Black or Brown Bin (Trash)
All regular refuse must fit inside the cart with the lid completely closed. Place carts at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Bagged pet waste and litter
- ✓Disposable diapers
- ✓Styrofoam and packing peanuts
- ✓Ceramics and broken dishes
- ✓Chip bags and wrappers
- ✓Cactus and palm fronds
- ✓Treated wood or heavily soiled items
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Items must be clean, dry, and placed loosely in the blue cart. Do not bag recyclables.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and paper
- ✓Plastic bottles and containers
- ✓Glass jars and bottles
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Junk mail and magazines
Do NOT Include
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Plastic bags or film
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Electronic waste
- ✕Batteries (unless bagged on top)
Yard Waste Bin
No plastic bags or compostable plastic bags unless specifically approved. All organic material must go into the green cart to comply with state law.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Weeds and prunings
- ✓Fruits, vegetables, peels, and pits
- ✓Meat, poultry, fish, and bones
- ✓Dairy products and eggs
- ✓Food-soiled paper and coffee grounds
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Two (2) collections per calendar year.
Placement
Place approved bulky items at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on the morning of your scheduled pickup day.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (couches, tables, chairs, mattresses)
- ✓ Appliances (refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers)
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, computers, monitors)
- ✓ Bundled lumber or branches (max 48 inches long)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste
- ✕ Liquid paint
- ✕ Motor oil
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris (without a special bin)
The two scheduled pickups per calendar year are provided at no additional charge. Additional pickups beyond the yearly limit may incur a fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If your scheduled collection day falls on or after an observed holiday, your pickup will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week (e.g., Friday collections will occur on Saturday).
Yard Waste Exception
Organic waste pickup follows the same holiday delay schedule as regular trash and recycling.
If the holiday falls on a weekend, your collection schedule will usually remain unaffected. Always verify with Valley Vista Services.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Recyclables Loose
Never put your recyclables in plastic garbage bags. The sorting equipment at the Grand Central Recycling facility cannot process bagged items, and it can cause entire batches of recycling to be sent to the landfill.
Beware of Cart Inspections
Valley Vista Services actively inspects residential carts for improper sorting. If unaccepted materials are found in your blue or green carts, you will be tagged. Habitual offenders may have their recycling carts removed and be charged for additional trash service.
Batteries Go On Top, Not Inside
Never place household batteries inside any of your carts, as they can spark dangerous truck fires. Instead, seal them securely in a clear plastic bag and rest it on the lid of your blue cart on collection day.
Seasonal Information
Winter/Post-Holiday
December - JanuaryAnnual Christmas tree recycling runs from December 26th through the third Saturday in January. Trees longer than 6 feet must be cut in half. All ornaments, tinsel, flocking, and stands must be completely removed before placing the tree at the curb.
Year-Round
January - DecemberDue to Orange County's mild climate, landscaping waste is generated continuously. Ensure that landscapers know it is illegal to dispose of green waste in regular trash containers; all yard waste must be placed in the green organics cart.
About Cypress Waste Management
Navigating Cypress's Exclusive Waste Services
In the City of Cypress, residential solid waste collection is exclusively managed by Valley Vista Services (VVS). Through this franchise agreement, VVS provides each household with automated carts for a comprehensive three-stream sorting system: trash, commingled recycling, and organics. Understanding how to properly utilize this system not only ensures your household remains compliant with local and state ordinances but also helps the city hit its ambitious environmental targets.
Mastering the Three-Cart System
Cypress residents utilize a black or brown cart for standard refuse, a blue cart for recyclables, and a green cart for organic waste. It is essential to keep materials properly sorted to avoid contamination fees. Carts must be rolled out to the curb no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the night before collection and no later than 6:00 a.m. on the day of pickup. The city also enforces a strict municipal code regarding cart storage; on non-service days, your bins must be stored out of public view behind a screened area.
Mandatory Organics Recycling (SB 1383)
To comply with California's SB 1383, Cypress rolled out a residential organics recycling program in April 2022. Your green cart is no longer just for grass clippings and leaves. It is now the mandatory destination for all food scraps, including meat, bones, dairy, bread, and vegetable peelings, as well as food-soiled paper products. Keeping these organics out of the black trash cart reduces landfill methane emissions and allows the waste to be converted into nutrient-rich compost.
Convenient Bulky Item and E-Waste Disposal
Disposing of large, cumbersome items in Cypress is hassle-free. Residents are entitled to two free bulky item pickups per calendar year. This convenient on-call service covers appliances, furniture, and electronic waste (e-waste) such as old televisions and computer monitors. To take advantage of this service, you must contact Valley Vista Services at least 48 hours in advance to schedule your curbside pickup, preventing illegal dumping and keeping neighborhoods clean.
Special Programs: Batteries and Medical Sharps
Cypress and Valley Vista Services offer unique curbside solutions for items that can't go inside standard bins. Household batteries can be safely disposed of by sealing them in a clear plastic bag and placing them directly on top of your blue recycling cart on collection day. Additionally, VVS offers a free sharps disposal program to safely manage medical needles, protecting both sanitation workers and the local environment.
Drop-off Facilities
Orange County HHW Collection Center (Huntington Beach)
17121 Nichols Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92647 (Gate 6 at Rainbow Disposal)
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I request an additional recycling or trash bin in Cypress?
You can request extra carts by contacting Valley Vista Services customer service at 714-380-5450. While there is a fee for ordering an extra black trash cart, residents can request an additional blue recycling cart at no extra charge.
Where should I store my trash carts on non-collection days?
To maintain neighborhood aesthetics, the Cypress Municipal Code requires that all waste containers be stored behind a screened area so they cannot be viewed from the public right-of-way.
Can I throw leftover food and meat into my yard waste bin?
Yes. Cypress operates a co-mingled organics program to comply with state law (SB 1383). All food scraps, including meat, dairy, bones, and vegetables, must be placed directly into your green organic waste cart.
How do I dispose of old paint and motor oil in Cypress?
Household hazardous waste like paint, motor oil, and chemicals cannot be thrown in your curbside bins. Cypress residents should transport these items to the closest Orange County HHW drop-off facility, located at 17121 Nichols Street in Huntington Beach.