Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for El Cerrito
Trash Day
Varies by neighborhood zone
Recycling
Same day as trash collection (weekly)
Yard Waste
Same day as trash collection (weekly)
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Garbage and green waste are serviced by East Bay Sanitary, while the City of El Cerrito provides curbside recycling—all integrated and billed quarterly in advance on one combined bill.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Credit Card, Check, Money Order, Cash, Mail
Pro Tip / Discount
Free backyard collection service is available for qualifying elderly or disabled residents who are unable to move carts to the curb.
Grey or Black Bin (Trash)
Trash rates are based on your chosen container size (20, 35, or 64 gallons). Ensure lids close completely to deter pests.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Pet waste and litter
- ✓Diapers and sanitary products
- ✓Broken glass or ceramics
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Treated or painted wood scraps
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Empty, clean, and dry all containers. Place items loosely inside the blue cart without bagging them. Curbside recycling is collected directly by the City.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastics labeled #1, #2, and #5 ONLY
- ✓Clean, dry paper and mail
- ✓Flattened cardboard
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastics #3, #4, #6, and #7
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Food or liquids
- ✕Styrofoam (EPS)
- ✕Clothing and textiles
Yard Waste Bin
No plastic bags of any kind are permitted. If you prefer to bag your kitchen food scraps, you must use a paper bag or a certified BPI ASTM D6400 compostable bag.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps and leftovers
- ✓Coffee grounds and filters
- ✓Fiber-based paper products
- ✓Food-soiled paper products
- ✓BPI ASTM D6400 certified compostable bags
- ✓Yard trimmings and leaves
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
2 Garbage/Green Waste Pickups + 1 Recycling Pickup Annually
Placement
Items must be securely placed at the curb. Yard waste in bags MUST be in paper bags only; plastic bags will not be collected.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and large household appliances
- ✓ Up to 25 tied bundles or 32-gallon bags of extra trash/yard waste
- ✓ Electronic waste (during the City recycling pickup)
- ✓ Mattresses
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste (chemicals, paint)
- ✕ Dirt, concrete, or rocks
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Loose cardboard (must be bundled)
These three annual pickups are completely free for residential accounts. To schedule the garbage/green waste pickups, call EBS at (510) 237-4321. To schedule the bulky recycling pickup, call the City at (510) 215-4350.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
The only holidays that interrupt collection service are Christmas Day and New Year's Day. If your normal collection day falls on or after one of these holidays, your pick-up will be delayed by one day for that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Recycling and green waste routes follow the exact same one-day delay as standard garbage routes.
While the East Bay Sanitary office may close for other holidays (like Thanksgiving, Labor Day, or July 4th), your curbside collection will still occur on its normal schedule.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryEast Bay Sanitary offers a free Christmas tree pick-up service following the holidays. Trees must be placed at the curb and be completely free of artificial flocking, lights, tinsel, and ornaments to be properly processed as green waste.
Spring
March - MayThe City of El Cerrito periodically hosts Free Compost Giveaways at the RERC or other municipal locations, allowing residents to take back nutrient-rich soil generated from the region's organics collection program for their spring gardens.
Local Tips & Community Info
A Hybrid Approach to El Cerrito Waste Collection
Unlike many neighboring municipalities, the City of El Cerrito utilizes a unique dual-provider system to manage community waste. While East Bay Sanitary Company (EBSC) is contracted to handle all residential garbage and green organics hauling, the city itself operates the curbside recycling program through its Operations and Environmental Services Division. This dedicated municipal involvement underscores El Cerrito's deep commitment to zero-waste initiatives and environmental stewardship.
Guidelines for Morning Cart Set-Out
To facilitate smooth neighborhood collections, residents are required to wheel their designated carts to the curb no later than 6:00 a.m. on their assigned pickup day. Ensure that the containers are placed side-by-side with at least three feet of clearance between them to allow the mechanical arms of the trucks to operate safely. Keep bins away from parked cars, fire hydrants, and overhead obstacles, and remember to retrieve your empty carts by the evening to keep sidewalks clear.
The Award-Winning Schmidt Lane Recycling Center
A true source of local pride is the El Cerrito Recycling + Environmental Resource Center located at 7501 Schmidt Lane. Beyond the standard curbside blue bin service, this state-of-the-art community hub allows residents to drop off a wide array of hard-to-recycle materials. You can responsibly dispose of scrap metal, electronic waste, block Styrofoam, batteries, and even used cooking oil here. The facility also features a community exchange for books and reusable household goods.
Composting Food and Yard Debris
El Cerrito strictly enforces California’s SB 1383 organics recycling laws. Every household is provided a green cart by EBSC specifically for compostable materials. You must place all yard trimmings, grass clippings, soiled paper plates, and food scraps—including meat and dairy—into this container. Keeping organic matter out of the landfill is a crucial step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Never line your green bin with standard plastic bags, as they will ruin the composting process.
Annual Bulky Waste Clean-Up Program
Once a year, East Bay Sanitary Company provides a scheduled neighborhood clean-up program allowing residents to discard oversized household items without incurring extra dump fees. During your designated clean-up week, you can place acceptable bulky items like broken furniture, bundled branches, and non-freon appliances at the curb. For large items outside of this annual window, residents must contact EBSC directly to request and pay for a specialized special pickup.
Holiday Route Adjustments
Your regular collection routine may experience slight adjustments during the holiday season. Collection routes are not serviced on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or New Year’s Day. When these holidays fall on a weekday, all subsequent collections for that week will be delayed by 24 hours. Normal schedules resume the following Monday, ensuring that residents are never left with overflowing bins for long.
Drop-off Facilities
El Cerrito Recycling + Environmental Resource Center (RERC)
7501 Schmidt Lane, El Cerrito, CA 94530
Materials Accepted
West County Resource Recovery Facility
101 Pittsburgh Ave, Richmond, CA 94801
Materials Accepted
Golden Bear Transfer Station
1 Parr Blvd, Richmond, CA 94801
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I contact to replace a broken recycling cart?
Since the city manages the recycling program, you must contact the El Cerrito Operations and Environmental Services Division to request a repair or replacement for a damaged blue recycling bin.
Where is the El Cerrito Recycling Center located?
The El Cerrito Recycling + Environmental Resource Center is located at 7501 Schmidt Lane and accepts a variety of specialized materials that cannot go into your curbside bins.
Does EBSC pick up Christmas trees after the holidays?
Yes, East Bay Sanitary Company provides special curbside pickup for unflocked, bare Christmas trees during designated weeks in January. Trees must be cut to specific lengths to fit inside the green yard waste cart.