Where tree debris and green waste go in Reno and Carson City

Cleaning up after a tree comes down is where a lot of homeowners get stuck. Here is what the official pages say today, what we could not confirm, and what we offer.

Can I take tree debris to the landfill in Carson City?

Carson City's landfill page lists wood waste and green waste as a category with its own rate. To receive that rate, the city says the load must be strictly that material. A mixed load is charged at the rate of the most expensive material in it. Residential rates also require proof of residency.

The page does not spell out limb length or diameter limits, so call the landfill before bringing large logs. Keep soil, rock and trash out of the load, and tie down what you haul.

What can Washoe County residents do?

Truckee Meadows Fire's green waste page says green waste can be disposed of year-round at a Waste Management drop-off location. The same page says Washoe County residential customers who are current with their bill may dispose of one standard pickup truck load of municipal solid waste four times a year at no cost at the Stead and Commercial Row transfer stations or the Lockwood Landfill. Check Waste Management for what counts as green waste at each site.

The district also runs seasonal green waste events for defensible-space material and a curbside chipping program for elderly, disabled and low-income residents who cannot haul debris. Both are seasonal, with limits on diameter and pile size. See our Truckee Meadows Fire page for details.

Are there free trailers or dumpsters?

Carson City's Wildland Fuels Reduction page says residents inside the wildland-urban interface who are outside the "green line" on the city's MapGeo tool can reserve a trailer or dumpster at no cost, provided through Bureau of Land Management grants. The material must be vegetative waste only. Bags, construction materials and man-made items are not allowed, pine needles are, and the dirt should be limited.

Central Lyon County Fire lists a Trailer Drop Program under its Fuels Management page, though on the day we read it the district said the program was on hold. Storey County Fire lists a "You Call, We Haul" program on its community programs list. Ask each district whether the program is running.

What about burning?

Burning is season-dependent and often prohibited. On the day we read it, the Truckee Meadows Fire home page said pile burning was prohibited as of October 17, 2026. Read Washoe County burn codes before you plan a burn pile. Open burning with a permit has its own rules in each district.

What do we haul and what happens to it?

Debris collection and disposal is part of our emergency and storm cleanup service, and our crews run chippers, dump trucks and a chip truck. Wood and chips can be left, stacked or hauled, depending on the job. See what happens to the wood and chips. Ask for haul-off to be written into the estimate. Call 775.232.8243.