Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Elk Grove
Trash Day
Varies by neighborhood zone
Recycling
Every other week on trash day
Yard Waste
Weekly on trash day
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential waste services are billed and serviced by Republic Services under contract with the City, and single-family households receive up to three free bulky waste pickups per year.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail
Pro Tip / Discount
The City offers a 20% Lifeline Rate Assistance discount on residential solid waste rates for qualifying low-income households enrolled in SMUD's Energy Assistance Program, as well as on-property cart assistance for eligible seniors and individuals with disabilities.
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
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.
Local Tips & Community Info
Republic Services Route Times and Container Guidelines
Elk Grove contracts with Republic Services to manage local sanitation needs for residential neighborhoods. Homeowners are expected to wheel their carts to the curb no later than 6:00 AM on their assigned morning. When positioning the containers, make sure there is at least three feet of space between the bins themselves, and keep them a minimum of six feet away from parked vehicles, boats, and mailboxes. This spacing allows the automated trucks to safely grab the containers without causing property damage.
The Alternating A/B Recycling Calendar
While garbage and organics are picked up every single week, your recycling cart follows an alternating bi-weekly schedule. Elk Grove neighborhoods are divided into Schedule A and Schedule B. Depending on your address, you will either place your blue recycling bin out during designated 'gray' weeks or 'green' weeks on the official city calendar. You can easily determine your specific schedule by visiting the Republic Services website and entering your home address.
Green Cart Organics and Kitchen Scraps
To help reduce landfill methane emissions, the city requires all households to utilize their green organics cart for both yard debris and kitchen scraps. This means you should toss your fruit peels, coffee grounds, meat bones, and food-soiled paper napkins directly in with your lawn clippings and leaves. Remember to keep regular garbage and non-compostable plastics completely out of this container to preserve the quality of the composted material.
Reserving Your Bulky Waste Appointments
Instead of hauling old couches to the dump, eligible residential customers can take advantage of three bulky waste collections per calendar year at no extra cost. Each scheduled pickup allows you to discard up to five cubic yards of oversized debris. However, these collections are strictly by appointment. You must contact Republic Services customer support at (916) 635-2500 to reserve your spot, and materials cannot be placed outside more than 24 hours before your confirmed date.
Disposal Lane Special Waste Collection Center
Certain items are strictly banned from all residential curbside bins, including batteries, harsh cleaning chemicals, wet paint, and electronic waste. Fortunately, residents can safely drop off these hazardous materials at the Special Waste Collection Center (SWCC) located at 9255 Disposal Lane. The facility is open Saturday through Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, providing a secure drop-off point for televisions, monitors, medical sharps, and used motor oil.
Holiday Collection Day Shifts
When major holidays like New Year's Day, Memorial Day, or Thanksgiving fall on a standard weekday, the garbage trucks will not run. Instead, all neighborhood routes for the remainder of that week are delayed by exactly one day. If your normal pickup happens to fall on a Thursday during a holiday week, you should plan to leave your bins out on Friday morning instead.
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.