Black Cart Bin (Trash)
Bag all trash to prevent odors and spills. Place carts at the curb with wheels against the curb and handles facing the home. Remove from the street within 12 hours after service.
Accepted Items
- ✓Non-recyclable household garbage
- ✓Diapers and pet waste
- ✓Treated wood or heavily painted wood
- ✓Styrofoam packing materials
- ✓Chip bags and wrappers
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables; place them loosely in the blue cart. Flatten all cardboard boxes to conserve space.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and paper
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Rigid plastic bottles and containers
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or film
- ✕Food or liquid waste
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, wires, cords)
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Electronic waste
Yard Waste Bin
Never put plastic bags in the green cart. Keep food scraps and yard trimmings loose, or use a certified compostable paper bag.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings, leaves, and weeds
- ✓Tree branches and brush
- ✓Fruit and vegetable scraps
- ✓Meat, dairy, bones, and table scraps
- ✓Food-soiled paper (pizza boxes, napkins)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
8 free pickups per year (max 4 items per pickup, up to 32 items total annually).
Placement
Place bulky items at the curb no earlier than the evening before your scheduled pickup date. Ensure they do not block sidewalks or traffic.
Accepted
- ✓ Sofas, chairs, and mattresses
- ✓ Refrigerators and large appliances
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, computers)
- ✓ Bundled branches
- ✓ Large carpets
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Dirt, concrete, or rocks
- ✕ Vehicle bodies or car parts
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
Single-family residents receive this service for free up to the 32-item annual limit. Additional items or cleanups may incur a fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a designated holiday falls on a weekday, collection for the remainder of the week will be postponed by one day. (e.g., Thursday routes will be serviced on Friday).
Yard Waste Exception
All three carts (trash, recycling, and organics) run on the exact same holiday delay schedule.
If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there are no delays to your regular weekday collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Blue and Green Carts
Plastic garbage and grocery bags jam up the recycling plant's sorting gears and contaminate compost. Always place recyclables and organics loosely into their respective carts.
Pizza Boxes Are Organics
Grease ruins paper recycling. Instead of putting a greasy pizza box in your blue cart, tear it up and toss it into the green cart to be composted with your food scraps.
No E-Waste in Standard Carts
Never place items with a circuit board or battery in your regular bins. CR&R will collect electronic waste properly if you schedule a special e-waste or bulky item pickup.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryChristmas trees can typically be recycled at the curb after the holidays. Trees must be stripped of all ornaments, lights, tinsel, and stands. Flocked trees are often treated as trash.
Summer
June - SeptemberDuring peak Inland Empire summer heat, food scraps in the green cart can generate intense odors. Consider freezing meat and dairy scraps in a reusable container until the morning of your collection.
About Colton Waste Management
Standard Curbside Collection with CR&R
The City of Colton holds an exclusive franchise agreement with CR&R Environmental Services to provide residential trash, recycling, and organics collection. Most households utilize standard 96-gallon automated carts (black, blue, and green). Carts must be placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated collection day, positioned with the handles facing your home and spaced at least 3 feet apart to accommodate the automated truck arms.
State Mandated Organics Recycling (SB 1383)
Colton fully participates in California's mandatory organics recycling program to reduce landfill methane emissions. All food scraps—including meat, bones, dairy, and coffee grounds—as well as food-soiled paper products, must be placed directly into your green cart alongside regular yard trimmings. Do not place organic waste in standard plastic bags.
Generous Bulky Item Collection Limits
Single-family residential households in Colton are entitled to an exceptionally generous bulky item program. Residents can schedule up to eight free curbside pick-ups per year, with a maximum of four items per pick-up. Alternatively, residents can bundle their limits, as long as they do not exceed 32 total bulky items annually. Collections are by appointment only through CR&R customer service.
Quarterly Community Dump and Shred Days
To help keep the city clean, Colton hosts four free Community Dump Days annually for residential utility customers. These drive-thru events occur on the second Saturday of April and October (at the Gonzales Community Center) and the fourth Saturday of January and July (at the CR&R Yard). Residents can bring excess household waste and up to four banker boxes of sensitive documents for free on-site shredding.
Free Mattress and Carpet Disposal Programs
As a participating site in the 'Bye Bye Mattress' program, the CR&R Yard at 2059 E. Steel Road accepts an unlimited number of old mattresses and box springs from Colton residents for free. Uniquely, this facility also offers free carpet disposal; Colton residents can drop off their first two rolls of carpet and padding at no charge, provided they show proof of residency.
Drop-off Facilities
CR&R Colton Disposal Site
2059 E Steel Rd, Colton, CA 92324
Materials Accepted
San Bernardino County Fire Dept HHW
2824 East W Street, Building 302, San Bernardino, CA 92415
Materials Accepted
City of Rialto Maintenance Yard (HHW Drop-off)
246 S. Willow Avenue, Rialto, CA 92376
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bulky items can I throw away for free each year in Colton?
Colton single-family residents have a very generous limit. You can schedule up to eight free curbside pickups a year, with a maximum of four items per pickup, allowing you to dispose of up to 32 large items annually.
Can I put food scraps like meat and dairy into my green cart?
Yes. To comply with California's SB 1383 mandate, all Colton residents must separate organic waste. You should place food scraps, including meat, bones, and soiled paper, directly into the green organics cart along with your yard waste.
Who do I contact if my trash cart is broken or missed?
The City of Colton contracts with CR&R Environmental Services for all residential waste collection. You can report a missed pickup or request a cart replacement by calling CR&R customer service directly at (909) 370-3377.
What are Community Dump Days in Colton?
Community Dump Days are free quarterly events where residents can drop off excess household trash and shred up to four banker boxes of documents. They are held on the second Saturday of April and October (at Gonzales Community Center) and the fourth Saturday of January and July (at the CR&R Yard on Steel Rd).