Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Cerritos
Trash Day
Tuesdays
Recycling
Tuesdays (Bi-weekly)
Yard Waste
Tuesdays
Set Out Time
7:00 AM
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential waste services in Cerritos are managed by Athens Services and billed on a quarterly schedule. Residents can also schedule free curbside bulky item and e-waste pickups by calling Athens Services at least 24 hours prior to collection day.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail, In-Person
Pro Tip / Discount
A 10% senior discount is available for heads of household aged 62 or older receiving Supplemental Security Income, as well as an active military discount and free roll-out assistance for qualifying elderly or disabled residents.
Black Bin (Trash)
All refuse must be placed inside the container with the lid closed completely. Do not overfill or place extra bags on the ground.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard non-recyclable garbage
- ✓Diapers and pet waste
- ✓Polystyrene foam (Styrofoam)
- ✓Chip bags and multi-layer snack wrappers
- ✓Broken ceramics and glassware
- ✓Treated or painted wood
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Items must be empty, clean, and dry. Do not bag recyclables; place them loose directly into the blue container.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean, dry paper and mail
- ✓Flattened cardboard and corrugated fiberboard
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (rinsed)
- ✓Plastic containers, jugs, and bottles (#1-7)
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Food waste and liquids
- ✕Electronic waste
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses, wires)
- ✕Food-soiled paper
Yard Waste Bin
Place organic materials directly into the green cart. Do not use plastic bags. Keep the lid closed to deter pests.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings, leaves, and weeds
- ✓Branches and plant prunings
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, fruit, veggies)
- ✓Coffee grounds and paper filters
- ✓Food-soiled paper (pizza boxes, paper napkins)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
On-demand (Request required)
Placement
Place items at the curb only on your confirmed pickup day. Keep items clear of sidewalks, mailboxes, and collection carts.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Large furniture (sofas, tables, chairs)
- ✓ Major household appliances
- ✓ Electronic waste (upon special request)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste (chemicals, paint, oil)
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Automotive parts and tires
- ✕ Items that cannot be safely lifted by two people
Standard residential accounts typically include an allotment for bulky item pickups. Additional fees may apply for excessive quantities.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Collection is delayed by one day if your service day falls on or after an observed holiday during the week.
Yard Waste Exception
All organic and recycling collection follows the same holiday delay schedule as trash.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no delay to your regular weekly collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryFollowing the holidays, Athens Services provides curbside Christmas tree collection for composting. Remove all tinsel, lights, ornaments, and stands. Flocked trees cannot be composted and must be disposed of as trash.
Summer
June - AugustDuring peak summer heat, food scraps in your green cart can generate strong odors. Try freezing meat and dairy scraps in a container inside your freezer until collection morning to keep your bin clean and pest-free.
Fall
October - NovemberAs the season turns and leaves begin to fall, avoid overstuffing your green cart. If the lid does not close, the automated truck arm may be unable to lift it, and high winds common in the region could blow debris into the street.
Local Tips & Community Info
Strict Guidelines for Curbside Disposal in Cerritos
Maintaining the pristine aesthetic of Cerritos neighborhoods is a shared community responsibility. Athens Services partners with the city to execute weekly automated waste retrieval. Receptacles should be wheeled to the curb no earlier than sunset the evening prior, and they must be readily accessible by 6:00 a.m. on the designated collection day. Crucially, municipal codes dictate that all empty carts must be retrieved and hidden from public view by 8:00 p.m. that same evening. Carts must be placed side-by-side with minimal spacing to allow the automated mechanical arms to grasp them efficiently.
Sorting Protocols for the Green, Blue, and Black Carts
Cerritos enforces a comprehensive tri-cart sorting mandate aligned with state regulations. Your blue cart is dedicated exclusively to clean recyclables: rigid plastics, flattened corrugated cardboard, glass bottles, and mixed office paper. Do not enclose these items in plastic bags. The green container functions as your organics bin, capturing both traditional landscape debris and kitchen food scraps, which helps curb methane emissions at the landfill. Any residual household refuse, heavily soiled wrappers, or non-recyclable materials belong strictly in the black garbage receptacle.
Arranging Large Appliance and Furniture Removals
Disposing of a dilapidated couch, old mattress, or broken washing machine requires a bit of advanced planning. Athens Services extends complimentary bulky item collections to Cerritos single-family households. However, residents are strictly prohibited from abandoning these massive items on the parkway without prior authorization. You must contact the Athens dispatch center directly to schedule a special pickup. Drivers are specifically routed for these oversized loads, so spontaneous curbside placement will result in uncollected items and potential code enforcement citations.
Keeping Toxic Materials Out of the Landfill
Caustic chemicals, automotive fluids, wet latex paint, and lithium-ion batteries present severe combustion risks to collection fleets and waste processing facilities. Cerritos citizens cannot discard these household hazardous waste (HHW) elements into their residential carts. Furthermore, electronic waste such as discarded flat-screen televisions and obsolete laptops are banned from standard disposal. To discard these items safely, community members should monitor the Los Angeles County Public Works calendar for upcoming mobile HHW collection events hosted nearby.
Holiday Collection Adjustments
Service schedules throughout the community are subject to alteration during major national observances. Athens pauses operations on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Should any of these observances occur on a weekday, the neighborhood's retrieval sequence will be postponed by 24 hours. Consequently, Friday customers will push their cart placement to Saturday morning. Standard operations instantly resume the following week.
Drop-off Facilities
Los Angeles County HHW Collection Center
Various regional locations (e.g., S.A.F.E. Centers)
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I schedule a bulky item pickup in Cerritos?
You must contact Athens Services at (855) 557-1007 or use their online service request form. Please wait for a confirmation from the hauler before placing any items on the curb.
Are my recyclables really being recycled if I put plastic bags in the blue bin?
No. Plastic bags and film are 'tanglers' that stop recycling facility machinery. When sorting centers detect them, they often reject the entire batch of recycling. Always keep your recyclables loose and bag-free.
Can I put my food scraps in a plastic bag before throwing them in the green bin?
No. Plastic bags are prohibited in the green organics cart because they cannot be composted. Please place food scraps directly into the green cart or use a paper bag.
What should I do if a holiday falls on my trash day?
If your collection day falls on or after an observed holiday, your service will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week. If the holiday falls on a weekend, your schedule will remain unchanged.