Riverside County Recycling Pickup Day & Schedule 2026

There’s no single recycling day for all of Riverside County. Your pickup day depends on your address, your city, and which hauler serves your street.

If you live in the City of Riverside, Public Works runs your service directly. If you live in an unincorporated area or another Riverside County city — like Moreno Valley, Corona, Temecula, or Hemet — a private hauler such as Waste Management, Athens Services, Burrtec, or CR&R picks up your recycling instead, and each one sets its own route days.

Holidays also shift pickup days in 2026, but not the same way for everyone. The City of Riverside and private haulers each have their own delay rules, which we break down below. The fastest way to get your exact day is to look up your address using the tools in this guide.

Last verified: July 2026 — for the most current updates, always confirm with your city or hauler, since routes can change.

Article Summary

• Riverside County has no countywide recycling day — pickup is set by your city or hauler, not the county.
• City of Riverside residents can find their exact day using the Residential Collection Days Map or by calling (951) 826-5311.
• Unincorporated county residents and other cities should use the official hauler lookup tool to find their provider.
• City of Riverside holidays cause a one-day delay for the rest of the week, except Wednesday holidays and holidays that fall on a Saturday.
• Private haulers typically observe only six major holidays, not the full City of Riverside holiday list.
• Christmas trees go out with regular trash from Jan. 5 through Jan. 24, 2026, in the City of Riverside.

How to Find Your Exact Recycling Pickup Day

Because Riverside County spans dozens of cities and unincorporated communities, the county itself doesn’t run trash or recycling trucks. The Riverside County Department of Waste Resources has confirmed it does not provide trash pick up service, and residents should contact their trash service hauler directly for curbside recycling collection schedules.

Here’s where to look based on where you live:

Type in your street address, and the tool will show which hauler — Waste Management, Athens, Burrtec, or CR&R — services your home, along with a link to that company’s route schedule.

City of Riverside: 2026 Holiday Collection Schedule

If Public Works collects your trash and recycling, this schedule applies to you. If a private hauler like Athens services your bin instead, skip to the next section.

The city has confirmed that on 2026 holidays: holidays occurring on a scheduled service day will result in a one-day delay, except Wednesday holidays. If the holiday falls on a Saturday, there will be no delay.

That means a Monday holiday pushes Monday’s pickup to Tuesday, Tuesday’s to Wednesday, and so on through the rest of that week. But if the holiday itself lands on a Wednesday, or on a Saturday, your regular schedule isn’t affected.

2026 Holidays Observed by the City of Riverside

A few of these are worth double-checking on your calendar: Lincoln’s Birthday falls on a Thursday, which does trigger the delay rule, while Veteran’s Day lands on a Wednesday, which does not, based on the city’s stated rule.

And since Independence Day falls on a Saturday in 2026, it shouldn’t create a delay under the city’s own policy — though it’s smart to confirm with Public Works close to the date, since observed dates can shift.

Christmas Tree Recycling in the City of Riverside

Skip the special drop-off — the city collects real Christmas trees with your regular trash pick-up from Jan. 5, 2026, through Jan. 24, 2026.

A few rules apply:

• Remove the stand, ornaments, and all decorations.
• Cut the tree into 4-foot lengths.
• Place undecorated trees in or next to the green container.
• Place flocked trees in or next to the brown container.
• Make sure your container lid closes fully, or it won’t get serviced.

Countywide & Private Hauler Holiday Schedule (Athens, WM, Burrtec, CR&R)

If you live outside city limits, or in a city that contracts with a private hauler, your holiday schedule is shorter than the City of Riverside’s. Private haulers generally observe six major holidays:

Key difference: private haulers typically do not stop service for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Lincoln’s Birthday, President’s Day, Columbus Day, or Veteran’s Day. Put your bins out as usual on those days unless your specific hauler tells you otherwise.

Because each hauler sets its own delay rules, confirm directly with your provider:

• Athens Services holiday schedule
• Burrtec holiday schedule
• Waste Management customers can check their route-specific calendar through WM’s residential collection calendars.

Riverside County Waste Resources Office Hours vs. Your Trash Pickup

One thing that trips people up: the county’s own Holiday Schedule page lists closures for the department’s headquarters, landfills, and household hazardous waste (HHW) facilities — not curbside pickup days. That’s a separate calendar from your trash truck schedule.

The county has been explicit that it isn’t the entity collecting your trash: the Riverside County Department of Waste Resources is not Waste Management, Inc., the trash service hauling company, and does not provide trash pick up service.

So if you’re checking that page for your pickup day, you’re looking in the right place for landfill and HHW hours — but you’ll still need your hauler’s own calendar for curbside collection.

Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Drop-Off Dates for 2026

For paint, batteries, motor oil, pesticides, and other items that don’t belong in your recycling bin, Riverside County runs free HHW collection at its Lake Elsinore facility (512 North Langstaff St.) on select Saturdays:

Feb. 7, Mar. 7, Apr. 4, May 2, Jun. 6, Jul. 11, Aug. 1, Sep. 12, Oct. 3, Nov. 7, and Dec. 5, 2026.

Confirm hours and any appointment requirements before you go, since HHW facility schedules can change seasonally.

“Clean Up Riverside” Bulky Item Drop-Off Events (City of Riverside Residents)

If you live in the City of Riverside, these free drop-off events are a good option for items too large for your curbside bin. Proof of residency is required.

City of Riverside residents also get a standing option: on the third Saturday of every month, you can bring bulky items and yard waste to the Agua Mansa Transfer Station (1830 Agua Mansa Rd, Riverside) for free with your utility bill as proof of residency.

Dates are subject to change — verify on the RC Waste Resources Events Page before you go.

2026 Service Updates to Know About

• New fees for City of Riverside residents: updated residential solid waste fees and penalties take effect July 1, 2026.
• Christmas tree pickup window: curbside collection runs Jan. 5 – Jan. 24, 2026, as noted above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schedules and holiday rules can change, especially with new hauler contracts or fee updates taking effect in 2026. Before you set your bin out, take a minute to confirm your day with the City of Riverside Public Works or your assigned hauler through the Riverside County lookup tool.