Black or Grey Bin (Trash)
All landfill-bound trash should be securely bagged before being placed into the black cart to prevent windblown litter. Carts must be placed at the curb by 7:00 a.m. and removed by 8:00 p.m. on your service day.
Accepted Items
- ✓General household refuse
- ✓Polystyrene foam (Styrofoam)
- ✓Diapers and sanitary products
- ✓Pet waste and cat litter
- ✓Broken ceramics and dishware
- ✓Treated or painted wood
Blue Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be empty, clean, and dry. Do NOT bag your recyclables; place them loosely inside the blue cart. Flatten all cardboard to conserve space.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean paper, mail, and magazines
- ✓Flattened cardboard and shipping boxes
- ✓Plastic bottles and containers (#1-#7)
- ✓Aluminum, tin, and steel cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (all colors)
- ✓Clean, non-greasy pizza boxes
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags and film wrap
- ✕Food waste or food-soiled paper
- ✕Styrofoam and packing peanuts
- ✕Clothing, textiles, and shoes
- ✕Tanglers like garden hoses, ropes, and hangers
Yard Waste Bin
Organic materials must be placed directly into the green cart. Do not use plastic bags, even if they are marketed as 'biodegradable' or 'compostable,' as they disrupt the commercial composting facility.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings, weeds, and leaves
- ✓Kitchen food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, vegetables)
- ✓Food-soiled paper (napkins, coffee filters)
- ✓Greasy or food-soiled pizza boxes
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Weekly on-call (Up to 10 items per week / 60 items per 90 days)
Placement
Place approved bulky items at the curb the night before your scheduled collection day. Ensure items are not blocking sidewalks, bike lanes, or vehicle traffic.
Accepted
- ✓ Sofas, chairs, and dressers
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Refrigerators, washers, and dryers
- ✓ Water heaters and BBQs
- ✓ Exercise equipment
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (chemicals, wet paint)
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Dirt, concrete, bricks, and rocks
- ✕ Medical waste and sharps
Up to 10 items per week are free. Items that weigh over 60 pounds and cannot be safely moved with a standard hand truck may incur an additional special handling fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a designated holiday falls on a weekday (Monday-Friday), collection services scheduled on or after that holiday will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week. For example, a Thursday pickup will move to Friday.
Yard Waste Exception
Your blue recycling and green organics carts follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as your standard trash collection.
If a holiday falls on a weekend, or if a holiday is not listed above (such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day or Veterans Day), there are no delays and service will occur on your normal scheduled day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Film Out of the Blue Cart
Plastic grocery bags and film wrap are the biggest threat to the material recovery facility. They tangle around the mechanical sorting gears and cause facility shutdowns. Take your plastic bags to designated drop-offs at local grocery stores instead.
Loose Recyclables Only
Never seal your clean recyclables inside a plastic garbage bag. Sorters at the recycling facility do not have the time to rip open bags, meaning bagged recyclables are almost always sent straight to the landfill.
Separate Your Pizza Boxes
In Chula Vista, the clean top half of a pizza box can be torn off and placed in your blue recycling cart. The greasy, food-soiled bottom half must be placed into your green organics cart to be composted.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryRepublic Services offers a seasonal holiday tree recycling program. Place your clean, un-flocked tree next to your bins on your normal service day. You must remove all lights, ornaments, tinsel, and stands before placing it at the curb.
Year-Round
January - NovemberOtay Landfill periodically hosts free compost giveaway events on designated Saturdays (e.g., in January, March, May, July, September, and November). Residents must bring a photo ID and a utility bill, along with their own shovels and tarps.
About Chula Vista Waste Management
Chula Vista's Path to Zero Waste
Aligned with the city's comprehensive 2022 Zero Waste Plan, Chula Vista works closely with Republic Services to divert as much material as possible from the Otay Landfill. The residential program revolves around a mandatory three-cart system: black for landfill trash, blue for single-stream recycling, and green for organics. To guarantee weekly pickup, residents must roll their carts to the curb by 7:00 a.m. on their scheduled collection day, ensuring there is ample space between each container for the automated mechanical arms to operate safely.
Maximizing Free Bulk Item Allowances
Chula Vista offers one of the most generous bulky item pickup programs in Southern California. Single-family residents with active cart service are entitled to request the removal of up to 10 bulky items per week, or a maximum of 60 items within any 90-day period, completely free of charge. This is an incredible resource for disposing of mattresses, sofas, and large appliances like refrigerators. To utilize this perk, you must call Republic Services at least 24 hours prior to your standard collection day to schedule the pickup.
Complimentary Otay Landfill and Yard Waste Passes
As an added benefit to your standard refuse service, Chula Vista cart customers in good standing can receive two free landfill passes and two free yard waste passes each calendar year. These passes are valid at the Otay Landfill on Maxwell Road and allow you to dispose of up to one ton of material per pass. Residents can request these passes to be mailed to their homes by calling the local Republic Services office at 619-482-4024, or they can pick them up in person at the Energy Way customer service center.
Complying with SB 1383 Organics Mandates
Under California Senate Bill 1383, Chula Vista strictly enforces the recycling of all organic waste. The green organics cart is no longer exclusively for lawn clippings; it must also be used for kitchen food scraps, meat, bones, and food-soiled paper products like greasy pizza boxes and used napkins. To make collecting kitchen scraps easier, the city regularly distributes free kitchen caddies at City Hall (Building C) and the Republic Services office. Single-family homes can even request one additional green cart at no extra monthly cost if they generate large amounts of organic waste.
Drop-off Facilities
Otay Landfill and Compost Facility
1700 Maxwell Road, Chula Vista, CA 91911
Materials Accepted
South Bay Household Hazardous Waste Facility
1800 Maxwell Road, Chula Vista, CA 91911
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I request my free Otay Landfill and yard waste passes?
Chula Vista cart service customers in good standing receive two landfill passes and two yard waste passes annually. You can request these passes by calling Republic Services at 619-482-4024 to have them mailed to you, or pick them up at the customer service office on Energy Way.
What is the limit for free bulky item pickups in Chula Vista?
The city offers an extremely generous bulk pickup limit: up to 10 bulky items per week, or 60 items within a 90-day period, at no extra charge. You must call 619-421-9400 at least 24 hours before your regular trash day to schedule the pickup.
Which holidays actually delay trash pickup in Chula Vista?
Republic Services only delays collection by one day for six major holidays: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. If your pickup day falls on or after one of these holidays during the week, it will be delayed. All other holidays do not affect the schedule.
Can I put compostable plastic bags in my green organics cart?
No. The commercial composting facility utilized by Republic Services cannot properly process plastic bags, even if they are labeled 'compostable' or 'biodegradable.' You must keep your food scraps loose, wrap them in newspaper, or place them in a standard paper bag.