Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Eastern Goleta Valley
Collections in California municipal routes run weekly (Mon-Fri). Your specific collection day is determined by your local neighborhood route.
State Mandate
Follow SB 1383 guidelines for food waste.
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Trash collection in Eastern Goleta Valley is franchised through MarBorg Industries by Santa Barbara County, and residential customers are billed directly on a two-month cycle.
Billing Cycle
Bi-Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Mail, Phone
Brown or Dark Gray Bin (Trash)
All food waste belongs in this container. Bins must close securely at the lid to prevent local wildlife or pests from scattering refuse across street rights-of-way.
Accepted Items
- ✓Everyday household food scraps and food waste
- ✓Soiled food-packaging or wax paper
- ✓Plastic wraps, bags, and film packaging
- ✓Diapers and bagged pet waste
- ✓Ceramic dishware, mirrors, and incandescent bulbs
Blue Bin (Recycling)
All recyclable items must be placed into the blue container completely loose, clean, dry, and unbagged. Bagged recyclables cannot be properly sorted by optical scanning lines.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean, dry corrugated cardboard and paperboard packaging
- ✓Aluminum beverage cans and clean steel tin cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (metal lids removed but accepted loose)
- ✓Rigid plastics and plastic bottles larger than 6 inches in size
- ✓Newspapers, magazines, catalogs, and junk mail
Do NOT Include
- ✕Food-stained pizza boxes or greasy papers
- ✕Loose plastic grocery bags or bubble wrap packaging
- ✕Polystyrene foam blocks and packaging cups
- ✕Electronic waste parts and household chemicals
- ✕Fluorescent light tubes or loose medical needles
Yard Waste Bin
Material must be deposited loose in the green container. Do not place food waste in the green cart, as it disrupts the production of clean landscape mulch.
Accepted Items
- ✓Fresh lawn clippings and thatch
- ✓Dry autumn leaves and garden trimmings
- ✓Weeds, brush, and flowers
- ✓Tree limbs under 4 inches in diameter and under 4 feet long
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
4 pickups per calendar year
Placement
Items must be neat and accessible at the street curb edge by 6:00 AM on your confirmed appointment date. Do not block active traffic lanes or public sidewalks.
Accepted
- ✓ Large home furniture (sofas, armchairs, tables)
- ✓ Major household appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers)
- ✓ Mattresses and matching box springs
- ✓ Electronic waste (televisions, monitors, and computers)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Commercial liquid waste or loose automotive fluids
- ✕ Hazardous household materials (paints, solvents, weed killers)
- ✕ Heavy renovation materials (concrete, bricks, dirt blocks)
- ✕ Uncontained or loose general garbage bags
Once your four free annual service allocations are exhausted, extra bulk pickups or special cleanouts can be coordinated with MarBorg for an additional assessed handling fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
MarBorg Industries does not operate residential pickup routes on major observed holidays. When a holiday falls on a scheduled weekday, the collection schedule is delayed by exactly one day for the remainder of that week. For example, a Thursday route moves to Friday.
Yard Waste Exception
Green yard waste collection routines mirror the exact one-day delay structure implemented for regular household refuse during a holiday week.
Holidays that fall naturally on a Saturday or Sunday trigger no changes, keeping the standard weekday residential pickup routines completely on time.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Post-Holiday Tree Diversion
JanuaryLive Christmas trees are collected curbside during the first two weeks of January. Residents must strip away all tinsel, metallic stands, lights, and ornaments. Large trees exceeding 6 feet must be cut in half before placement.
Winter Storm Debris Management
December to MarchHeavy winter rains can wash dirt, rocks, and heavy limbs into residential rights-of-way. These heavy materials are banned from standard carts; check the Santa Barbara County Material Exchange program to post or source clean soil and rocks.
Summer Pest and Odor Control
June to SeptemberBecause all household food waste goes into the trash bin for ReSource Center processing, summer heat can accelerate odor and pest issues. Keep the bin lid tightly shut and freeze meat scraps until your collection day to minimize pests.
