Brown Bin (Trash)
Place all non-recyclable, non-hazardous household waste inside the brown cart. All trash should be securely bagged, and the cart lid must close completely to prevent litter and deter scavengers.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Plastic bags and film
- ✓Styrofoam and foam products
- ✓Diapers and pet waste
- ✓Treated wood or unrecyclable materials
- ✓Broken ceramics and window glass
Blue Bin (Recycling)
All recyclable items must be empty, clean, and dry. Place items loosely in the blue cart without bagging them in plastic. Break down all cardboard boxes to maximize bin space.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean paper, mail, and magazines
- ✓Flattened cardboard boxes
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Rigid plastic bottles and containers
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Styrofoam packaging
- ✕Food-soiled paper
- ✕Electronic waste
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, wires, cords)
Yard Waste Bin
Place yard trimmings loosely in the green cart. Food waste can be contained in certified compostable bags before being placed into the bin. Never use standard plastic trash bags for organics.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Tree branches and weeds
- ✓Food scraps (meat, dairy, vegetables, bones)
- ✓Food-soiled paper and pizza boxes
- ✓Compostable bags containing food waste
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Up to 20 bulky items per year per single-family household
Placement
Place scheduled bulky items safely at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your regular collection day, ensuring they do not block sidewalks, traffic lanes, or your automated carts.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (couches, desks, tables, chairs)
- ✓ Appliances (stoves, washers, dryers, refrigerators)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, computers, monitors)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Business or commercial waste
- ✕ Hazardous materials (chemicals, paint, asbestos)
- ✕ Automotive parts and tires
Single-family homes receive the pickup of up to 20 items per calendar year completely free of charge. Items beyond this allowance or requests from commercial units may incur additional fees.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If your regularly scheduled collection day falls on or after an observed holiday, your pickup will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and green waste collection are subject to the exact same one-day holiday delay as standard trash and recycling pickups.
If a designated holiday falls on a weekend, residential collection schedules are generally unaffected. Always place carts out by 6:00 a.m. on your adjusted collection day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Use Only Compostable Bags for Organics
While El Monte allows you to bag your food scraps for the green cart, you must use certified compostable bags. Standard plastic grocery bags will contaminate the composting process and lead to rejected loads.
Keep the Blue Cart Loose
Never bundle your clean recyclables inside a plastic garbage bag. The sorting facility machinery cannot open them, and plastic film causes severe mechanical jams in the sorting screens.
Keep Hazards Out of the Brown Cart
Lithium-ion batteries, motor oil, and wet paint are extreme fire hazards for Valley Vista collection trucks. Never throw these items into your brown cart; take them to an LA County household hazardous waste drop-off event instead.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December to JanuaryDuring the weeks following Christmas, Valley Vista Services offers curbside pickup for bare, unflocked holiday trees. Trees over six feet tall must be cut in half before being placed next to your green cart on collection day.
Summer
July to SeptemberIn the peak summer heat of the San Gabriel Valley, utilizing the compostable bag method for your food scraps in the green cart is highly recommended. This mitigates strong odors and prevents maggots from accumulating in the bin.
About El Monte Waste Management
Navigating El Monte's Tri-Color Cart System
In the City of El Monte, residential solid waste collection is exclusively managed by Valley Vista Services (VVS). Every single-family household is equipped with a distinct tri-color cart system designed to optimize waste diversion: a brown cart for standard landfill trash, a blue cart for recyclables, and a green cart for organics and yard waste. Residents must wheel their carts to the curb by 6:00 a.m. on their designated collection day. To ensure a smooth pickup by the automated mechanical trucks, bins must be placed side-by-side with a few feet of clearance from parked cars, mailboxes, and fire hydrants.
Meeting the SB 1383 Organics Mandate
El Monte has robustly integrated California's SB 1383 organic waste requirements into its residential collection program. Under these rules, all food scraps—including meat, dairy, bones, coffee grounds, and spoiled produce—must be diverted into the green organics cart. Unique to El Monte's rollout, the city and VVS provide and encourage residents to use certified compostable plastic bags inside their kitchen scrap pails. These filled, compostable bags can then be tossed directly into the green cart alongside regular loose yard debris like grass clippings and leaves, which heavily reduces odors and pests in the warm Southern California climate.
Maximizing Your Blue Cart Recycling Efficiency
The blue recycling cart is meant strictly for clean, dry, and loose materials. Residents can conveniently combine flattened cardboard, mixed paper, glass bottles, and rigid plastic containers into a single stream. However, it is critical to avoid 'wish-cycling.' Flexible materials, such as plastic grocery bags, film wrappers, and bubble wrap, should never be placed in the blue cart, as they severely tangle the material recovery facility's sorting equipment. When in doubt about a specific item, it is always better to place it in the brown trash cart rather than risk contaminating an entire load of clean recyclables.
Taking Advantage of the Generous Bulky Item Program
One of the most exceptional benefits for El Monte's single-family residents is the annual bulky item pickup allowance. To help keep local streets and alleyways clean, each household is entitled to the free collection and disposal of up to 20 bulky items per year. This on-demand service covers large household goods like mattresses, sofas, broken appliances, and standard furniture. Pickups coincide with your regular trash day but must be scheduled through Valley Vista Services at least 24 hours in advance. Please note that construction debris and hazardous materials are strictly excluded from this program.
Drop-off Facilities
Puente Hills Materials Recovery Facility (PHMRF)
13130 Crossroads Pkwy S, City of Industry, CA 91746
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Who handles trash and recycling in El Monte, and what carts do I get?
Residential curbside collection is provided by Valley Vista Services (VVS) under an exclusive franchise agreement. Each single-family household receives three automated carts: a brown cart for trash, a blue cart for recycling, and a green cart for organic/yard waste.
What is the rule for disposing of food waste in El Monte?
To comply with California's SB 1383 mandate, all food scraps—including meat, bones, and dairy—must be placed in the green organics cart. You can place food waste loosely in the cart, or for better odor control, use certified compostable plastic bags within a kitchen pail before tossing them in the green bin.
How many bulky items can I throw away for free each year?
El Monte offers a very generous bulky item program. Single-family homes can request the free pickup of up to 20 bulky items (like mattresses, appliances, and furniture) per calendar year. You must contact VVS to schedule the pickup at least 24 hours in advance.
Will my trash collection day change if there is a holiday?
Yes. If a major holiday like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or the Fourth of July falls on a weekday, all collection services for the remainder of that week will be pushed back by one day. Weekend holidays typically do not disrupt the schedule.