More food, more family, more trash
The holidays are one of the busiest times of year. Between Thanksgiving dinner, holiday baking, gift wrap and the boxes from online orders, most households throw out far more than usual from late November through early January.
A little planning goes a long way. Knowing when pickup changes, how much your can really holds and what should never go in it keeps your driveway tidy, keeps your neighborhood clean and keeps our drivers safe. Here’s what every United Disposal customer should know.
Know the Holiday Schedule
United Disposal runs year-round, and Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only two days a year our trucks stay parked so our drivers can be home with their families.
| Holiday | Trash pickup | Office |
| Thanksgiving β Thursday, November 26 | No pickup | Closed |
| Christmas β Friday, December 25 | No pickup | Closed |
| New Year’s Day β Friday, January 1 | Normal pickup | Closed |
If your regular pickup day falls on Thanksgiving or Christmas, watch for our holiday schedule on our website and Facebook page. A quick call to our office is all it takes to update it.
7 Tips for Handling Holiday Trash
- Know what your can holds. Our 96-gallon can fits about 5β7 bags and our 65-gallon can fits about 4β5. Keep the lid fully closed so trash doesn’t blow out or get pulled out by animals. If you find yourself overflowing every week, it may be time to switch to the larger can.
- Bag everything and tie it tight. Loose food scraps and wrapping paper are what end up scattered across the road on a windy day. Tied bags stay put and keep your can cleaner.
- Break down your boxes. Holiday shipping boxes eat up can space fast. Flatten them before they go in your can so you have room for everything else.
- Never pour cooking grease down the drain. Turkey drippings, bacon fat and fryer oil harden in pipes and cause expensive clogs. Let grease cool completely, pour it into a sealed container like an old coffee can, and place it in your trash.
- Let ashes cool completely. Fireplace and wood-stove ashes can hold heat for days. Never put warm ashes in your can, a bag or a dumpster. See our Charcoal and Hot Ash Disposal Tips for the safe way to handle them.
- Keep batteries and electronics out of the can. New gadgets mean old ones get tossed. Lithium batteries can spark fires inside trucks when they are crushed. Check our post on Common Mistakes of Handling Hazardous Waste before throwing out anything you’re unsure about.
- Get ready for winter wind. Northern Arizona winds can tip cans and scatter trash. Set your can on level, solid ground, and consider our lid locks for just $0.50 per week for extra peace of mind.
Hosting a big cleanout before guests arrive? If you’re clearing out a garage, remodeling or getting rid of more than your can can handle, give us a call about a temporary dumpster or roll-off.
Happy holidays from your neighbors at United Disposal
As a local, family-owned company, we’re grateful to serve this community every week of the year. A little planning on your end and a lot of hard work from our drivers keeps the season clean, safe and stress-free for everyone.
Have a question about your holiday pickup, your can size, or a temporary dumpster? With United Disposal, you’ll always reach a live person.
Call (928) 636-5203 Β· MondayβFriday, 8:00 AM β 4:00 PM 50 W. United Way, Paulden, AZ 86334
