Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Cathedral City
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.
Black Cart Bin (Trash)
All regular household trash must be securely bagged to prevent spills and odor. Carts must not be stored in front or side yards visible to the public.
Accepted Items
- ✓General household refuse
- ✓Diapers and pet waste
- ✓Treated or painted wood
- ✓Styrofoam packing materials
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics and wrappers
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables; place all items loosely in the blue cart. Ensure all containers are completely empty and dry.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastics #1-#7 (empty and clean)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Cardboard and cereal boxes
- ✓Clean white and mixed paper
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or plastic film
- ✕Food waste or liquid
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses, wires)
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Waxed paper or pet-soiled paper
Yard Waste Bin
Never use plastic bags for organic waste. Keep materials loose. Hot ashes, dirt, and pet waste are strictly prohibited in the green cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and weeds
- ✓Leaves and small garden trimmings
- ✓Tree limbs and wood chips
- ✓Fruit and vegetable scraps
- ✓Coffee grounds
- ✓Meat and dairy scraps
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Residents can schedule pickups as needed by contacting Burrtec.
Placement
Items must only be placed on the curb on the morning of your scheduled pickup to avoid violating Cathedral City's municipal codes regarding visual blight.
Accepted
- ✓ Couches and mattresses
- ✓ Large household appliances (refrigerators, washers)
- ✓ Televisions and computer monitors
- ✓ Bundled tree limbs
- ✓ Large pieces of furniture
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (chemicals, paint)
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Dirt, rocks, and concrete
- ✕ Tires and auto parts
- ✕ Any single item weighing more than 150 pounds
Check with Burrtec customer service (760-340-2113) regarding your specific property's annual free pickup allowance and any overage fees.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, service for that day and the remainder of the week will be delayed by one day. Saturday collections will occur for Friday routes.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling are collected concurrently with trash and follow the exact same holiday shift schedule.
If the holiday falls on a weekend, there are no changes to the regular Monday-Friday residential collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Blue Bin
Plastic garbage and grocery bags are the number one contaminant at the Burrtec recycling facility. They wrap around sorting gears and halt the recycling process. Always leave your recyclables loose.
Pizza Boxes Belong in the Green Cart
Cardboard saturated with grease and cheese cannot be recycled into new paper. Instead of placing a dirty pizza box in your blue recycling cart, toss it into your green organics cart to be composted.
No E-Waste in Standard Carts
Electronics contain heavy metals that contaminate landfills. Never place items like old cell phones, laptops, or batteries in your household carts; instead, schedule them for a bulky item pickup.
Seasonal Information
Summer
June - SeptemberTriple-digit temperatures in the Coachella Valley will cause organics in your green cart to decompose rapidly, creating intense odors. Try freezing meat and dairy scraps in a container until collection day, and regularly hose out your carts.
Winter/Spring
January - AprilDuring high wind advisories common in the early months of the year, take extra care not to overfill your recycling cart. Wind easily catches loose cardboard and plastics if the lid is slightly open.
About Cathedral City Waste Management
Standard Curbside Collection in Cathedral City
Cathedral City contracts with Burrtec Waste & Recycling Services to provide automated three-cart collection for all single-family residential neighborhoods. Homeowners are required to utilize the provided black, blue, and green carts to properly sort their household refuse, recyclables, and organics. Due to local municipal codes, carts must not be stored in public view and should be promptly removed from the curb within 12 hours after your scheduled pickup.
Coachella Valley Wind Storms and Bin Placement
The Coachella Valley is prone to severe, high-speed wind events that can easily scatter trash across neighborhoods. To prevent localized littering, Cathedral City residents must ensure that all cart lids are completely closed prior to collection. Overfilled bins with raised lids are highly susceptible to wind blowouts. If severe winds are forecasted on your collection morning, consider holding lighter recyclables until the following week if your blue cart is not completely full.
Mandatory Organics and Kitchen Scrap Composting
In full compliance with California's SB 1383 mandate, Burrtec has rolled out comprehensive organics recycling across Cathedral City. Residents must divert all yard trimmings and food waste—including meat, dairy, coffee grounds, and kitchen vegetable scraps—directly into the green organics cart. Kitchen pails can be used to collect daily scraps, which must then be emptied loosely into the green cart without the use of standard plastic garbage bags.
Convenient Bulky Item and E-Waste Disposal
Cathedral City residents don't need to struggle with hauling heavy furniture or broken appliances to the dump. Burrtec offers a robust bulky item collection program, allowing residents to schedule curbside pickups for up to 4 large items at a time. Acceptable materials range from mattresses and couches to e-waste like old televisions and computer monitors. Items should only be placed at the curb on the morning of your scheduled pickup to avoid city code violations for visual blight.
Local Drop-Offs at Edom Hill Transfer Station
For DIY projects, excess recyclables, or urgent disposal needs that cannot wait for regular curbside service, residents can utilize the local Edom Hill Transfer Station. Located conveniently within Cathedral City limits, this Burrtec-operated facility includes a Buy Back Center for CRV bottles and cans, providing a centralized hub for responsible waste management in the upper desert.
Drop-off Facilities
Edom Hill Transfer Station & Burrtec Recycle Center
70-100 Edom Hill Road, Cathedral City, CA 92235
Materials Accepted
Riverside County HHW Collection Facility (Palm Springs)
1100 Vella Road, Palm Springs, CA 92264
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I leave my trash bins on the street after Burrtec empties them?
No. Cathedral City municipal code requires that all trash carts be removed from public view and put away within 12 hours after they are serviced by Burrtec.
How do I get rid of an old refrigerator or couch in Cathedral City?
You can dispose of large appliances or furniture by calling Burrtec at (760) 340-2113 to schedule a bulky item pickup. You are allowed up to 4 scheduled items per pickup request.
What am I supposed to do with food scraps under the new SB 1383 rules?
All organic waste, including food scraps like fruit peels, vegetable clippings, meat, and dairy, must be placed directly into your green organics cart along with your regular yard trimmings. Do not place food scraps in plastic bags.
Where can I drop off hazardous chemicals like old paint or motor oil?
Household hazardous waste is not accepted in Burrtec carts. You can take these materials to a Riverside County HHW collection site, such as the seasonal location in neighboring Palm Springs at 1100 Vella Road, which operates on Saturdays from October through May.