San Diego is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in California. The Environmental Services Department is here to provide you with trash and recycling collection services. They provide these services weekly. On the other hand, it is your responsibility to keep the city’s environment clean and healthy by following certain rules and regulations regarding sanitation.
Find Your Trash Collection Day in San Diego
Your collection day depends upon the location where you live. If you are looking for a trash and recycling collection day for your area, click on the following link. You will get a zone map along with a search bar; put your address into the search bar, and you will get your trash collection schedule.
https://getitdone.sandiego.gov/CollectionMapLookup
Residential Trash Collection (Black Bin)
Your residential trash will be collected once a week in San Diego. To ensure your collection, place your trash cart at curbside by 6 AM on your scheduled collection day. Place your cart outside, leaving a distance of 3 feet from other carts and 6 feet from all other static obstacles.
To reduce litter and odor, first put your trash in a bag and then put it into the trash cart. Place your cart outside in a way that its lid will face the front of the street. Roll your trash back on the same day once your trash gets collected.
Organic Waste Collection (Green Bin)
The city will provide an organic waste collection facility once a week from Monday to Friday. Place your organic waste into a green cart and place your cart outside by 6 AM on your collection day. Your organic waste will be collected every week.
Do not put any plastic bag into an organic waste cart, even if it is labeled as compostable. Similarly, do not put organic waste in plastic bags. It is your responsibility to keep your organic waste cart clean from food scraps. Put all your food scraps into a paper bag and then place it into the trash cart. To avoid litter and odor, wash your cart regularly after collection.
Recycling Collection (Blue Bin)
Your recyclable material will be collected once every two weeks. Put your recycling material into a blue container and place it curbside by 6 AM on your scheduled collection day.
Recyclable material includes paper, cardboard, glass bottles, glass jars, and plastic containers. Do not place any other material along with your recycling trash that is irrelevant to recycling. Place only empty, clean, and dry material into the trash cart.
Request for Additional Cart
If you have a lot of solid recycling and organic waste and you want an additional cart to set them out for collection, you can request an additional cart. The process is very simple; click on the following link, and you will get a form. Fill out that form. You have to enter your complete address, street number, and your name.
https://getitdone.sandiego.gov/NewServiceRequest?type=Additional%20Container(s)
Household Hazardous Waste
San Diego provides its citizens with household hazardous waste disposal facilities. You can enjoy this facility by making an appointment for household hazardous materials disposal; this is a free-of-cost process. You simply have to bring your residency proof and your recent utility bill that must have your name and address. To make an appointment, click on the following link.
https://getitdone.sandiego.gov//HazmatNewReportPage
Acceptable household hazardous materials include all labeled routine maintenance products of your house, such as household batteries, motor oil and oil filters, paints, propane gas and cylinders, medication, e-waste, lights, and bulbs. The weight limit of household hazardous materials that you can bring is 15 gallons or only 125 pounds of material.
The location of the household drop-off station is the Miramar Landfill entrance (5161 Convoy Street 92111, north of State Route 52). You will have to bring all material in their original containers. If you lost the original container, then place the material into a basic container and properly label what type of material is present in it. Try to place household hazardous materials in the vehicle trunk or truck bed. Moreover, properly close the lid of the container to prevent leakage or spilling.
San Diego Trash Holidays Schedule
San Diego will observe certain holidays that will affect your trash collection schedule. Your trash collection will be delayed by one day if you observe these holidays on your normal trash collection day.
| Holidays | Date and Day | Change in Trash Collection Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Memorial Day | Monday, May 27, 2024 | Your trash will be collected on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. |
| Independence Day | Thursday, July 4, 2024 | Your trash collection will be delayed by one day and will be collected on Friday, July 5, 2024. |
| Labor Day | Monday, Sept. 2, 2024 | Your trash will be collected on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024 | Your trash will be collected on Friday, November 29, 2024. |
| Christmas Day | Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024 | Your trash will be collected on Thursday, December 26, 2024. |
