Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for El Cajon
Trash Day
Varies by neighborhood zone
Recycling
Varies by neighborhood zone
Yard Waste
Varies by neighborhood zone
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Trash and recycling services are provided and billed directly by EDCO, separate from local water districts and city sewer services.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail
Pro Tip / Discount
A 20% Senior Discount is available for residents aged 65 and older through EDCO.
Gray Bin (Trash)
Use the gray cart for material that cannot be reused, recycled, or composted. Trash must be placed at the curb the night before or prior to 6:00 a.m. on your collection day with the lid completely closed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics and wrappers
- ✓Soiled disposable plates and cups
- ✓Plastic grocery bags and chip bags
- ✓Ceramics and broken drinking glasses
- ✓Styrofoam packing peanuts
- ✓Pet waste and diapers
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Keep recyclables loose, clean, and dry. Do not use plastic bags to bundle your recyclables, as the film tangles the sorting machinery. Shredded paper is the only item that should be bagged before being placed in the blue cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean paper and cardboard
- ✓Rigid plastics (#1 - #7)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (clear and colored)
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Clean Styrofoam (blocks, cups, meat trays)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags (grocery, newspaper, snack bags)
- ✕Styrofoam packing peanuts
- ✕Tanglers (cords, wires, hoses)
- ✕Food waste or liquids
- ✕Batteries and light bulbs
Yard Waste Bin
In compliance with SB 1383, all organic waste must be placed in the green cart. Keep organics loose; do not use plastic bags, compostable bags, or petroleum-based liners.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings, weeds, and leaves
- ✓Tree branches and prunings
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, produce)
- ✓Food-soiled paper
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
4 free pickups per year (up to 6 items each)
Placement
Once your appointment is confirmed, place approved bulky items safely at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on the scheduled collection date.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, tables, chairs)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Water heaters and large appliances
- ✓ Televisions
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Construction and demolition materials
- ✕ Dirt, rock, and concrete
- ✕ Automotive parts and tires
Residents are allowed four free collections per year, with a maximum of six items (equivalent to three cubic yards) per pickup. Additional pickups may incur a fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday (Monday through Friday), residential collection services will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and yard waste collection follow the exact same one-day holiday delay schedule as standard trash and recycling.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is absolutely no delay to the regular weekday collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring/Fall
Varies (e.g., April/October)Twice a year, EDCO hosts FREE Bulky-Item Drop-Off Cleanup Events for El Cajon residents. The city also frequently partners with EDCO to provide free paper shredding, e-waste collection, and mulch/compost giveaway events.
Winter (Post-Holiday)
Late December to early JanuaryEDCO provides curbside Christmas tree recycling. Remove all stands, lights, tinsel, and ornaments. Flocked trees (sprayed with fake snow) cannot be composted and must be cut to fit inside the gray trash cart.
Local Tips & Community Info
EDCO Waste and Recycling Services
Residential sanitation throughout the City of El Cajon is managed exclusively by EDCO Disposal. This family-owned and operated franchise provides comprehensive weekly refuse, recycling, and organics collection for single-family homes and multi-tenant communities. By utilizing a highly efficient color-coded cart system, EDCO helps local neighborhoods remain clean while advancing the region's broader environmental sustainability targets. Knowing your neighborhood's designated routing schedule is the first step to ensuring your household waste is properly managed.
Curbside Cart Placement Times and Spacing
To guarantee your bins are emptied without issue, residents must place all carts on the street by 6:00 a.m. on their assigned service day. Because EDCO utilizes advanced automated collection trucks, the mechanical lifting arms require a minimum clearance of two to three feet between each container. Furthermore, bins must be positioned away from obstructions like mailboxes, fire hydrants, and parked vehicles. The wheels should be placed flush against the curb. Once the EDCO trucks have completed their route, homeowners must promptly pull the empty receptacles back onto their private property.
Commingled Recycling Guidelines
El Cajon utilizes a commingled recycling program, meaning all approved recyclable materials can be placed together in the blue cart without needing to be sorted by material type. Acceptable items include flattened corrugated cardboard, aluminum cans, glass bottles, and rigid plastics. However, it is absolutely critical that materials remain loose and unbagged. Flimsy plastic grocery bags severely damage the sorting machinery at the EDCO recycling facility. Any heavily soiled items, like greasy pizza boxes, should be kept out of the blue bin to prevent load contamination.
Compliance with State Organics Mandates
In strict adherence to California's SB 1383 climate regulations, El Cajon requires all households to participate in organics recycling. Your green cart is no longer just for grass clippings and tree branches; it is the mandatory destination for all kitchen food scraps. This includes cooked meats, bones, eggshells, dairy products, and food-soiled paper napkins. By diverting these organic materials away from the local landfill, the community actively reduces methane gas emissions and contributes to nutrient-rich agricultural compost.
Bulky Item and Appliance Removal
If you are upgrading your home and need to discard large appliances, old mattresses, or heavy furniture, do not abandon these items in the alley or on the sidewalk. El Cajon residents are eligible to utilize EDCO's bulky item pickup service. You must contact the EDCO customer service center in advance to schedule a designated pickup date for these oversized loads. Standard sanitation routing trucks cannot collect massive items, so pre-scheduling is mandatory to avoid municipal blight citations.
Observed Holidays and Schedule Delays
EDCO’s collection calendar is occasionally modified to observe major national holidays. The company officially pauses operations for New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. If your standard collection day lands on or follows one of these holidays during a workweek, your curbside pickup will be delayed by exactly 24 hours. Normal scheduling resumes automatically on the following Monday.
Drop-off Facilities
El Cajon Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Drop-Off
950 O'Connor St., El Cajon, CA 92020
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does El Cajon recycle Styrofoam?
Yes! EDCO accepts clean expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam) in the blue recycling cart. This includes foam cups, meat trays, egg cartons, and large block packaging. However, Styrofoam packing peanuts are NOT accepted and must go in the gray trash cart.
How do I throw away large furniture in El Cajon?
El Cajon single-family residents are eligible for four free bulky-item pickups per calendar year. You can dispose of up to six large items per collection (like mattresses, appliances, or couches). You must contact EDCO in advance to schedule the pickup.
What goes in my green organics cart?
In compliance with California's SB 1383, you must place all food waste (including meat, bones, and dairy), food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings into your green cart. Do not use plastic bags to hold your organics.
Where can I safely dispose of old paint and batteries?
Hazardous materials like paint, batteries, and motor oil cannot go in your curbside bins. El Cajon residents can drop off HHW for free at the facility located at 950 O'Connor Street on Saturdays. You must make an appointment with EDCO online or by calling first.