Instead, garbage accumulated on the Space Shuttle is brought back to Earth when the vehicle returns from its scheduled mission. Trash collection day on the ISS, though, is a bit different. It isn't as easy as dragging a few cans to the curb. Whenever the Space Shuttle docks with ISS, one of the transfers taking place is the transfer of trash. At times when the Shuttle isn't scheduled for a rendezvous, an unmanned supply vehicle called Progress is loaded with trash and sent back to Earth.
Progress never makes a landing, though.
It's designed to burn upon re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, and all that trash is burned up along with Progress. It takes teamwork to keep the Space Shuttle and Space Station running well so far from Earth. Housekeeping is the unglamorous side of living and working in space, but it's part of the job that needs to be done.