Last verified: June 12, 2026, against the Recycling Alliance of North Alabama (RANA) official schedule page.
If you live in Madison County, Alabama, your curbside recycling is handled by the Recycling Alliance of North Alabama (RANA) — not the county itself.
In 2026, only six holidays can delay your recycling pickup: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Independence Day falls on a Saturday this year, so it causes no schedule change.
Here’s the simple rule: if a holiday falls on or before your collection day in the same week, your pickup shifts to the next day — including Saturdays.
The schedule resets to normal the following Monday.
One important note: your garbage and recycling run on different schedules with different providers. Madison County contracts household garbage through Waste Management, Inc. and does not provide recycling services directly.
Recycling is managed by RANA, a division of the Solid Waste Disposal Authority of the City of Huntsville (SWDA). If you live inside a city like Huntsville or Madison, your trash holiday schedule may differ from your recycling schedule.
Article Summary
- Only six holidays affect RANA recycling routes in 2026; MLK Day and Veterans Day do not delay recycling pickup.
- Independence Day (July 4, 2026) falls on a Saturday — no schedule change.
- Labor Day (Sept 7) delays all routes that week by one day; Thanksgiving (Nov 26) delays Thursday and Friday routes; Christmas (Dec 25) delays Friday routes only.
- RANA serves Huntsville, the City of Madison, and unincorporated Madison County with monthly curbside recycling pickup (opt-in program).
- Your pickup week (1st–4th) and weekday determine your route — call 256-801-2278 (CART) to confirm your collection day.
- Garbage collection is separate: unincorporated county residents use Waste Management, Inc.; city residents should contact their City Hall.
2026 Recycling Holiday Schedule at a Glance
RANA’s official 2026 calendar lists these six observed holidays. If a holiday is not on this list, your recycling runs on the normal schedule that week.
| Holiday | Date | Day | Impact on Recycling Pickup |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1, 2026 | Thursday | Thursday and Friday routes delayed one day (past) |
| Memorial Day | May 25, 2026 | Monday | All routes that week delayed one day (past) |
| Independence Day | July 4, 2026 | Saturday | No schedule change |
| Labor Day | September 7, 2026 | Monday | All routes that week delayed one day (Mon→Tue … Fri→Sat) |
| Thanksgiving | November 26, 2026 | Thursday | Thursday and Friday routes delayed one day (Thu→Fri, Fri→Sat) |
| Christmas | December 25, 2026 | Friday | Friday routes delayed one day (Fri→Sat) |
Heads up: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (the third Monday in January) is a federal holiday, but RANA recycling routes run on a normal schedule that day. The same goes for Veterans Day, Presidents’ Day, and Juneteenth.
How the Holiday Delay Rule Works
RANA uses one consistent rule across Madison County, Huntsville, and the City of Madison:
If a holiday falls on or before your collection day and in the same week, your collection happens the following day — including Saturdays.
A few examples for the rest of 2026:
- Labor Day week (Sept 7–12): Monday routes run Tuesday, Tuesday routes run Wednesday, and so on through Friday routes running Saturday.
- Thanksgiving week (Nov 23–28): Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday routes run normally. Thursday routes run Friday. Friday routes run Saturday.
- Christmas week (Dec 21–26): Monday through Thursday routes run normally. Friday routes run Saturday, December 26.
Everything resets to the normal schedule the following Monday.
Who Picks Up Recycling in Madison County, Alabama?
This trips up a lot of residents, so here’s the breakdown:
| Service | Provider | Who to Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Curbside recycling (countywide) | Recycling Alliance of North Alabama (RANA), a division of SWDA Huntsville | 256-801-2278 (CART) or support@recycling-alliance.com |
| Household garbage (unincorporated county) | Waste Management, Inc. (county contract) | Madison County Solid Waste / Waste Management |
| Garbage and trash (inside city limits) | Your city’s sanitation department | Huntsville, Madison, or your town’s City Hall |
Madison County’s official solid waste page states plainly that the county does not provide recycling services — RANA fills that role for the whole county. The RANA curbside program is opt-in and free for eligible single-family homes in Huntsville, the City of Madison, and Madison County. Pickup happens once a month using a 95/96-gallon blue cart, and you must register to receive service.
How to Find Your Recycling Pickup Day
RANA assigns each address a route based on the week of the month (1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th) and the day of the week. On the official calendar, 1st-week routes are green, 2nd-week blue, 3rd-week yellow, and 4th-week orange.
