San Diego trash & recycling schedule
Trash is picked up weekly; your day depends on your ZIP.
At a glance
| Trash | City franchise — weekly black landfill cart on your collection day; day via city address lookup. Verified 2026-10-15 · sandiego.gov |
|---|---|
| Curbside | From 6:00 p.m. the day prior through by 6:00 a.m.; remove by 6:00 p.m. the day of (§66.0105). Checklist Verified 2026-10-15 · sandiego.gov |
| Recycling | Weekly blue recycling cart same day as trash — follow city accepted-materials rules. Verified 2026-10-15 · sandiego.gov |
| Bulk | Schedule bulky pickup with your franchised hauler before set-out — limits vary by provider. Bulk page Verified 2026-10-15 · sandiego.gov |
| Hauler | City of San Diego ESD (City-serviced areas); franchised haulers. |
| Contacts | ESD (858) 694-7000; [email protected]. Verified 2026-10-15 · sandiego.gov |
Curbside
Curbside checklist
City rules before collection day. Confirm with the city if anything looks off.
When
From 6:00 p.m. the day prior through by 6:00 a.m.; remove by 6:00 p.m. the day of (§66.0105).
Where
Curb or alley; wheels to the curb; handle toward the home; ≥3 ft clear.
Limits
Lid closed / no overload; bulky program is paused.
Not allowed
Don’t put food, yard waste, or recyclables in the gray cart; no e-waste, household hazardous waste, batteries, or CFLs in carts.
Bags
Bag trash loose refuse; recyclables unbagged; organics with no plastic bags.
Verified 2026-10-15 · sandiego.gov
Add curbside reminder to Google CalendarFind your pickup day
Verified 2026-10-15 · sandiego.gov
Holidays
| Holiday | Date | Shift |
|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day 2026 | 2026-01-01 | — |
| Memorial Day 2026 | 2026-05-25 | — |
| Labor Day 2026 | 2026-09-07 | — |
| Thanksgiving 2026 | 2026-11-26 | — |
| Christmas 2026 | 2026-12-25 | — |
City 2026 Collection Schedules: no collection on New Year’s Day; Memorial Day; Labor Day; Thanksgiving; or Christmas; from the holiday day.
Verified 2026-10-15 · sandiego.gov
Private junk pickup
Same-week haul for furniture or a cleanout in San Diego. Not affiliated with Town Rulebook or your city — you book directly.
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Full details for San Diego: every rule, with sources
- Trash
- City of San Diego Environmental Services Department (ESD) handles City-serviced single-family and multifamily (typically ≤4 units) curbside. Gray trash weekly Mon–Fri 6:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; have it out by 6:00 a.m. (you can set out from 6:00 p.m. the day before; pull by 6:00 p.m. on collection day — Municipal Code §66.0105; Central Traffic District has a tighter window).
- Recycling
- Light blue recycle every other week; keep it dry and loose (no plastic bags). Green organics weekly — food scraps plus yard waste; no plastic bags (even compostable); a paper bag is OK for food scraps. Light-blue bin rollout runs spring–fall 2026 (city FAQ).
- Bulk pickup
- City bulky-item pickup is paused until further notice (council fee/service updates — city Trash FAQ). Use WasteFreeSD.org for donation, recycle, or disposal of appliances, bulky items, and e-waste. Illegal dumping → Get It Done.
- Curbside: when
- From 6:00 p.m. the day prior through by 6:00 a.m.; remove by 6:00 p.m. the day of (§66.0105).
- Curbside: where
- Curb or alley; wheels to the curb; handle toward the home; ≥3 ft clear.
- Curbside: limits
- Lid closed / no overload; bulky program is paused.
- Curbside: brush
- Green organics cart (yard + food).
- Curbside: not allowed
- Don’t put food, yard waste, or recyclables in the gray cart; no e-waste, household hazardous waste, batteries, or CFLs in carts.
- Curbside: bags
- Bag trash loose refuse; recyclables unbagged; organics with no plastic bags.
- Curbside: fees and fines
- Container left out after 6 p.m. Violates §66.0105; report via Get It Done / ESD.
- Holidays
- New Year's Day 2026 (2026-01-01): shift not yet confirmed
- Memorial Day 2026 (2026-05-25): shift not yet confirmed
- Labor Day 2026 (2026-09-07): shift not yet confirmed
- Thanksgiving 2026 (2026-11-26): shift not yet confirmed
- Christmas 2026 (2026-12-25): shift not yet confirmed
City 2026 Collection Schedules: no collection on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas — from the holiday day, service slides +1 day for the rest of the week (Fri → Sat). Independence Day is not on the City-observed no-collection list.
- Hauler
- City of San Diego ESD (City-serviced areas); franchised haulers elsewhere
- Contacts
- ESD (858) 694-7000; [email protected]
- Find your day
- City Collection Schedules + City-Serviced Homes
- Sources
- Trash and recycling: sandiego.gov
Bulk: sandiego.gov
Holidays: sandiego.gov
Curbside: sandiego.gov - Verified
- 2026-10-15
Town Rulebook is independent and not affiliated with any city or hauler. Schedules change — always confirm with your city. About & disclaimer