Managing household waste is an essential part of keeping your home and community clean. If you live in Sunnyvale, California, understanding your garbage pickup schedule will help you avoid missed collections, keep your property tidy, and ensure that recyclables and compostables are handled correctly. This complete guide covers the Sunnyvale garbage pickup schedule, including trash, recycling, yard waste, bulk pickups, and changes during holidays.
Residential Trash Pickup Schedule in Sunnyvale
Residential trash collection in Sunnyvale is handled by Specialty Solid Waste & Recycling, the city’s official waste hauler. Each neighborhood has a designated weekly collection day. Residents are required to set their black trash carts at the curb by 7 a.m. on collection day. Carts should face the street with wheels against the curb and be placed at least 2 feet away from other carts, parked vehicles, or obstacles to allow the automated truck’s mechanical arm to lift them.
You can check your specific garbage pickup day by using the City of Sunnyvale’s Garbage & Recycling Day Lookup Tool. This tool requires only your street address to show your collection schedule, ensuring you never miss a pickup.
Recycling Schedule in Sunnyvale
Sunnyvale offers single-stream recycling, making it easy for residents to place paper, cardboard, plastics labeled #1 through #7, metal cans, and glass bottles together in the blue recycling cart. Recycling collection happens every other week, but it’s on the same day as your regular trash pickup.
To find out if your address falls in a Week A or Week B recycling schedule, use the Recycle Week Calendar or call the Sunnyvale Recycling Program at 408-730-7262. This calendar shows which weeks are designated for recycling in your area so you don’t have to guess or wait until your cart is overflowing.
Accepted items in Sunnyvale’s recycling program include newspapers, magazines, junk mail, cardboard boxes flattened to fit in the cart, milk jugs, soda bottles, aluminum cans, steel cans, and clean glass containers. Items like plastic bags, Styrofoam, electronics, and batteries should never go in your blue cart.
Yard Waste Pickup in Sunnyvale
Yard waste collection is included as part of weekly curbside service. Residents should place their green carts at the curb by 7 a.m. on trash day, along with their black and blue carts. Only organic yard trimmings are allowed in the green cart, no plastic bags, trash, or food waste.
Tree branches must be cut to lengths of less than 4 feet and should not exceed 4 inches in diameter. Palm fronds, dirt, rocks, treated wood, and large stumps are not accepted in the green cart. If you have excessive yard waste beyond what fits in your cart, you can request an on-call bulky item pickup for bundled trimmings.
Bulk Trash Pickup in Sunnyvale
Every residential household is eligible for two free on-call bulky item pickups per year. This service allows you to dispose of large items that do not fit in your regular carts, including furniture, mattresses, box springs, sofas, large appliances (without refrigerants), and extra yard waste bundles.
To schedule a bulk pickup, contact Specialty Solid Waste & Recycling at 408-565-9900 or visit the city’s Bulky Item Pickup page. Once scheduled, place your items curbside by 7 a.m. on the confirmed collection day.
Keep in mind that certain items are not accepted during bulky pickups, such as tires, car parts, construction or demolition debris, household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals, batteries), and items containing refrigerants like old refrigerators or air conditioners. These require separate disposal arrangements.
Holiday Garbage Pickup Schedule Adjustments
Trash, recycling, and yard waste collection services in Sunnyvale operate on a one-day delay only during three major holidays: New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. For example, if your regular pickup falls on Thursday but Thanksgiving Day is on Thursday, your collection will move to Friday that week.
No changes are made to the schedule for other holidays like Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, or Veterans Day, collections will continue as usual. Always check the city’s website or annual collection calendar mailed to households for confirmation.
Missed Pickup or Service Issues
If your garbage, recycling, or yard waste is missed, leave your carts at the curb and contact Specialty Solid Waste at 408-565-9900 within 24 hours. They will typically arrange a return collection at no additional charge if the miss was on their end.
Avoid missed pickups by placing carts properly at the curb before 7 a.m., ensuring they are accessible and not blocked by cars or other objects, and keeping lids fully closed to prevent spillage or overflows.
Proper Cart Placement and Guidelines
To ensure a smooth and consistent pickup, follow these best practices:
- Place carts at least 2 feet apart and away from mailboxes, fences, and parked cars.
- Make sure lids are completely closed; overflowing carts will not be collected.
- Return carts to your property by the evening after collection day to avoid code violations or fines.
- Keep your carts clean to prevent odors and pests; rinse them with water occasionally if needed.
- Label your carts with your house number using stickers or permanent marker, especially if your neighbors’ carts are collected on the same day.
Read some storage ideas if you are facing issues in storing the trash.
What Can and Can’t Go in Trash, Recycling, and Yard Waste
Trash (black cart): food scraps, non-recyclable plastics, diapers, pet waste, foam packaging, and broken household items.
Recycling (blue cart): clean paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, steel cans, empty plastic bottles and containers (rinsed), and glass jars.
Yard waste (green cart): grass clippings, leaves, small branches, weeds, garden trimmings.
Items never allowed in any cart include household hazardous waste (motor oil, paint, batteries), electronics, fluorescent bulbs, and medical sharps. These must be taken to designated drop-off facilities. For details on proper disposal, visit the Sunnyvale Recycling and Hazardous Waste page.
Why Following the Sunnyvale Garbage Schedule Matters
Properly following your garbage schedule helps the city reduce landfill waste, increase recycling rates, and keep the streets clean and safe. It also reduces the risk of litter, prevents odors, and minimizes the attraction of pests. By staying informed about your collection days, sorting waste correctly, and utilizing services like bulk pickups, you contribute to a healthier environment and a more sustainable Sunnyvale.
Where to Get More Information
For the most accurate, updated collection schedules, service alerts, and information on what goes where, visit the official City of Sunnyvale Garbage & Recycling Services page.
You can also find Specialty Solid Waste & Recycling’s website here, where you can set up reminders, request extra pickups, or find answers to frequently asked questions about garbage collection in Sunnyvale.
