rather than assume. Weeks without a holiday are unaffected.
The dump: Recovery & Transfer Center hours and what they take
When people search “city of tacoma dump” or “tacoma landfill hours,” they’re almost always headed to the Recovery & Transfer Center at 3510 S. Mullen Street, Tacoma, WA 98409. This is the self-haul facility for garbage, yard waste, and recyclables.
The transfer center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., closed only on the four collection holidays (Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day). The separate Household Hazardous Waste facility on the same site keeps shorter hours — Friday through Monday, 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m. (closed Tuesday–Thursday) — and is where Tacoma residents drop off paint, chemicals, automotive fluids, and similar materials.
Disposal fees are charged by weight and material type and are adjusted periodically, so this is a “check live” item: confirm current rates and any load restrictions on the official Hours & Driving Directions page before you go, and bring proof of Tacoma residency for the hazardous-waste facility. The solid-waste front-office lobby for billing and account questions is open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Call-2-Haul: free bulky pickup and self-haul
Call-2-Haul is the program that makes the question “how do I get rid of a mattress?” easy. Every residential solid-waste customer gets two curbside bulky pickups (or self-hauls) per year, and the cost is already built into your rates — there’s no separate charge for residential service.
Each pickup covers up to three large items — think mattresses, couches, refrigerators, washers and dryers, barbecue grills, power yard equipment, or exercise equipment — plus up to 15 boxes or bags of smaller items like small appliances, lawn chairs, bicycles, toys, and clothing. The fastest way to book is to call (253) 573-2468; active customers can also start a request through their MyTPU account. On your scheduled day, place everything at the front curb by 7 a.m.
Commercial and multifamily customers can also use curbside bulky pickup for a per-pickup fee. Item lists and any current fees are maintained on the official Call-2-Haul page — confirm there before scheduling, since accepted items and pricing can change.
TAGRO: Tacoma’s compost, mix, and potting soil
TAGRO is the City’s award-winning line of garden products made from recycled biosolids — a genuinely local success story that’s been feeding Tacoma lawns and gardens for decades. TAGRO Mix is a soil amendment for lawns, flower beds, and vegetable gardens, while TAGRO Potting Soil is a biosolids-based blend made for containers and raised beds. (TAGRO also sells topsoil and an aged-bark ground cover; check the TAGRO page for the current product lineup and specs.)
Products are sold year-round, no appointment needed, at 2301 Cleveland Way, Tacoma, WA 98421, and a self-load “Free Pile” of Mix is available for residents who bring their own truck and shovel. One-cubic-foot bags are also stocked at a number of regional retailers. Pricing, delivery options, seasonal hours, and the current retailer list are maintained on the TAGRO page, or call (253) 502-2150 to order.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out what day my garbage is picked up in Tacoma?
Use the City of Tacoma’s Collection Schedule tool and click “My Schedule,” then enter your address. It’s a live lookup tied to your route, so it always shows current days. Garbage and recycling are collected every other week, alternating with food/yard waste. The tool covers single-family homes and duplexes; multifamily and commercial accounts should call (253) 502-2100.
What are the Tacoma dump (Recovery & Transfer Center) hours?
The Recovery & Transfer Center at 3510 S. Mullen Street is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., closed only on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. The on-site Household Hazardous Waste facility has shorter hours — Friday through Monday, 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Always confirm current hours and fees on the official hours page before you go.
How does Call-2-Haul work and is it free?
Call-2-Haul gives every residential solid-waste customer two free curbside bulky pickups or self-hauls per year, with the cost already built into your rates. Each pickup covers up to three large items plus up to 15 boxes or bags of smaller items. Schedule by calling (253) 573-2468 or through your MyTPU account, and set items at the front curb by 7 a.m. See the Call-2-Haul page for the full item list.
What happens to my garbage schedule during a holiday week?
On New Year’s Day, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas there is no collection. When your normal pickup day falls on or after one of those holidays the same week, collection shifts one day later. Re-check the Collection Schedule tool during any holiday week to confirm your adjusted day.
Where can I buy TAGRO compost and is any of it free?
TAGRO Mix and Potting Soil are sold year-round with no appointment at 2301 Cleveland Way, Tacoma, and a self-load “Free Pile” of Mix is available if you bring your own truck and shovel. One-cubic-foot bags are also available at regional retailers. Check the TAGRO page for current pricing and the retailer list, or call (253) 502-2150.
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