Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for American Canyon
Collections in California municipal routes run weekly (Mon-Fri). Your specific collection day is determined by your local neighborhood route.
State Mandate
Follow SB 1383 guidelines for food waste.
Gray or Black Bin (Trash)
All household garbage should be bagged before placing it in the landfill cart. Do not overfill the cart; lids must remain closed at all times.
Accepted Items
- ✓Compostable and biodegradable plastics (BPI certified)
- ✓Cat litter and animal feces
- ✓Plastic corks
- ✓Diapers and feminine products
- ✓Styrofoam
- ✓Treated wood
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Recycling must be placed loosely into the blue cart without any plastic bag liners. Ensure all food and beverage containers are lightly rinsed and dry.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and paper
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Aerosol spray cans (must be empty)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Large, rigid plastic containers
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film liners
- ✕Food waste and liquids
- ✕Soiled paper
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses)
- ✕Batteries and e-waste
Yard Waste Bin
Never place plastic bags, bioplastics, or 'compostable' plastics in the green bin. If you wish to contain food scraps, use a plain, uncoated brown paper bag.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, seafood, produce)
- ✓Dirty, food-soiled paper (pizza boxes, napkins, coffee filters)
- ✓Plant debris, flowers, and leaves
- ✓Tree trimmings (under 6 inches in diameter and 4 feet long)
- ✓Untreated wood scraps and wooden chopsticks
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Four free curbside pickups per calendar year
Placement
Place your scheduled bulky items next to the curb in front of your residence by 5:00 AM on your scheduled collection day. Ensure the items do not block the sidewalk or street traffic.
Accepted
- ✓ Up to 2 cubic yards of materials (equivalent to twelve 32-gallon bags)
- ✓ One appliance containing Freon (e.g., refrigerator)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, chairs)
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, monitors)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste (paint, chemicals, oil)
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Dirt, rock, concrete, and asphalt
- ✕ Treated wood
- ✕ Hot ashes and liquids
If you exceed your four free pickups per year, or if your pile exceeds the maximum volume limits, Recology will charge an additional fee for the collection.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Recology Vallejo-American Canyon operates its regular routes on all holidays except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. If your collection day falls on or after these holidays, your service will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Organic waste (green cart) and recycling (blue cart) collections are delayed on the exact same schedule as regular garbage.
Regular collection schedules resume on Monday of the following week. The customer service offices and local transfer stations may also be closed on observed holidays.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Ban on 'Compostable' Plastics
Do not be fooled by marketing labels. In American Canyon, all 'compostable' and 'biodegradable' plastics, including utensils, cups, and bin liners, must go into the gray landfill cart. They are strictly prohibited from the green organics cart.
Keep Recyclables Loose
Bagging your recyclables in plastic garbage bags ruins the sorting process at the Vallejo Materials Recovery Facility. Always empty your recyclable items loosely into the blue cart.
Proper E-Waste and Battery Disposal
Never place batteries, fluorescent tubes, or electronic waste into your curbside carts. These materials are fire hazards and must be dropped off at the Vallejo Materials Recovery Facility or the Devlin Road Transfer Station.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryRecology collects unflocked holiday trees for composting typically between January 6 and January 17. Trees must be stripped of all decorations and stands, cut into 3-foot sections, and placed inside the green cart with the lid fully closed. Flocked trees must be placed in the landfill cart.
Summer
June - AugustTo minimize fruit flies and odors in your green organics cart during hot Napa County summers, store food scraps in a freezer-safe container or a brown paper bag in your freezer until collection day. You can also line the bottom of your cart with dry grass clippings.
About American Canyon Waste Management
Mastering the Three-Cart System in American Canyon
Residential solid waste collection in American Canyon is operated by Recology Vallejo-American Canyon [2.1.2]. To help California reach its ambitious waste diversion goals, the city utilizes a standard three-cart system consisting of a gray landfill cart, a blue recycling cart, and a green organics cart. Residents must place their bins at the curb, spaced three feet apart, by 5:00 AM on their scheduled service day to ensure automated trucks can safely service them.
Strict Organics Recycling and the Bioplastics Ban
In compliance with California’s SB 1383 mandate, all residents must separate food scraps, food-soiled paper (like pizza boxes), and yard trimmings into the green organics bin. However, American Canyon enforces a strict rule regarding compostable bags: absolutely no compostable plastics or bioplastics—even those marked 'BPI Certified'—are allowed in the green cart. These materials do not break down efficiently in local composting facilities and must be placed in the gray landfill cart instead.
The Educational 'Flip the Lid' Program
To combat contamination in the recycling and organics streams, the City of American Canyon conducts the 'Flip the Lid' program. Before collection trucks roll through the neighborhoods, Environmental Services staff randomly inspect curbside carts. This program is strictly educational; residents will not receive fines or penalties for minor mistakes. Instead, helpful tags are left on the carts to provide immediate feedback on how to improve sorting habits.
Free Bulky Item Collections for Residents
You don't need to illegally dump your unwanted furniture or hoard it in your garage. Recology provides American Canyon single-family residents with four free curbside bulky item collections per calendar year. Whether you're tossing an old mattress, a broken appliance, or bagged excess trash, you can simply call Recology customer service in advance to schedule a pickup. If you exceed your annual limit, additional pickups can be scheduled for a fee, or you can self-haul materials to the Devlin Road Transfer Station.
Drop-off Facilities
Devlin Road Recycling & Transfer Facility
889 Devlin Road, American Canyon, CA 94503
Materials Accepted
Recology Vallejo-American Canyon Recycling Facility
2021 Broadway, Vallejo, CA 94589
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Are compostable plastics allowed in my green organics bin in American Canyon?
No. Recology Vallejo-American Canyon strictly prohibits all 'compostable' plastics and bioplastics—including BPI Certified bags and utensils—from the green organics cart. You must place these items into the gray landfill cart.
How do I schedule a bulky item pickup in American Canyon?
Single-family residents are entitled to four free bulky item collections per calendar year. You can schedule your pickup by calling Recology at (707) 552-3110. Your allowance covers up to 2 cubic yards of material or three large items.
What happens if Recology finds trash in my recycling bin?
The City of American Canyon conducts random, educational cart audits through their 'Flip the Lid' program. If contamination is found before the collection truck arrives, they will leave a tag on your bin explaining the error. While this program is currently for education and does not carry fines, repeated severe contamination may result in uncollected carts.
Does my trash pickup day change on holidays?
Your pickup day will only change if your regular collection falls on or after Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or New Year's Day. On those weeks, service is delayed by one day. Recology works regular schedules on all other holidays, including Memorial Day and Labor Day.