# Less Frequent Trash Pickup Boosts Recycling, Study Finds

- Topic: science
- Source: [Good Good Good](https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/trash-pickup-recycling-study-canada)
- Published: 2026-09-14
- Original: https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/trash-pickup-recycling-study-canada
- Language: en
- Image: https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/5f6cc9cd16d59d990c8fca33/6aa1cfb4503e8a4e895749e2_6aa1cfb44f1a8b6cf8b1bb7c_trash-pickup-recycling-study-canada-featured-2.webp

## At a glance

- Weekly food‑waste pickups correlate with higher recycling rates
- Free yard‑waste collection outperforms paid services
- Garbage pickups every three weeks or longer boost recycling and composting
- Study recommends a 3‑week garbage schedule with free yard‑waste service

## Sources

- [Good Good Good](https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/trash-pickup-recycling-study-canada)

## The story

A Canadian research team led by Jonathan Wilansky and Kailun Cao has shown that reducing the frequency of curbside garbage collection can actually raise recycling rates. The study, which examined data from England and Wales, found that weekly food‑waste pickups and free yard‑waste collection services were strongly linked to higher diversion of household waste. In contrast, the frequency of recycling pickups did not significantly affect overall recycling rates. The most surprising finding was that municipalities that collected general garbage every three weeks or longer achieved higher recycling and composting rates than those with more frequent pickups. The authors suggest that the inconvenience of holding onto trash may motivate residents to sort recyclables and compost more. They recommend a schedule of weekly food‑waste collection, three‑week general garbage pickups, and free yard‑waste services as a cost‑effective way to boost diversion. These changes could reduce landfill use, lower greenhouse‑gas emissions from fewer truck trips, and help Canada move closer to its 30 % waste‑reduction target by 2030.

> Summary by Daily Read Bytes. [Read the original source](https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/trash-pickup-recycling-study-canada)