Gray Bin (Trash)
Place your gray cart out by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day with wheels against the curb. Avoid overfilling; the lid must close properly.
Accepted Items
- ✓Pet waste and kitty litter
- ✓Diapers
- ✓Plastic grocery bags and chip/snack bags
- ✓Broken ceramics, glass, or mirrors
- ✓Garden hoses and wire
- ✓Vacuum bags
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables. Place all items loosely into the blue cart. Ensure all containers are completely empty and free of liquid or heavy food residue.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean Styrofoam (expanded polystyrene)
- ✓Flattened cardboard and clean paperboard
- ✓Mixed paper, junk mail, and magazines
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Rigid plastics and carton containers (milk/juice boxes)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags of any kind (grocery, newspaper, snack bags)
- ✕Food waste and soiled paper plates/towels
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses, wire)
- ✕Clothing or shoes
- ✕Electronics and fluorescent bulbs
Yard Waste Bin
Do not use any type of plastic bags, including certified compostable bags. Place organic material loosely inside the cart or wrap it in a plain paper bag.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings, leaves, and branches
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, produce, eggshells)
- ✓Food-soiled paper (napkins, tea bags, coffee filters)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Two (2) scheduled community curbside weeks per year
Placement
Place items on the curb along with your regular carts by 6:00 a.m. on your designated collection day during the specified Bulky Trash Weeks.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, chairs, tables)
- ✓ Mattresses (must be wrapped)
- ✓ Large appliances and water heaters
- ✓ Excess yard waste (must be bagged in paper or bundled)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals)
- ✕ Automotive parts and tires
- ✕ Electronic waste (take to shredding/e-waste event instead)
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
These bi-annual events are included in residential service. If you need a large item removed outside of these specific weeks, you must contact EDCO to arrange a special pickup, which may incur a fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, service will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week (e.g., Thursday service moves to Friday).
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling carts follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as the gray trash cart.
Holidays that fall on a Saturday or Sunday DO NOT delay waste removal services for the remainder of the week.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Film Out of the Blue Cart
While clean Styrofoam is accepted in your blue cart, plastic grocery bags, newspaper bags, and snack wrappers are not. Plastic film tangles in the recycling facility's sorting gears, causing system shutdowns.
Compostable Bags Contaminate the Digester
EDCO's Anaerobic Digestion Facility cannot process any plastics, even if they are labeled 'biodegradable' or 'compostable.' Always use a standard paper bag for your food scraps, or toss them in loose.
Tinsel and Lights Ruin Tree Recycling
When recycling your Christmas tree, be sure to remove all tinsel and strung lights. Tinsel is a single-use plastic that contaminates green waste, and light strands will severely tangle the wood chipping machinery.
Seasonal Information
Spring and Fall
May and OctoberCoronado hosts its Community Cleanup Weeks and a free Document Shredding & E-Waste Recycling Event in May and October. During these weeks, residents can put out bulky items curbside and collect free mulch at designated city locations.
Winter Holidays
Late December to Mid-JanuaryCurbside holiday tree collection is available for bare, un-flocked trees. Trees must be cut into 4-foot sections max and placed in or near the green cart. Alternatively, you can drop off whole trees at the Glorietta Bay or Cays Park parking lots.
About Coronado Waste Management
Advanced Organics Recycling for Island Residents
The City of Coronado has partnered with EDCO to roll out a comprehensive commingled organics recycling program, fully compliant with California's SB 1383. Residents must place all food waste, yard trimmings, and food-soiled paper into their green organics cart. The collected material is processed at EDCO's state-of-the-art Anaerobic Digestion Facility—the first of its kind in San Diego County—where microorganisms break down the waste without oxygen to produce renewable natural gas (RNG). This RNG is then used to fuel EDCO's own collection trucks.
Strict 'No Plastic' Rule for the Green Cart
A critical rule for Coronado's organics program is the absolute ban on plastic bags. While some cities permit certified compostable bags, Coronado strictly prohibits all plastics, including biodegradable and compostable options, because they contaminate the anaerobic digester. Residents must place their food scraps loosely into the green cart or wrap them in plain, non-wax paper or paper bags. EDCO provides an optional free kitchen caddie to make indoor collection easier.
Bi-Annual Bulky Waste Community Cleanup Weeks
Rather than relying entirely on on-call individual bulky pickups, Coronado hosts two major Bulky Waste Curbside Collection Weeks annually—once in the Spring and once in the Fall. During these specific weeks, residents can leave large, unwanted items like furniture, broken appliances, and wrapped mattresses at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on their regularly scheduled collection day for free disposal.
A Rare Recycling Perk: Curbside Styrofoam
Unlike most municipalities across California that ban expanded polystyrene from curbside bins, EDCO's advanced sorting facilities allow Coronado residents to place clean Styrofoam directly into their blue recycling carts. Along with traditional recyclables like flattened cardboard, glass, and rigid plastics, this unique inclusion significantly helps reduce the volume of waste sent to local landfills.
Drop-off Facilities
Coronado City Hall North Parking Lot (Bi-Annual E-Waste Event)
1825 Strand Way, Coronado, CA 92118
Materials Accepted
EDCO Station (La Mesa) - Regional Drop-Off
8184 Commercial St, La Mesa, CA 91942
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recycle Styrofoam in my blue cart in Coronado?
Yes! Unlike many California cities, Coronado's hauler (EDCO) has the advanced sorting technology to accept clean Styrofoam (expanded polystyrene) in the blue curbside recycling cart.
Are compostable or biodegradable bags allowed in the green organics cart?
No. Coronado strictly prohibits any type of plastic bag in the green cart, including certified compostable or biodegradable plastics. These materials contaminate the Anaerobic Digestion Facility. Use a paper bag or simply toss the scraps in loose.
How do I throw away large items like furniture or an old mattress?
The city hosts bi-annual Bulky Waste Curbside Collection Weeks (once in the Spring and once in the Fall). During these designated weeks, you can leave large items on the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your regular collection day for free removal.
Can I get an extra recycling or organics cart for my home?
Yes. Residents can request up to two additional green organics carts and extra blue recycling carts at no extra cost. Contact EDCO Customer Service at (619) 287-7555 to request additional containers.