Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for El Centro
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
Residential trash and recycling services are operated by CR&R Environmental Services but billed monthly on your municipal utility bill through the City of El Centro Finance Department.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay (EFT), Mail, In Person
Black Lid Bin (Trash)
Place carts at the curb or alley by 6:00 a.m. on collection day. Keep carts side-by-side, approximately 1 foot apart and 3 feet from cars or hydrants.
Accepted Items
- ✓General household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Palm fronds [1.2.3]
- ✓Cacti and succulents
- ✓Dirt and rock
- ✓Animal waste and pet litter
Blue Lid Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be clean, empty, and dry. Do not bag recyclables; place them loosely inside the blue-lidded cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and paper [2.3.2]
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Plastic bottles and containers
Do NOT Include
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Green waste
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Electronic waste [2.2.3]
Yard Waste Bin
Do not include palm fronds, cacti, dirt, or pet waste. Food waste can be chilled indoors before being layered with green waste outside.
Accepted Items
- ✓Fruits, vegetables, and grains [1.2.3]
- ✓Meats, bones, and dairy
- ✓Coffee grounds and eggshells
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Twigs and small branches (under 4 inches diameter/4 feet long)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Three bulk items per single-family household per calendar year at no charge.
Placement
Items must be listed at the time of scheduling. Place approved items against the front curb by 6:00 a.m. on the scheduled pick-up day (rain or shine).
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and couches [1.2.1]
- ✓ Large household appliances
- ✓ E-waste and televisions
Not Accepted
- ✕ Bagged, boxed, or bundled materials [1.2.1]
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Unsealed glass items or mirrors
- ✕ Infested items not sealed in heavy plastic
Additional bulky item pickups beyond the three free allocations can be scheduled directly with CR&R for a nominal fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a recognized holiday falls on a weekday, residential collection services will be postponed by one day for the remainder of the week (e.g., Thursday collection moves to Friday).
Yard Waste Exception
There are no exceptions. The green organics cart follows the same holiday delay schedule as the regular trash and recycling carts.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no interruption to the weekday service schedule.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryCR&R provides a two-week curbside holiday tree collection program beginning the day after Christmas [2.1.1]. Remove all ornaments, lights, and stands. If your tree is over six feet tall, it must be cut in half before being placed at the curb on your normal service day.
Spring
March - MayThe City of El Centro typically partners with CR&R to host an annual compost giveaway event. This is a great opportunity for residents to receive free, nutrient-rich soil amendments generated directly from the community's green organics recycling program.
Year-Round
January - DecemberThe City sponsors free paper shredding events twice a year alongside scheduled bulky item drop-off events. Certified shredding trucks destroy documents securely onsite, providing a safe way to dispose of sensitive financial papers without contaminating the recycling stream.
Local Tips & Community Info
El Centro Residential Waste Services Overview
If you are a resident of El Centro, your household trash, recycling, and yard waste collections are serviced by CR&R Environmental Services. Interestingly, while CR&R manages the actual pickup logistics and commercial accounts, the City of El Centro's Finance Department handles all residential solid waste billing alongside your water account. To ensure a clean and sustainable community, all homes are provided with a standard three-cart system designed to minimize the amount of refuse sent to local Imperial Valley landfills.
Curbside Placement Guidelines and Timing
On your designated collection day, CR&R requires all containers to be placed out by 6:00 a.m. at the latest. Depending on your neighborhood layout, you should place the carts either in your designated alleyway or right at the curbside. It is important to align the bins so that the wheels and handles are facing toward your home. Leave ample space between each container to allow the automated mechanical arms on the garbage trucks to grab them safely without tipping over adjacent bins.
Mastering the CR&R Three-Bin System
El Centro uses color-coded carts to make sorting straightforward. The black container is for your everyday non-recyclable refuse, such as wrappers and hygiene products. The blue container is exclusively for dry, unsoiled recyclables, including corrugated cardboard, junk mail, aluminum cans, and empty plastic bottles. Make sure to rinse out any food residue from plastics and glass jars, and never throw mixed-material items or wax paper into the blue cart.
Green Waste Container Restrictions
Your green container is intended strictly for yard trimmings such as grass clippings, dry leaves, weeds, and wood scraps. Unlike some other California cities with expansive food scrap organics programs, El Centro's CR&R guidelines explicitly state that residents should not put meat, fish, bones, dairy products, or animal waste in the green waste bin. Additionally, palm branches and sod or dirt are strictly prohibited. Keeping these unacceptable items out ensures the yard waste can be properly processed.
Bulky Item Pickups and Special Waste
For items too large to fit in your automated carts, such as furniture or appliances, each El Centro residential household is entitled to three free bulky item pick-ups every calendar year. You can include up to four large items per scheduled collection. CR&R also offers curbside collection for electronic waste (like old televisions and computer monitors) and used motor oil. You must call their customer service hotline at 760-482-5656 in advance to arrange these special pickups.
Drop-off Facilities
CR&R El Centro Transfer Station [1.2.1]
599 E Main Street, El Centro, CA 92243
Materials Accepted
SA Recycling El Centro
460 East Holton Road, El Centro, CA 92243
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I throw palm fronds and cacti in the green yard waste bin?
No. Because palm fronds, cacti, and succulents are fibrous and hold excessive water, they disrupt the local commercial composting process. In El Centro, these specific desert plants must be thrown in the black trash cart.
How do I schedule a free bulky item pickup in El Centro?
Single-family residents are entitled to have three bulk items picked up per year at no cost. You must call CR&R at (760) 482-5656 to schedule an appointment. Only items explicitly listed during the scheduling call will be collected.
Where can I take my extra garbage if I miss trash day?
The City provides a free solid waste drop-off service at the CR&R transfer station (599 E Main Street) every Saturday between 7:00 a.m. and noon. You must bring your current water bill to prove residency, and state law requires you to cover your load while driving.
Does El Centro offer free curbside used motor oil collection?
Yes. Through a partnership with CR&R and the Imperial Valley Resource Management Agency (IVRMA), residents can schedule a free curbside collection for used motor oil. Simply call CR&R at (760) 482-5656 to request the specialized oil collection containers.