Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Castro Valley
Trash Day
Varies by neighborhood zone (Monday through Friday)
Recycling
Same day as trash (weekly)
Yard Waste
Same day as trash (weekly)
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day (5:00 AM in Canyonlands)
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential collection services for garbage, recycling, and organics are bundled and billed quarterly in advance by Alameda County Industries.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Mail, Phone
Pro Tip / Discount
Residents can lower their bill and receive a one-time bill credit by downsizing to a smaller 20-gallon trash cart.
Gray Bin (Trash)
All garbage must fit inside the cart with the lid completely closed. Hazardous materials and liquids are strictly prohibited.
Accepted Items
- ✓Treated or coated wood
- ✓Non-vegetarian animal waste (dog and cat litter)
- ✓Ceramics and dishware
- ✓Foam plastic (Styrofoam)
- ✓Mirrors and sheet glass
- ✓Juice boxes and pouches
- ✓Non-recyclable wrappers
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Containers must be lightly rinsed or wiped clean. Clean plastic bags must be stuffed inside a single bag ('bag-a-bag' method). Extra cardboard can be flattened to 4'x4' max and stacked next to the cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastics #1-7 (except foam)
- ✓Bundled plastic bags and clean film
- ✓Scrap metal (up to 2 ft and 40 lbs)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (all colors)
- ✓Aluminum foil and metal containers
- ✓Clean paper, cardboard, and cartons
Do NOT Include
- ✕Ceramics and glassware
- ✕Windows and mirrors
- ✕Foam plastic
- ✕Juice boxes and pouches
- ✕Food-soiled paper
- ✕Organic material
- ✕Hazardous Waste
Yard Waste Bin
Do not use standard plastic bags; only BPI-certified compostable bags or paper bags are allowed. Keep free of rocks, dirt, and treated wood.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps and leftovers
- ✓Waxed paper cartons and paper egg cartons
- ✓Yard trimmings, uncoated wood, and cactus
- ✓Food-soiled paper (pizza boxes, napkins, plates)
- ✓Vegetarian animal waste
- ✓Shredded paper (must be in a paper bag)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
One free Bulky & Reuse Pick-Up per calendar year for eligible residential units.
Placement
Set items within 3 feet of the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your scheduled appointment day. Do not block the street or sidewalk. Do not place items out more than 24 hours in advance.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and mattresses
- ✓ Housewares and clean clothing/textiles
- ✓ TVs, electronics, and small appliances
- ✓ Large appliances (doors removed or sealed)
- ✓ Scrap metal
- ✓ Up to 4 passenger tires (rims removed)
- ✓ Bundled clean yard waste up to 6 inches in diameter
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste and liquid paint
- ✕ Pressure-treated lumber or treated wood waste (TWW)
- ✕ Rocks, dirt, and concrete
- ✕ Automobile/lithium-ion batteries
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris exceeding limits
Additional fees will apply if your load exceeds the 7 cubic yard limit or if you request more than one bulky pickup within the same calendar year.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
No collection services are provided on observed holidays. Collection is pushed back one day for the remainder of the holiday week, continuing through Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
Standard holiday delay applies to organics collection as well.
CVSan offices may also be closed on additional holidays (e.g., Labor Day, Veterans Day), but curbside collection by ACI will occur as regularly scheduled unless it falls on the three major observed holidays.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring & Summer
April and AugustCVSan hosts its popular 'Recycles Day' events twice a year. Residents can safely drop off household hazardous waste, e-waste, and unaccepted textiles, and even pick up free bags of compost for their summer gardens.
Autumn
OctoberThe first full week of October is designated for curbside textile pickup. Place bagged, reusable, and non-usable linens and clothing next to your blue recycling cart on your normal collection day.
Winter
Late December to JanuaryPlease note that standard Bulky & Reuse Pick-Up appointments are temporarily suspended during the peak Holiday Tree Collection period. Plan your garage cleanouts before the winter holidays to ensure availability.
