Black or Gray Bin (Trash)
All trash must be securely bagged. Dirt, rock, concrete, and hazardous waste are strictly prohibited in the refuse barrel.
Accepted Items
- ✓Non-organic waste
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Diapers
- ✓Pet waste
- ✓Wipes
- ✓Fast food wrappers
- ✓Treated wood
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables. Items must be placed loose in the blue container. Cardboard should be broken down to prevent overflowing and wheel jams.
Accepted Items
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic bottles and containers
- ✓Aluminum and metal cans
- ✓Paper
- ✓Cartons
- ✓Cardboard
Do NOT Include
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Green waste
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Electronic waste
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, wires)
Yard Waste Bin
Do not bag organic waste. Use the city-issued 60-gallon green container. Excess green waste can be placed in tied 4'x2' bundles or in personal 32-gallon barrels, provided the Burrtec barrel is also at the curb.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Tree and shrub trimmings
- ✓Leaves and weeds
- ✓Fruit and vegetable peels
- ✓Coffee grounds
- ✓Meat, poultry, and fish bones
- ✓Dairy products
- ✓Food-soiled paper (napkins, tea bags, pizza boxes)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Up to four times per 12-month period
Placement
Call Burrtec Customer Service one week prior to your regular collection day. Place items at the curb by 6:00 AM on your scheduled day, ensuring they are not blocking the street.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Appliances
- ✓ Electronic waste (e-waste)
- ✓ Scrap metal
- ✓ Large bulky items that do not fit in the cart
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Paint
- ✕ Motor oil
- ✕ Chemicals
- ✕ Construction dirt
- ✕ Concrete
The four yearly pick-ups are included for barrel-serviced residential customers. Exceeding this limit will incur extra haul-away fees.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When a holiday falls on a weekday other than a Monday, collections for the remainder of the week are delayed by one day. If the holiday falls on a Monday, there is no service delay.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and yard waste follow the same unique Monday-exception holiday schedule as regular trash and recycling.
Commercial service follows a standard one-day delay for all weekday holidays, regardless of whether it falls on a Monday.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Food Loose
Never use plastic bags for your food scraps. Even biodegradable or 'compostable' plastic bags are considered contaminants by the organics processing facilities. Toss food scraps directly into the green barrel.
Pizza Boxes Go Green
Greasy pizza boxes cannot be recycled into clean paper products. Instead of throwing them in the blue bin, tear them up and place them in your green organics barrel to be composted.
Tame the Tanglers
Garden hoses, electrical cords, and clothing easily wrap around and break the sorting machinery at Burrtec's recycling facilities. Keep all stringy, fibrous, and tangled items out of the blue bin.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryBurrtec provides curbside Christmas tree recycling from December 26th through January 7th. Trees must be stripped of all ornaments, tinsel, lights, and stands. Trees taller than 6 feet must be cut in half.
Spring and Fall
VariableTake advantage of Duarte's bi-annual Community Clean-Up at the Civic Center for bulk drop-off, secure document shredding, and free compost collection.
About Duarte Waste Management
Automated Refuse & Organics Collection in Duarte
The City of Duarte partners with Burrtec Waste Services to provide weekly, automated curbside collection for single-family residences. Carts must be placed in the alley or parkway by 7:00 AM on your designated collection day and brought back in by 8:00 AM the following morning. To comply with California's SB 1383 mandate, all residents are required to separate food scraps and food-soiled paper into their green organics container alongside standard yard waste.
Protecting Foothill Wildlife with Bear-Resistant Barrels
Because Duarte is nestled against the San Gabriel Mountains, local wildlife—particularly bears and raccoons—are frequently drawn to residential food waste. To mitigate this, Burrtec offers specialized bear-resistant green waste barrels equipped with gravity locks. These heavy-duty carts help prevent scavengers from accessing discarded food, keeping neighborhoods clean and wildlife safe. Residents can upgrade to these specialized barrels for a small additional monthly fee.
Navigating Holiday Service Disruptions
Duarte's refuse schedule has a unique holiday rule that differs from many neighboring cities. While Burrtec observes six major holidays, residential collection is only delayed by one day if the holiday falls on a Tuesday through Friday. Surprisingly, if a recognized Burrtec holiday falls on a Monday, there is no service delay for residential accounts, and your bins should be placed out on their normal day.
Bi-Annual Community Clean-Up & Compost Events
Twice a year, in the spring and fall, the City of Duarte and Burrtec host comprehensive Community Clean-Up events at the Civic Center parking lot. These highly anticipated weekend events allow residents to drop off bulky items, safely shred sensitive personal documents, dispose of e-waste, and even pick up free compost for their gardens. Proof of Duarte residency is required to participate.
Drop-off Facilities
Duarte Civic Center (Bi-Annual Clean-Up Site)
1600 Huntington Dr, Duarte, CA 91010
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I secure my trash from wildlife in Duarte?
Due to local wildlife, Burrtec offers gravity-locked, bear-resistant green organics and black trash barrels. Residents can order these specialized carts by calling Burrtec at 800-325-9417 for a small monthly fee.
Does Duarte delay trash pickup if a holiday is on a Monday?
No. Uniquely, if a Burrtec-observed holiday falls on a Monday, residential service is NOT delayed. Delays of one day only occur when the holiday falls on a Tuesday through Friday.
Where does food waste go under the new state laws?
To comply with California SB 1383, all Duarte residents must place food scraps, dairy, bones, and food-soiled paper directly into the green yard waste barrel. Do not use plastic bags to hold the food waste.
How do I schedule a bulky item pickup in Duarte?
Residential customers get four free bulky item pickups per year (up to five items each). You must call Burrtec at 800-325-9417 at least one week before your normal collection day to schedule the pickup.