Black Bin (Trash)
All waste must fit inside the black cart with the lid completely closed. Do not overfill or leave bags next to the cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastic-coated paper (ice cream/milk cartons)
- ✓Synthetic sponges and tea bags with plastic
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics and film wrap
- ✓Bagged pet waste and diapers
- ✓Parchment paper (plastic-lined)
- ✓Styrofoam and foam packaging
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Items must be placed completely loose in the blue cart. Never bag your recyclables, and ensure all containers are lightly rinsed and shaken dry.
Accepted Items
- ✓Empty, clean, and dry plastic containers (#1-7)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Clean cardboard and paper products
- ✓Small household metal items
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Food or liquid waste
- ✕E-waste
- ✕Waxed or coated cardboard
Yard Waste Bin
No plastic bags or non-BPI certified "biodegradable" plastics are allowed. Food scraps can be contained in newspaper or paper bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps (meat, dairy, grains, fruit pits, bones, shells)
- ✓Uncoated food-soiled paper (paper towels, napkins, pizza boxes)
- ✓Yard trimmings, leaves, and grass
- ✓Untreated wood scraps (cut to four feet or smaller)
- ✓BPI-Certified compostable bags
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Twice a year during pre-scheduled Spring and Fall Reuse and Cleanup Days.
Placement
Place items at the curb or nearest main street the night before your scheduled date. Ensure items remain dry, especially clothing set out for the preceding 'Reuse Day' donation collection.
Accepted
- ✓ Bagged household trash (under 50 lbs)
- ✓ Small appliances
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Mattresses
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous materials
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Large refrigerators
- ✕ Organic material (yard waste/food scraps)
- ✕ Items exceeding size/weight limits
If residents need additional bulk removal outside their assigned dates, they can call Republic Services to schedule an on-call pickup for a fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Republic Services only delays residential collection for Christmas Day and New Year's Day. If your pickup day falls on one of these two holidays, service will be pushed back by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics are collected on the same schedule as regular garbage and recycling, following the exact same holiday shift.
Service occurs on all other holidays (e.g., Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, Labor Day). Always ensure carts are out by 5:00 A.M. to guarantee collection.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Battery Disposal Protocol [3.1.2]
Never throw batteries in your black landfill cart or loose in the blue cart, as they can cause severe truck fires. Single-family residents can place small household batteries in a clear, sealed ziplock bag and rest it directly on top of the blue recycling cart lid for safe weekly collection.
Beware of 'Biodegradable' Plastics
Products labeled simply as 'biodegradable' or 'earth-friendly' often contain petroleum and will contaminate the compost stream. Only use compostable bags that carry the official BPI-Certified logo to contain your kitchen food scraps in the green organics cart.
Cartons Belong in the Landfill
Shelf-stable milk cartons, ice cream tubs, and to-go drink cups often seem like recyclable paper, but they are lined with plastic. Because this plastic coating cannot be easily separated at the local recovery facility, these items must always be thrown in your black landfill cart.
Seasonal Information
Winter [1.1.1]
December - JanuaryFollowing the holidays, you can recycle your Christmas tree curbside. Remove all lights, ornaments, and stands. Trees taller than six feet must be cut in half. Alternatively, small trees cut into pieces under four feet can be placed directly into your green compost cart with the lid closed.
Spring/Fall
February - April & August - OctoberDanville residents receive pre-scheduled bi-annual Reuse & Cleanup Days. You can verify your exact dates via the RecycleSmart website. This is the time to leave out appliances, large furniture, and up to 14 bagged items for free removal.
Year-Round
January - DecemberTo help meet California's organics diversion mandates, RecycleSmart conducts annual neighborhood route audits. If inspectors find contamination in your blue or green bins, they may leave an educational tag with helpful sorting tips on your cart's handle.
About Danville Waste Management
Danville's Partnership with RecycleSmart [1.1.4]
Solid waste management in the Town of Danville is governed by the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority, locally known as RecycleSmart. Under this Joint Powers Authority, Danville residents benefit from a structured franchise agreement with Republic Services, which handles the weekly collection and disposal of residential landfill materials, recyclables, and organics. This centralized system ensures uniform service quality and strong compliance with California's rigorous waste diversion laws across the entire San Ramon Valley.
Mastering the Green Organics Cart in Contra Costa
In direct compliance with Senate Bill 1383, Danville households must actively separate all organic waste from their standard landfill trash. Your green cart is designed to process not only traditional yard trimmings but also all kitchen food scraps—including meat, bones, dairy, and cooked leftovers—as well as uncoated food-soiled paper like greasy pizza boxes. To assist residents in keeping their kitchens clean, Republic Services offers single-family homes a free 3-gallon kitchen food scrap pail upon request once every two years.
Bi-Annual Reuse and Cleanup Days
Instead of a standard on-call bulk pickup system, Danville provides a unique bi-annual Reuse and Cleanup Day program. Twice a year, on pre-scheduled dates in the spring and fall, single-family residents can place gently-used items curbside for donation recovery by Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery. The very next day, Republic Services arrives to collect up to fourteen 32-gallon bags or equivalent items of bulk trash for the landfill, ensuring neighborhoods remain free of illegal dumping while maximizing donation efforts.
Navigating Holiday Service Shifts
Danville residents enjoy a highly consistent trash collection schedule, as Republic Services observes only two major holidays that cause residential route delays: Christmas Day and New Year's Day. On these two holidays, if your scheduled service falls on or after the holiday, your pickup will shift back by one day for the remainder of the week. During all other federal holidays, such as Thanksgiving or Independence Day, your curbside bins will be emptied exactly on your normal service day.
Drop-off Facilities
Central Contra Costa Sanitary District HHW Facility [1.1.4]
4797 Imhoff Place, Martinez, CA 94553
Materials Accepted
Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery Facility
1300 Loveridge Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I participate in Danville's bulk trash collection?
Danville utilizes a pre-scheduled bi-annual system called Reuse and Cleanup Days rather than an on-demand system. You will be assigned specific dates in the spring and fall to place large items and up to 14 bags of extra trash at the curb for free collection. You can check your designated days on the RecycleSmart website.
Does my trash pickup get delayed for Thanksgiving or Memorial Day?
No. In Danville, Republic Services only delays residential trash collection for two major holidays: Christmas Day and New Year's Day. For all other holidays, including Thanksgiving, Labor Day, and Memorial Day, your trash will be collected on your regular scheduled day.
Can I put compostable plastic bags in the green organics cart?
You can only use compostable plastic bags if they explicitly feature the BPI-Certified logo. Any bags marked simply as 'biodegradable' or 'earth-friendly' that lack this certification are prohibited because they often contain petroleum plastics that will ruin the compost.
What is the proper way to dispose of old batteries?
Never toss batteries into any of your main carts. Single-family households should place small lithium and household batteries inside a clear, tightly sealed plastic bag and leave that bag resting securely on top of the blue recycling cart's lid on collection day.