Black Bin (Trash)
All household garbage must fit inside the black cart with the lid completely closed. Bag all loose trash to prevent littering when the mechanical arm empties the bin.
Accepted Items
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics (#3, #4, #6, #7)
- ✓Plastic bags and film wrap
- ✓Polystyrene (Styrofoam)
- ✓Diapers and pet waste
- ✓Broken ceramics and mirrors
- ✓Treated or painted wood
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Keep all recyclables loose, clean, and dry inside the blue cart. Do not bag recyclables in plastic trash bags. Used batteries and cell phones can be placed in a clear zip bag ON TOP of the blue cart lid.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean paper, mail, and magazines
- ✓Flattened cardboard and clean pizza boxes
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (all colors)
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Rigid plastics (#1, #2, and #5)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or wrap
- ✕Food waste or liquids
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses, wires)
- ✕Electronic waste
Yard Waste Bin
Organics must be placed directly into the green cart. Do not use standard plastic garbage bags. Keep out pet waste, dirt, rocks, and any petroleum-based plastics.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and weeds
- ✓Leaves, branches, and plants
- ✓Food scraps (meat, dairy, bones, produce)
- ✓Food-soiled paper (napkins, unlined paper plates)
- ✓Coffee grounds and tea bags
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
One free annual pickup per residential household
Placement
Once confirmed, place approved bulky items safely at the curb by 4:00 a.m. on the scheduled collection date, ensuring they do not block sidewalks or traffic.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, tables, chairs)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Large household appliances
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, computers)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (chemicals, paint)
- ✕ Dirt, concrete, asphalt, and rocks
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Tires and automotive parts
Single-family residents are entitled to one free bulky item collection per year. Additional pickups, or requests exceeding the volume limit, will incur extra fees.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Republic Services only observes Christmas Day and New Year's Day. If your collection day falls directly on one of these holidays, your service will take place on Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
The green organics cart follows the exact same holiday schedule as the standard trash and recycling carts.
If a holiday falls on a weekend, or for any other holiday not listed (such as Thanksgiving or July 4th), there are no changes to the regular residential curbside collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Blue Cart
Never bundle your clean recyclables inside a plastic grocery or garbage bag. Plastic film wraps around the gears at the Republic Services sorting facility, causing major system shutdowns. Keep recyclables loose.
Batteries Belong ON the Cart, Not IN It
Household batteries and cell phones spark dangerous fires in collection trucks. Never throw them inside the bins. Seal them in a clear zip-type bag and place them directly on top of your blue cart's lid on collection day.
Grease Belongs in the Green Cart
While clean cardboard goes in the blue recycling cart, greasy pizza boxes and heavily food-soiled paper napkins must go into the green organics cart to be composted.
Seasonal Information
Winter (Post-Holiday)
Late December to late JanuaryRepublic Services offers free holiday tree recycling for approximately one month following Christmas. Remove all stands, lights, tinsel, and ornaments. Trees must be cut into 6-foot lengths and placed at the curb next to your green cart.
Spring & Fall
May and OctoberDaly City typically hosts its Annual Earth Day Recycling Event on the first Saturday in May, and its Make a Difference Day Event on the fourth Saturday in October, offering additional drop-off opportunities for special waste.
About Daly City Waste Management
Navigating Daly City's Republic Services Collection
In Daly City, residential solid waste and recycling collection is managed through an exclusive franchise agreement with Republic Services. Residents are provided with a standard three-cart system: a black cart for landfill waste, a blue cart for recyclables, and a green cart for organics. To ensure a smooth, automated pickup, residents must wheel their carts to the curb by 4:00 a.m. on their scheduled collection day. Bins should be placed side-by-side with a few feet of clearance to allow the collection trucks' mechanical arms to safely grab them without hitting parked cars.
Convenient Curbside Battery, Oil, and CFL Collection
Daly City offers an incredibly convenient curbside collection program for hard-to-dispose-of items. Residents can place up to two 1-gallon clear jugs of used cooking oil or used motor oil (with screw-top caps) next to their blue recycle cart on collection day. Additionally, household batteries, old cell phones, and up to ten compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) can be placed in separate clear zip-type plastic bags and set directly on top of the blue cart's lid. Never toss these hazardous items inside the bins.
SB 1383 Compliance: Maximizing the Green Organics Cart
To comply with California's SB 1383 mandate, Daly City residents must divert all food scraps and organic waste from the landfill. Your green organics cart is the designated destination for meat, bones, dairy, fruits, vegetables, pasta, and coffee grounds, alongside traditional yard waste. Food-soiled paper products like greasy pizza boxes and napkins are also accepted. However, avoid wish-cycling; never throw plastic bags, diapers, or pet waste into the green cart, as this contaminates the local composting stream.
Taking Advantage of Your Free Annual Bulky Goods Collection
Daly City single-family residents receive one free bulky goods collection per year through Republic Services. Instead of hauling an old mattress or broken couch to the dump, simply contact Republic Services at (650) 756-1130 at least two weeks in advance to schedule your free on-call pickup. Utilizing this program helps keep Daly City neighborhoods clean and heavily reduces the burden of illegal dumping on city resources.
C.L.E.A.N. Daly City and the iHelp App
Illegal dumping costs Daly City taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. To combat this, the city launched the C.L.E.A.N. Daly City initiative, combining education with strict enforcement. Violators caught dumping face fines ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. Residents can assist the city by downloading the Daly City 'iHelp' smartphone app, which allows users to snap a photo of illegally dumped debris on public property and immediately route a removal request to Republic Services or Public Works staff.
Drop-off Facilities
Republic Services Daly City Office
1680 Edgeworth Ave, Daly City, CA 94015
Materials Accepted
Ox Mountain Sanitary Landfill
12310 San Mateo Rd (Hwy 92), Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I properly dispose of used batteries and lightbulbs in Daly City?
Daly City offers a convenient curbside option. You can place household batteries, cell phones, and up to ten CFL lightbulbs in clear zip-type plastic bags and set them directly on top of your blue recycling cart's lid on collection day. You can also drop them off at the Republic Services office on Edgeworth Avenue.
Can I throw food waste in my regular trash cart?
No. Under California's SB 1383 mandate, all Daly City residents must separate organic waste. Food scraps—including meat, dairy, bones, and vegetables—must be placed in the green organics cart along with your yard waste.
How do I schedule a bulky item pickup in Daly City?
Daly City residents receive one free Bulky Goods Collection per year. You must schedule this service at least two weeks in advance by calling Republic Services at (650) 756-1130 or emailing [email protected].
Does Republic Services delay trash pickup for every holiday?
No. Republic Services in Daly City only observes Christmas Day and New Year's Day. If your normal pickup day falls on one of those two holidays, your service will be moved to Saturday. All other holidays, including Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July, do not affect your normal collection schedule.