Black Bin (Trash)
Carts must be rolled out to the curb by 6:00 AM on scheduled collection mornings. Ensure the container lid is fully closed to prevent wind scattering and local pests.
Accepted Items
- ✓Pet waste and cat litter (must be bagged)
- ✓Styrofoam packaging blocks and peanuts
- ✓Diapers and sanitary wipes
- ✓Single-use plastic wrap, chip bags, and candy wrappers
- ✓Black plastic packaging and dirty plastic cutlery
- ✓Broken window glass and home ceramics
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag your recyclables. All items must be placed completely loose, rinsed clean, and dry inside the blue recycling cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean, dry paper and junk mail
- ✓Cardboard and paperboard boxes (flattened)
- ✓Aluminum and steel beverage or food cans
- ✓Glass bottles and food jars
- ✓Rigid plastic containers marked #1 through #7
Do NOT Include
- ✕Single-use plastic grocery bags or plastic films
- ✕Styrofoam packaging
- ✕Garden hoses, extension cords, or ropes
- ✕Soiled food containers or liquid residue
- ✕Electronics and batteries (place batteries on the black lid instead)
Yard Waste Bin
Keep plastic bags completely out of the green cart. Do not place dirt, rocks, concrete, animal feces, treated lumber, or palm fronds inside.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings, yard trimmings, leaves, and weeds
- ✓Untreated, unpainted wood scraps and small branches
- ✓Food leftovers, meat, dairy, bones, fruit, and vegetable scraps
- ✓Food-soiled paper products (pizza boxes, napkins, paper towels)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
2 Free curbside appointments per calendar year
Placement
Schedule your pickup slot via Recology's customer portal, then set items out at your roadside edge. Affix a visible sign reading 'RECOLOGY' to the bulk pile. Do not block pedestrian paths or sidewalks.
Accepted
- ✓ Sofas, mattresses, box springs, and residential furniture
- ✓ Major home appliances (fridges, washers, dryers)
- ✓ Electronics and E-waste (computers, TVs, monitors)
- ✓ Up to 4 passenger vehicle tires (without rims)
- ✓ Up to 12 garbage bags or boxes of extra waste (up to 2 cubic yards)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous materials (paint, solvents, fuels)
- ✕ Dirt, sand, sod, gravel, stone, or concrete
- ✕ Treated wood waste (such as pressure-treated deck or fencing wood)
- ✕ Construction and home demolition debris
- ✕ Automotive parts and car tires with rims
- ✕ Any individual item exceeding 200 lbs or 5 feet in length
The two annual bulk pickups are completely free. If you exhaust your free credits, additional pickup requests can be arranged through Recology for a municipal fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Curbside waste collection runs as scheduled on almost all federal holidays throughout the year. The only two exceptions are Christmas Day and New Year's Day. If these holidays land on a weekday, service routes for the holiday and the remainder of the week are delayed by exactly one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Organic waste and recyclables align perfectly with the delayed holiday trash schedule.
If Christmas Day or New Year's Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, collections run normally with zero delays.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Loose Recyclables are a Must
Never package your recyclables in plastic bags before throwing them into the blue bin. Sort lines cannot handle bagged materials, meaning whole bags of clean recyclables get diverted straight to the landfill.
Keep Food Containers Clean
Make sure all plastic, metal, and glass bottles and tubs are empty, rinsed, and dry. Residual food wastes can easily ruin clean cardboard and paper mixed in the collection trucks.
Prepare Batteries Correctly to Prevent Fires
To prevent chemical short circuits and potential truck fires, you must tape the metal terminals of household batteries with clear tape before bagging them and placing them on top of your black cart lid.
Seasonal Information
Holiday Tree Composting
JanuaryBetween January 2nd and January 31st, natural, unflocked Christmas trees are collected curbside on your regular service day. Strip all tinsel, lights, stands, and decorations first. Cut trees over 8 feet in length in half and place them directly next to your green organics bin.
Storm Water Guarding & Runoff
November - MarchDuring rainy winter months, never sweep organic leaves, yard trimmings, or yard debris into gutters or road lanes. Doing so causes immediate blockages in Foster City's storm sewers, leading to urban street flooding and environmental lagoon contamination.
About Foster City Waste Management
Foster City's Curbside Resource Recovery and SBWMA Services
In Foster City, residential trash, recycling, and organic composting services are handled under a regional partnership with Recology San Mateo County. Administered through RethinkWaste (the South Bayside Waste Management Authority), this program is carefully structured to keep our local lagoons, waterfront pathways, and residential channels immaculate while achieving the high diversion targets mandated by California law.
Mandatory Organic Waste Sorting Under SB 1383
To align with California Senate Bill 1383, Foster City residents must actively separate all compostable organics from regular landfill trash. The green organics cart handles both garden waste and household food scraps—including meat, bones, and dairy—along with food-soiled paper products like paper plates and napkins. To assist residents in sorting kitchen waste, the city provides free small kitchen counter compost pails.
Innovative Curbside Household Battery & Cell Phone Recovery
To keep heavy metals and hazardous toxins away from our sensitive marine environments, Foster City offers a highly convenient curbside collection program for household batteries and old cell phones. Instead of visiting a landfill or transfer station, residents can seal dead batteries and small cell phones in a clear plastic bag and place them directly on top of their black trash cart lid on service morning.
Curbside Used Motor Oil and Filter Collection
Residents can easily recycle used automotive engine oil and oil filters right at the curb on scheduled collection mornings. Single-family households can contact Recology to request up to five free 1-gallon plastic oil jugs and up to five zippered filter bags. Simply leave the filled, sealed containers next to your blue recycling cart during weekly service.
Drop-off Facilities
Shoreway Environmental Center (RethinkWaste Transfer Station)
333 Shoreway Road (Gate 1), San Carlos, CA 94070
Materials Accepted
San Mateo County Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Program
Varying County Drop-Off Sites (Drop-off is free; appointments required)
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I secure a free kitchen compost pail in Foster City?
To help make separating kitchen scraps easy, small plastic kitchen compost pails are provided free of charge to single-family residential utility bill holders in Foster City. You can request or pick one up by contacting Recology Customer Service at 650-595-3900 or checking for local county environmental events.
Is there a local place where I can get free organic compost for my garden?
Yes! Foster City residents can obtain clean, premium compost free of charge year-round at the Shoreway Environmental Center in San Carlos. Simply stop by the scale house (via Gate 1) and show a valid ID or municipal utility bill as proof of residence. You must bring your own bags, shovels, and gloves.
How do I safely dispose of old medications and medical sharps in Foster City?
Never throw medical needles, sharps, or medications into your regular curbside carts. Unwanted medications can be dropped off at local police station drop-boxes. Used medical needles and sharps must be placed inside a certified puncture-resistant biohazard container and can be dropped off for free at the Shoreway Environmental Center Public Recycling Center.
What should I do if my collection bin was missed during weekly service?
First, verify that your containers were placed curbside by 6:00 AM on your regular collection day. If your bin was missed due to a missed route or other driver issues, contact Recology San Mateo County directly at 650-595-3900 or file an online service ticket through the Recology website.