Local Tips & Community Info
Waste Management Operations in Eastern Goleta Valley
For homes located throughout the unincorporated Eastern Goleta Valley, MarBorg Industries is the designated franchise hauler for all residential refuse and recycling needs. Standard garbage collection happens once a week, so homeowners should pull their wheeled carts to the street edge the night before or very early on collection morning. If you need a different container size to accommodate your household's generated waste, you can easily arrange an exchange by calling MarBorg's customer support desk directly at (805) 963-1852.
Guidelines for the Blue Recycling Receptacle
Reducing landfill dependency is a major priority for Santa Barbara County. Your blue cart is meant exclusively for dry, unsoiled recyclables. Acceptable materials include rinsed glass jars, aluminum cans, plastic jugs, and flattened cardboard boxes. MarBorg offers unlimited recyclables collection, meaning residents can request additional blue bins at no extra cost if they frequently generate a large volume of recyclable goods. Remember to keep all items completely loose; never stuff them inside plastic grocery sacks, which can jam the processing facilities.
Composting Yard Trimmings and Food Scraps
Due to statewide environmental regulations, all organic waste must be diverted from standard trash flows. The green container provided by MarBorg is designed for leaves, grass clippings, weeds, and branches. Furthermore, residents are required to add all kitchen food scraps—like fruit peels, eggshells, and leftover food—into this exact same organics bin. Keeping these items out of the regular garbage minimizes greenhouse gas emissions and allows the county to produce nutrient-rich compost.
Bulky Waste Pickups and Drop-Off Facilities
When it is time to discard oversized furniture, old mattresses, or broken household appliances, do not leave them sitting on the sidewalk. Eastern Goleta Valley residents can schedule a specialized bulky item cleanup by reaching out to MarBorg Industries at (805) 963-1852. If you prefer to haul the items yourself, MarBorg allows locals to drop off large appliances entirely for free at their designated Construction and Demolition (C&D) recycling facility. This ensures safe disposal without creating eyesores in residential neighborhoods.
Cart Spacing and Curbside Placement Rules
Automated collection trucks need adequate space to maneuver their mechanical lifting arms. On your designated service day, position all bins with the handles facing your property and the lid opening toward the street. Leave a gap of at least two to three feet between the trash, recycling, and organics carts. Additionally, make sure your containers are entirely clear of parked cars, low-hanging tree branches, and mailboxes so the driver can empty them without risking property damage.
Navigating Holiday Collection Delays
Throughout the calendar year, certain major holidays will impact the standard waste retrieval routine. If your regular trash day lands on or follows a holiday like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Day, service will generally be pushed back by twenty-four hours for the remainder of that week. If you are ever unsure about the modified schedule, MarBorg publishes a yearly holiday calendar on their official website to keep the community informed of any operational shifts.
Drop-off Facilities
Goleta Recycling Center (MarBorg Industries)
20 David Love Pl, Goleta, CA 93117
Materials Accepted
Community Hazardous Waste Collection Center (UCSB)
Henry T. Yang Dr, Building 565, Santa Barbara, CA 93106
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Santa Barbara County require food scraps to go into the trash bin in Eastern Goleta Valley?
Household trash from this area is processed at the County's ReSource Center facility. This advanced facility mechanically separates food waste from the trash to create compost and energy. Food waste must not go into the green cart, as it contaminates the clean landscaping mulch program.
How can I recycle old household batteries in the unincorporated valley?
Single-family residents can place household batteries inside a clear, sealed plastic baggie and set it directly on top of the blue recycling bin lid on their normal collection day. For safety, wrap the positive terminals of rechargeable batteries with clear tape.
Are apartment and condo residents in Eastern Goleta Valley eligible for free bulky item pickups?
Yes. Multi-family complexes receive a total number of free annual bulky item collections equal to the total number of units in the building. To coordinate a pick-up, residents must contact their property manager or HOA to schedule the service through MarBorg.
How can I safely discard leftover prescription medications or medical sharps?
Unwanted medications can be taken to free local collection kiosks managed by the MED-Project program. For medical sharps, single-family households can contact MarBorg Industries directly to request a free mail-back container.