Gray or Black Bin (Trash)
All standard trash should be bagged before being placed in the gray cart to prevent windblown litter. Carts must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated service day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Non-recyclable household garbage
- ✓Styrofoam and packing peanuts
- ✓Diapers and pet waste
- ✓Treated wood or broken ceramics
- ✓Chip bags and candy wrappers
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Items must be clean, dry, and placed loosely in the blue cart. Never put recyclables inside a plastic garbage bag.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Office paper, magazines, and mail
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Rigid plastics (bottles, jugs, tubs)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or film wrap
- ✕Food waste or liquids
- ✕Tanglers (cords, wires, hoses)
- ✕Styrofoam packaging
- ✕Batteries of any kind
Yard Waste Bin
All organics must go in the green cart. Bagging food waste is optional, but if you do, you must exclusively use BPI-Certified compostable bags or paper bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings, leaves, and weeds
- ✓Tree trimmings and small branches
- ✓Food scraps (meat, dairy, bones, produce)
- ✓Food-soiled paper products
- ✓BPI-Certified compostable bags
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Up to 3 free curbside collections per year.
Placement
Place items 1 foot away from the curb toward the street, keeping piles 5 feet away from cars and carts. Do not block gutters or sidewalks. Appliances should be placed 1-2 feet away from the main pile.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, mattresses, tables)
- ✓ Large household appliances
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, monitors)
- ✓ Excess bagged yard waste
- ✓ Small tree stumps (under 16 inches in diameter)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals)
- ✕ Dirt, concrete, or bricks
- ✕ Automotive parts and fluids
- ✕ Any single item too large/heavy for a driver to lift
- ✕ Commercial or construction debris
If you exceed your three free pickups, additional collections can be scheduled with Republic Services for a fee. You also receive one free self-haul dump at the Elder Creek Transfer Station annually.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, trash, recycling, and organics collections will be pushed back by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
The green organics cart follows the exact same holiday delay schedule as the standard trash and recycling carts.
If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no change to the collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Look for the BPI Logo
When shopping for compostable bags for your kitchen food scrap pail, ensure the box explicitly displays the BPI-Certified logo. Bags simply labeled 'biodegradable' or 'eco-friendly' are often made of standard plastics that contaminate the compost facility.
Keep Film Plastics Out of the Blue Bin
Plastic grocery bags, bubble wrap, and shrink wrap do not belong in your blue recycling cart. They wrap around the mechanical sorting gears at the recycling facility, causing dangerous jams and delays.
Meds Don't Go in the Trash
Never flush old medications down the toilet or throw them in your gray trash cart. Elk Grove provides free drop-off kiosks for prescription meds at the Police Department on Laguna Palms Way and at the SWCC.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December to JanuaryThe city offers free holiday tree recycling. You can cut your tree down to fit inside your green organics cart, drop it off at a designated community location, or utilize one of the specific curbside collection weeks organized by Republic Services post-Christmas.
Spring & Fall
April & OctoberThe City of Elk Grove frequently hosts free compost giveaway events for residents to help enrich their spring and fall gardens. You must bring your own shovels and bags/buckets to these events.
Summer
JulyFollowing the 4th of July, ensure all fireworks debris is thoroughly soaked in water and completely cooled before placing it in the gray trash cart to prevent truck and landfill fires.
About Elk Grove Waste Management
Elk Grove's Integrated Waste Management System
The City of Elk Grove partners exclusively with Republic Services for all residential curbside collections. The program utilizes a modern three-cart system—a gray cart for garbage, a blue cart for recyclables, and a green cart for mixed organics. Republic Services not only manages weekly collections but also handles special residential requests, including cart replacements, missed pickups, and scheduling for the city's generous bulky waste program.
Mastering Your Organics and the BPI-Certified Rule
To comply with California's SB 1383 mandates, all Elk Grove residents must divert organic material from local landfills. Your green cart is designed to handle all yard trimmings as well as kitchen food scraps, including meat, bones, dairy, and food-soiled paper like greasy pizza boxes. While bagging food waste is optional, Elk Grove strictly requires that if you choose to bag it, you must use 100% BPI-Certified compostable bags. Traditional plastic bags are strictly prohibited.
Generous Bulky Waste and Annual Dump Perks
Elk Grove offers some of the most robust large-item disposal options in Sacramento County. Residents can schedule up to three free curbside bulky waste collections per year directly through Republic Services. Each appointment allows for up to 5 cubic yards of material, plus one large appliance or electronic item. Additionally, residents are entitled to one free annual dump of up to 5 cubic yards by self-hauling materials directly to the Elder Creek Transfer Station.
The Special Waste Collection Center (SWCC)
Keeping hazardous materials out of the standard trash stream is heavily prioritized. Elk Grove operates the state-of-the-art Special Waste Collection Center on Disposal Lane, which provides residents with a safe, free drop-off location for household hazardous waste (HHW). Open Saturday through Wednesday, the SWCC accepts everything from old paint and used motor oil to electronic waste and expired over-the-counter medications.
Drop-off Facilities
Special Waste Collection Center (SWCC)
9255 Disposal Lane, Elk Grove, CA 95624
Materials Accepted
Elder Creek Transfer Station
8642 Elder Creek Road, Sacramento, CA 95828
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How many free bulky item pickups do I get in Elk Grove?
Elk Grove residents are allowed up to three free bulky waste pickups per year. Each pickup allows for up to 5 cubic yards of material and one large appliance or electronic item. You must schedule these pickups in advance by calling Republic Services at (916) 635-2500.
Can I use plastic bags for my food waste in the green cart?
No. While bagging food waste is optional, if you choose to do so, you are strictly required to use bags that are BPI-Certified compostable or standard paper bags. Traditional plastic bags or 'biodegradable' bags without the BPI certification are banned from the organics cart.
Where can I safely dispose of old paint and chemicals?
Elk Grove residents can take their household hazardous waste (HHW), including paint, motor oil, pool chemicals, and batteries, to the Special Waste Collection Center (SWCC) located at 9255 Disposal Lane. The facility is open Saturday through Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and is free for residents.
How does the free annual dump program work for Elk Grove residents?
In addition to curbside bulky pickups, residents are entitled to one free self-haul dump per year at the Elder Creek Transfer Station (8642 Elder Creek Road). You can drop off up to 5 cubic yards of waste for free. You must present proof of Elk Grove residency at the scale house using a driver's license or a current utility bill.