Portland, ME Trash & Recycling: Collection Schedule (2026)
Key Facts
- Earliest curb time
- 3:00 p.m. day before pickup
- Empty-bin deadline
- 8:00 p.m. collection day
- Who gets service
- Residential properties only
- Scavenging
- Prohibited: set-out waste is city's
- Enforcer
- Dept. of Public Works
Summary
Portland residents may not set solid waste or recycling containers at the curb until 3:00 p.m. the day before their scheduled pickup under Sec. 12-21(a), and empties must come back off the curb by 8:00 p.m. on collection day; standard collection itself is limited to residential properties under Sec. 12-17.
Solid waste and recyclable material will be collected by the city from all residential properties. ... Solid waste and recyclable material shall not be collected by the city from any commercial property except as provided in subparagraph (d) below. ... (a) Municipal collection. Suitable containers for collection shall be placed at the curb or on the esplanade between the sidewalk and the gutter not prior to 3:00 p.m. of the day before scheduled municipal collection. Containers placed in the public way on and after such time shall be considered as being intended for collection and, as such, shall be collected by none other than the authorized collector of the public works authority. All emptied containers shall be removed prior to 8:00 p.m. on the day of collection.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: the cited page had not changed since it was quoted.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 12-17(a)-(b) sets the baseline for who gets city pickup: 'Solid waste and recyclable material will be collected by the city from all residential properties,' while commercial property collection is excluded except under the limited exceptions in subsection (d). Sec. on the day of collection' and requires containers to be 'covered or securely tied' against spillage, wind-blown litter, and vermin. Subsection (b) sets a parallel rule for buildings using private haulers: containers go out 'in a place convenient for removal' and only on the premises the occupant or owner controls.
Sec. 12-21 also bars anyone but the occupant, owner, their agent, or the authorized collector from disturbing waste already set out for pickup, the city's anti-scavenging rule.
Violations & Fines
Setting containers out before 3:00 p.m. the day before collection, leaving empties at the curb past 8:00 p.m. on collection day, or removing another resident's set-out waste violates Sec. 12-21 and is enforceable under Chapter 12's general penalty and enforcement provisions administered by the Department of Public Works.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can I put my trash out in Portland?
How late can my empty bin sit at the curb after pickup?
Does every property in Portland get city trash pickup?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Portland
Compare Portland to another location·View the Maine trash & recycling overview
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