Trash & Recycling in Cary, NC (2026)
8 verified trash & recycling rules for Cary, North Carolina, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Cary requires roll-out trash carts to be curbside by 7:00 a.m. on collection day and back in storage by 6:00 a.m. the next morning, or a fee applies.
Cary Trash Cart Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsCary Code of Ordinances § 26-44
Such roll-out carts shall be kept between scheduled pickups either within a completely enclosed substantial structure such as a house, garage, or shed, or: (1) If a lot has frontage on only one street, then such roll-out carts shall be located behind the building line of the side of the principal building on that lot that faces the street; (2) If a roll-out cart is stored in front of ...
Bin Placement Rules
Cary residents may set roll-out carts at the curb no earlier than dusk before pickup, must have them out by 7 a.m. on collection day, and must pull them back by 6 a.m. the next morning.
Cary Roll-Out Cart Placement Times
Some RestrictionsCary Code of Ordinances § 26-44
Roll-out carts shall be placed adjacent to the street (on the street side of any drainage ditch or swale) for collection by 7:00 a.m. on the scheduled collection day or no earlier than dusk prior to the collection day. After collection, all roll-out carts shall be removed... by 6:00 a.m. on the day following the collection day... a roll-in fee, established by the annual budget ordinance, will b...
Recycling Requirements
The Town of Cary runs a voluntary curbside recycling program for residential customers, separating selected materials from trash for weekly town pickup rather than requiring participation.
Cary Curbside Recycling Is Voluntary
Light RestrictionsCary Code of Ordinances § 26-111
The town hereby establishes the voluntary separation of selected recyclable solid waste materials from garbage, rubbish and other trash, by the residential solid waste collection customers of the town, and the collection of those selected recyclable solid waste materials at the customer's curbside by the town or its agents.
Mandatory Organics Recycling
Cary requires residents to keep compostable yard and leaf waste separated from regular garbage for weekly curbside collection: this is a yard-waste mandate, not a food-scrap program.
Cary Mandatory Yard Waste Separation
Some RestrictionsCary Code of Ordinances § 26-76
The town hereby establishes the mandatory separation of compostable yard and leaf waste material from garbage, rubbish and other trash, by the residents of the town, and for the collection of these yard and leaf waste materials at the residents' curbside by the town employees or their agents.
Illegal Dumping
The Town of Cary makes it unlawful to dump waste on streets, sidewalks, parks or land you don't own, and violators must clean up and pay the town's removal costs.
Cary Illegal Dumping Ban
Some RestrictionsCary Code of Ordinances § 26-4(a)
(a) Illegal dumping. No person shall throw, drop or deposit, or cause to be thrown, dropped or deposited, on any street, avenue, alley, highway, greenway, footway, sidewalk, park or other public place or on any land in the town not owned by the person in question (vacant or occupied), any waste, including, but not limited to, refuse, yard or leaf waste, land clearing debris, building debris...d...
Yard Waste Collection
The Town of Cary collects leaf and yard waste curbside once a week for residential customers only, with holiday weeks running on a special schedule.
Cary Yard and Leaf Waste Pickup
Some RestrictionsCary Code of Ordinances § 26-77(a)
(a) The town shall collect, remove and dispose of all leaf and yard waste from its residential solid waste collection customers within the town limits, except in case of emergency arising from an act of God or under circumstances over which the town has or had no control...Service shall consist of curbside collection of leaf and yard waste once each week, as set forth in the town solid waste co...
Dumpster Rules
The Town of Cary requires all dumpsters, compactors, and recycling bins at commercial and multifamily sites to be enclosed and hidden from streets and neighbors.
Cary Dumpster Screening Rules
Some RestrictionsCary Land Development Ordinance § 7.2.8(C)
All trash containment devices, including compactors, dumpsters, and recycling drop-off bins, shall be located and/or screened so as not to be visible from the view of internal travelways, adjacent streets and properties... (1) All trash containment areas shall be enclosed with solid gates to allow for access and security and contain windblown litter... (2) The enclosure shall be at least eight ...
Collection Schedule
The Town of Cary collects household garbage and rubbish once each week under its solid waste collection policy, with special schedules substituted during authorized holiday weeks.
Cary Weekly Trash Collection Schedule
Some RestrictionsCary Code of Ordinances § 26-40
The town shall collect, remove and dispose of all solid wastes, including, but not limited to, garbage and rubbish, within the town limits, except in case of emergency arising from an act of God or under circumstances over which the town has or had no control... Service shall consist of the collection of solid waste each week as set forth in the town solid waste collection policy, except during...
Looking for Wake County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Cary city rules.
Trash & Recycling in Wake County →