To find or confirm your collection day:
- Call RANA at 256-801-2278 (CART) and provide your street address.
- Email support@recycling-alliance.com with your address and phone number.
- Download the official 2026 calendar from the RANA schedule page and match your route color to the dates.
- Don’t have a blue cart yet? Register at recycling-alliance.com — eligible Huntsville, Madison, and Madison County single-family homes can sign up for free.
Schedules in Madison County vary by route assignment rather than by ZIP code, but neighborhoods across Huntsville (35801–35816), Madison (35756–35758), and unincorporated areas like Harvest, Meridianville, New Market, Hazel Green, and Owens Cross Roads all fall on different weekly routes. Confirming your exact day with RANA is the only reliable method.
What Goes in Your Blue Recycling Cart in 2026
RANA accepts only these four material types, placed loose in the cart — no garbage bags:
| Accepted | Notes |
|---|---|
| #1 and #2 narrow-neck plastic bottles | No other plastics, no plastic bags |
| Aluminum and steel cans | No miscellaneous scrap metal |
| Paper | Clean and dry |
| Flattened cardboard | Break boxes down flat |
Anything else belongs in your green garbage cart or at the Household Hazardous Waste Facility, 1055 A Cleaner Way, Huntsville, AL 35805.
What to Do If Your Recycling Was Missed
If your cart wasn’t emptied on your scheduled (or holiday-adjusted) day:
- Leave your cart at the curb. During holiday weeks and route delays, drivers may run a day or more behind.
- Report the miss by emailing support@recycling-alliance.com with your address, or call 256-801-2278.
- Check for service alerts on the RANA schedule page — severe weather in North Alabama can push routes back, and RANA posts weekly route updates there.
Quick Answers for Search
Is there recycling pickup on Labor Day 2026 in Madison County, AL? No. Labor Day is Monday, September 7, 2026, and all RANA recycling routes that week shift one day later. Monday routes run Tuesday, and Friday routes run Saturday.
Does July 4th change the 2026 recycling schedule? No. Independence Day falls on a Saturday in 2026, so RANA recycling routes run on their normal schedule that week.
Is recycling delayed during Thanksgiving week 2026? Only for Thursday and Friday routes. Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, so Thursday routes run Friday and Friday routes run Saturday. Monday through Wednesday routes are unaffected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Madison County, Alabama provide curbside recycling?
No. Madison County contracts garbage collection through Waste Management, Inc. but does not provide recycling services. Curbside recycling for county residents is handled by the Recycling Alliance of North Alabama (RANA), an opt-in program funded by the Solid Waste Disposal Authority of the City of Huntsville.
How often is recycling picked up in Madison County, AL?
Once a month. Each address is assigned a route by week of the month (1st through 4th) and day of the week. Call RANA at 256-801-2278 to learn your collection day.
Which holidays delay recycling pickup in 2026?
Six holidays appear on RANA’s 2026 calendar: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Because July 4 falls on a Saturday, only five of those actually delay weekday routes in 2026.
Is recycling picked up on MLK Day or Veterans Day in Madison County?
Yes. RANA does not observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Veterans Day, or other federal holidays outside its six-holiday list. Routes run on a normal schedule those weeks.
My recycling and garbage schedules don’t match. Is that normal?
Yes. Recycling (RANA/SWDA) and garbage (Waste Management for the county, or your city’s sanitation department) are run by different providers with different holiday calendars. The City of Huntsville, for example, observes additional garbage-collection holidays like MLK Day and Veterans Day that do not affect recycling.
How do I sign up for a recycling cart in Madison County?
Register on the RANA website (recycling-alliance.com) or call 256-801-2278 (CART). The program is free for eligible single-family homes in Huntsville, the City of Madison, and Madison County. Apartment complexes and commercial properties are not currently served.
Official Sources
- Recycling Alliance of North Alabama — 2026 Pickup Schedule (official RANA holiday calendar, updated January 2026)
- Madison County, AL — Solid Waste & Recycling (county garbage contract and recycling policy)
- City of Madison, AL — Recycling (RANA cart program details and SWDA contact: 256-880-6054)
Related reading: Huntsville, AL Trash Pickup Holiday Schedule 2026 — garbage routes inside Huntsville city limits follow a separate holiday calendar from recycling.
Holiday schedules can change with little notice due to severe weather or service disruptions. Before setting out your cart during a holiday week, check the RANA schedule page for the latest route alerts, or call 256-801-2278 to confirm your pickup day.