Everything You Need to Know About Garbage and Trash Services in Calcasieu Parish
- Mary Kaye Eason
- Jun 4
- 4 min read
In my time as a police juror, I’ve discovered that one of the most necessary and convenient services in Calcasieu Parish is often the least-discussed – trash and garbage pickup and disposal!
Navigating waste disposal services can be confusing. Whether you're new to Calcasieu Parish or simply looking to better understand the available services, this guide will help you make sense of residential trash pickup and solid waste disposal options available to parish residents.
Residential Garbage and Trash Pickup
What is it?
The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury partners with Waste Management to provide residential roadside garbage and trash collection throughout unincorporated areas of Calcasieu Parish. This service ensures regular, reliable waste removal for qualifying residences.
Who can use it?
Calcasieu Parish provides this service for residents in unincorporated areas. If you live within any city’s limits, your waste collection is handled by that municipality.
For parish pickup, your home must:
Be in an unincorporated area of Calcasieu Parish
Have current water and electric connections (no vacant homes or empty lots)
Have a valid 911 address
How to access the service
Residential waste collection is provided once weekly for each qualifying household. Here's what you need to know:
Containers: Waste Management provides, at no additional cost to residents, one container per household. Additional containers can be purchased for $75 each, although there is a limit of three containers per household.
Requesting Containers: Call 337-436-7229 to request your container.
Collection Day: Place your container at the curb by 5 a.m. on your scheduled collection day. Many residents place containers out the night before collection day. If you’re not sure when collection day is at your residence, click here. Just enter your address and click “verify” to see details about your service schedule.
Container Placement: Remove containers from the right of way within 24 hours after collection.
Curbside Service
As part of its contract with Calcasieu Parish, Waste Management offers curbside pickup to residences it serves. This includes a regular weekly pickup of just about anything that fits into the provided containers. But they’ll also collect larger items, such as furniture, appliances and properly bundled tree trimmings.
There are a few restrictions on what can be collected, and larger items may require scheduling a pickup. Check out the below graphics for additional details. If your browser won’t load the graphics, click here to access the full details on the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury website.
Solid Waste Convenience Centers
What are solid waste convenience centers?
Calcasieu Parish operates two Residential Solid Waste Convenience Centers. At these sites, Calcasieu Parish residents can dispose of large waste items that won't fit in residential trash bins, recycle sorted materials, or bring household garbage on non-collection days.
Who can use the Calcasieu Parish Solid Waste Convenience Centers?
Any Calcasieu Parish resident can use these facilities for personal use at no additional cost. The centers do not accept commercial or industrial waste. Proof of residency is required.
Locations
East Maintenance Facility – 5500 B Swift Plant Road, Lake Charles, LA 70615
West Maintenance Facility – 2915 Post Oak Road Sulphur, LA 70663
Click here for hours of operation and holiday schedules for the Solid Waste Convenience Centers.
Recycling Program Overview
Accepted materials:
Aluminum, tin & steel cans (including empty aerosols)
Metal items (bikes, fence posts, bed frames, etc.)
Plastic bottles & jugs
Paper (newspapers, junk mail, office paper, envelopes)
Cardboard & chipboard (cereal/shoe boxes)
Deep cycle & car batteries
Not accepted:
Foil, glass, ceramics, porcelain, light bulbs
Small batteries, Styrofoam, plastic wrap
Treated wood, paper towels, plastic grocery bags*
*Return plastic bags to grocery stores for recycling.
Click here to learn more about the Solid Waste Convenience Center’s recycling program.
FAQs
Q: What if my Waste Management container is lost, damaged or stolen?
A: If your container is stolen, you'll need to report it to the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and obtain a claim number. Your first lost container will be replaced free of charge with this claim number. For subsequent losses, you'll need to purchase a replacement for $75.
If your container is damaged on collection day during normal service, it's not your responsibility. However, if damage occurs on non-collection days when containers are left at the roadside, replacement becomes the resident's responsibility.
Q: Does residential pickup observe holidays?
A: Waste Management typically only observes Christmas Day and New Year's Day. When these holidays fall on your collection day, alternative arrangements will be announced through local media. Don't confuse municipality (city) holiday schedules with unincorporated areas of the parish. For specific details regarding your collection schedule, consider signing up for text message or email updates from Waste Management. Click here to get started.
Q: Can I take my Waste Management container when I move?
A: No. Containers are assigned to specific addresses and must remain at the property even as residents come and go.
Q: Do the Solid Waste Convenience Centers accept electronics?
A: The centers do not accept electronics for regular disposal or recycling. However, periodic events like Citgo's E-Recycle Day offer opportunities to properly dispose of electronic waste.
Questions?
To explore Calcasieu Parish's waste management services in greater detail, review the Parish website section on Waste Management. Have specific questions about holiday pickup schedules? View the Waste Management website. View pick up guidelines here.
Anything else I can help with? Contact me!