Local Tips & Community Info
CVSan and ACI Residential Collection System
Solid waste operations in this unincorporated region of Alameda County are overseen by the Castro Valley Sanitary District, commonly known as CVSan, with physical hauling executed by Alameda County Industries (ACI). Homeowners are equipped with a standard tri-color cart configuration to sort their daily refuse. The gray cart is intended for landfill-bound garbage, the blue is for recyclables, and the green is reserved strictly for compostable organics. To verify your specific neighborhood's weekly routing schedule, you can input your home address directly into the ACI online portal or review the district maps provided on the CVSan website.
Morning Container Placement Directives
To facilitate smooth neighborhood pickups, ACI requires all refuse containers to be stationed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated service morning. The mechanized arms of the collection trucks require adequate spatial clearance to operate safely. Therefore, you must leave a minimum gap of three feet between each of your carts. Furthermore, keep the bins at least three feet away from mailboxes, fire hydrants, and parked vehicles. The wheels of the carts should be resting against the curb, with the lid hinges pointing back toward your property. Once the trucks have emptied the bins, local guidelines dictate that they must be removed from the public right-of-way by the evening.
State Mandated Organics and Recycling Sorting
Castro Valley takes environmental compliance seriously, aligning with California's SB 1383 regulations. This means all food scraps, including meat, dairy, and soiled paper products, must be placed directly into your green organics cart alongside traditional yard trimmings. For the blue recycling container, ACI accepts clean, dry materials such as flattened corrugated cardboard, aluminum cans, rigid plastics, and glass jars. Bagging your recyclables is strictly prohibited; they must be tossed in loose. Any contamination, such as dumping plastic bags or unrinsed food containers into the recycling or organics streams, can result in your cart being tagged and left unemptied.
Annual Bulky Waste and E-Waste Opportunities
Disposing of oversized items is highly convenient for CVSan ratepayers. Single-family households are eligible to schedule one free bulky waste collection per calendar year directly through ACI. This specialized service is perfect for discarding old mattresses, broken couches, large home appliances, and bundled yard debris that exceeds normal cart capacities. Additionally, electronic waste like outdated televisions, laptops, and computer monitors can be included in this pickup. To reserve your annual slot, you must contact ACI customer support in advance. Hazardous chemicals, wet paint, and construction materials are barred from this service and require a trip to an Alameda County household hazardous waste drop-off facility.
Holiday Route Modifications
Throughout the calendar year, ACI observes a limited number of major holidays that pause operations, specifically Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. When one of these recognized dates falls on a standard weekday, collection schedules for that day and the remainder of the week will be pushed back by exactly 24 hours. For example, if Christmas falls on a Tuesday, Tuesday collections happen on Wednesday, and the shift continues through Saturday. Regular Monday-through-Friday routing resumes the following week. Operations occur as normal on all other holidays, including Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Drop-off Facilities
Castro Valley Sanitary District (CVSan) Main Office
21040 Marshall Street, Castro Valley, CA 94546
Materials Accepted
Alameda County Industries (ACI) Main Office
610 Aladdin Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94577
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I safely dispose of used cooking oil in Castro Valley?
ACI provides a convenient curbside cooking oil recycling program. You can pour up to 3 gallons of used cooking oil into a screw-top plastic container (no taller than 12 inches), label the container 'Cooking Oil', and set it right next to your green organics cart on your normal pickup day.
Are dirty pizza boxes and paper plates supposed to go in the recycling cart?
No. Food-soiled paper products cannot be recycled, but they are highly compostable! Place your greasy pizza boxes, used paper napkins, and uncoated paper plates directly into your green organics cart.
What should I do if I have extra cardboard that won't fit into my blue bin?
If you have more cardboard than your blue recycling cart can hold, you don't need to throw it in the trash. You can flatten the extra corrugated cardboard to a maximum size of 4 feet by 4 feet and neatly stack it right beside your blue cart for free collection.
Can I throw old belts, shoes, and clothes into my blue recycling cart?
No, textiles should never be placed loosely in your blue cart. Instead, take advantage of Castro Valley's special curbside textile pickup week, which occurs during the first full week of June and October, or bring them to a biannual CVSan Recycles Day event.