Navigating Trash, Recycling, and Yard Waste Collection in San Diego

With over 1.4 million residents, San Diego requires an organized waste collection system to effectively serve the entire city. This article provides an overview of San Diego’s trash and recycling pickup schedule, how to look up your specific collection day, holiday schedule changes, guidelines for curbside set-out, and more.

Finding Your Exact San Diego Collection Day

San Diego provides weekly curbside trash collection for all residential properties, with pickup days varying by neighborhood.

To look up your exact collection schedule:

1. Visit the San Diego Collection Day Map Lookup

2. Enter your street address

3. Your collection day, route number, and pickup time window will display

4. You can also view collection schedules for recycling, yard waste, and bulky items

If you prefer, call Environmental Services at 858-694-7000 for assistance finding your scheduled collection day.

Holiday Schedule Changes

On the six major holidays below, all trash, recycling, and yard waste collection shifts to one day later that week:

• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day
• New Year’s Day

So if your normal pickup is Monday, it would occur on Tuesday. Friday moves to Saturday.

Set-Out Tips for Trash, Recycling, and Yard Waste

To ensure successful collection, be sure to follow San Diego’s guidelines:

Trash

• Bag all loose materials
• Place at curb by 6am day of pickup

Recycling

• Sort into proper bins
• Avoid bagging recyclables

Yard Waste

• Grass, leaves, branches in paper bags
• Bundle branches under 4 feet long

All Materials:

• Never place in street or alley
• Avoid overflowing containers

What to Do if Collection is Missed

If your curbside trash, recycling, or yard waste isn’t collected on your scheduled pickup day:

• Confirm materials were set out properly by 6am
• Check that pickup wasn’t delayed due to a holiday
• Contact Environmental Services to report the missed collection
  • Call 858-694-7000 or email [email protected]

The city will then dispatch a truck to collect your materials within 1 business day.

Bulky Item Pickup

Furniture, appliances, and other oversized items cannot be collected as part of regular trash pickup in San Diego.

Instead, you must schedule a bulky item pickup:

• Up to 7 bulky items can be collected per pickup
• Call Environmental Services at 858-694-7000 to schedule
• Fees range from $30 – $60 depending on number of items

Accepted bulky items include mattresses, couches, washers, dryers, and similar household appliances and furniture.

Recycling Centers

In addition to curbside collection, San Diego has 13 recycling drop-off centers accepting paper, plastic, glass, and more. Materials can be dropped off free of charge.

Centers are located throughout the city for convenient access. Popular locations include:

• Miramar Recycling Center
• Eastern Area Recycling Center
  -Pacific Beach Recycling Center

View all recycling center locations and accepted materials.

Managing Waste & Recycling Efficiently

With weekly collection occurring across San Diego’s 370+ square miles, staying organized is key. Following the guidance around finding your schedule, preparing bins properly, and reporting issues ensures your household trash and recycling are managed effectively. Use the resources on the city’s Environmental Services website or contact them directly for assistance. Proper collection and waste management keeps San Diego clean and green.