Your recycling pickup day in Los Angeles County depends on your address and service zone. City of LA residents get weekly blue cart pickup.
Unincorporated county residents are served by a private franchise hauler assigned to their area. Enter your address at lacitysan.org or CleanLA.com to find your exact bin day.
Quick Summary
- Recycling pickup is weekly for most LA County residents
- Your collection day is zone-specific — no single universal schedule exists
- The City of LA uses blue, green, and black carts for curbside collection
- Six holidays trigger a one-day delay in your waste pickup
- Set your recycling cart out by 7 AM on your scheduled pickup day
- Call LASAN at 1-800-773-2489 or CleanLA at (888) 253-2652 for help
How the Los Angeles County Recycling Pickup Schedule 2026 Works
Los Angeles County is large. It covers the City of Los Angeles plus dozens of unincorporated communities. Each area has its own waste hauler and garbage schedule.
If you live inside the City of Los Angeles, LA Sanitation (LASAN) handles your curbside collection. If you live in an unincorporated community — like Altadena, Hacienda Heights, or La Crescenta — a private franchise hauler serves your area.
That’s why there is no single recycling pickup schedule for all of LA County. Your bin day is tied to your specific address and zone.
City of Los Angeles Curbside Recycling
LASAN runs a four-cart system for City of LA residents. Here is what each cart collects:
Blue Cart (Recycling) — Cardboard, paper, plastic bottles, glass, and metal cans. Rinse containers before placing them in the cart.
Green Cart (Organics) — Food scraps, yard waste, and food-soiled paper. This is part of California’s mandatory organics recycling law.
Black Cart (Trash) — General garbage that doesn’t fit the other two carts.
Special/S.A.F.E. — Hazardous waste and e-waste go to drop-off centers only. Do not place batteries or electronics in your recycling cart.
All three carts are picked up weekly on the same day. Place your carts at the curb by 7 AM. Bring them back in by 8 PM.
To find your recycling day, use the address lookup at lacitysan.org or call 1-800-773-2489 any time, 24 hours a day.
Unincorporated LA County Curbside Collection
If you live outside city limits, LA County Public Works oversees 15 residential franchise zones. Each zone has an assigned private waste hauler. Common haulers include Burrtec, Athens Services, and Valley Vista Services.
Your hauler provides weekly curbside recycling, organics, and trash service. Contact details for the main haulers:
- Burrtec (Santa Clarita, La Crescenta): (800) 325-9417
- Athens Services (Rowland Heights): (888) 336-6100
- Valley Vista Services (East LA): (800) 442-6454
To find your zone and hauler, visit CleanLA.com or call (888) 253-2652, Monday through Thursday, 7 AM to 5 PM.
2026 Holiday Delays for the Los Angeles County Recycling Pickup Schedule 2026
Six holidays push your garbage schedule back by one day. This applies to both LASAN and most franchise haulers in unincorporated areas.
| Holiday | 2026 Date | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Thursday, Jan 1 | One-day delay |
| Memorial Day | Monday, May 25 | One-day delay |
| Independence Day | Saturday, July 4 | No delay |
| Labor Day | Monday, Sep 7 | One-day delay |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday, Nov 26 | One-day delay |
| Christmas Day | Friday, Dec 25 | One-day delay |
When a holiday falls on a weekday, every pickup that week shifts one day later. For example, if your recycling day is Monday and Memorial Day falls on Monday, your pickup moves to Tuesday. Friday pickups shift to Saturday.
Independence Day 2026 falls on a Saturday. No holiday delay applies that week.
What You Can Put in Your Recycling Cart
Knowing what goes in your blue cart helps keep the recycling stream clean. Here’s a quick guide for LA County residents:
Accepted materials:
- Cardboard boxes (flattened)
- Paper and mail
- Glass bottles and jars (rinsed)
- Plastic bottles and jugs
- Metal cans (aluminum and steel)
Not accepted in the blue cart:
- Plastic bags or film
- Styrofoam
- Electronics or batteries
- Food waste (goes in the green cart)
- Hazardous materials
Always sort, rinse, and place items loosely in your recycling cart. Do not bag your recyclables. Bagged materials cannot be sorted properly at the facility.
Bulky Items and Hazardous Waste Pickup
LA County residents have access to free special pickups and drop-off events throughout 2026.
Unincorporated county residents get up to four free special pickups per year through their franchise hauler. These cover large furniture, appliances, e-waste, and excess trash. Schedule at least 24 hours in advance with your hauler.
City of LA residents can request bulky item pickup through LASAN. Dates and drop-off events appear on the official LASAN 2026 Service Calendar.
For household hazardous waste — paint, pesticides, batteries, and electronics — LA County Sanitation Districts hosts free one-day collection events. Upcoming 2026 events include:
- May 30 — Maywood, 9 AM–3 PM
- June 14 — Agoura Hills, 9 AM–3 PM
- June 20 — Rowland Heights, 9 AM–3 PM
- June 27 — Culver City, 9 AM–3 PM
Call (800) 238-0173 or visit cleanla.lacounty.gov/hhw for the full event calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What day is recycling picked up in Los Angeles County?
Your recycling day depends on your address. There is no single county-wide pickup day. City of LA residents can look up their bin day at lacitysan.org. Unincorporated county residents can use CleanLA.com. Both tools show your exact weekly collection day based on your address.
Q: Does Los Angeles County have bi-weekly recycling?
No. Most LA County residents receive weekly recycling pickup, not bi-weekly. Your blue recycling cart and green organics cart are collected on the same day each week. Only special waste services like bulky item pickup are scheduled on request.
Q: What time does recycling pickup start in Los Angeles County?
Place your recycling cart at the curb before 7 AM on your collection day. Trucks can arrive at any time during the day. Bring your cart back in by 8 PM. For unincorporated areas, carts may be set out after 5 PM the evening before pickup.
Q: How do I find my recycling zone in Los Angeles County?
Use the address lookup at lacitysan.org if you live in the City of Los Angeles. If you live in an unincorporated community, use CleanLA.com or call (888) 253-2652. You can also check TrashAlert.io for a free address-based lookup that includes 2026 holiday adjustments.
Q: Who do I call about a missed recycling pickup in Los Angeles County?
City of LA residents should call LASAN at 1-800-773-2489. The line is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Unincorporated county residents should call their assigned franchise hauler directly. If you are unsure who your hauler is, call LA County Public Works at (888) 253-2652.