Dark Gray with Black Lid (or solid Burgundy) Bin (Trash)
All household trash must be securely bagged to prevent litter, and the cart lid must close completely. Do not overfill.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Chip bags and snack wrappers
- ✓Plastic bags and film
- ✓Styrofoam and foam cups
- ✓Pet waste
- ✓Diapers
Dark Gray with Blue Lid (or solid Gray) Bin (Recycling)
Place all recyclables loose directly into the cart. Never bag your recyclables, and ensure all containers are lightly rinsed and free of food debris.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Paper and junk mail
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Polystyrene foam
- ✕Clothing or textiles
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, wires)
Yard Waste Bin
Do not use plastic bags. Food waste and yard trimmings must be placed directly into the cart or contained in compostable paper bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Small branches and prunings
- ✓Meat, fish, poultry, and dairy scraps
- ✓Fruits and vegetables
- ✓Bread, pasta, and coffee grounds
- ✓Food-soiled paper and tea bags
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
2 free pickups per calendar year
Placement
Place your scheduled bulky items at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated collection morning, ensuring they do not block mailboxes or bike lanes.
Accepted
- ✓ Couches and sofas
- ✓ Refrigerators and appliances
- ✓ Washers and dryers
- ✓ Mattresses (must be wrapped and taped)
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs and monitors)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Automotive parts
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Hazardous waste (paint, oil, chemicals)
- ✕ Items too heavy for two people to lift
If you exceed your two free annual pickups, additional bulky item collections can be scheduled for a nominal fee by contacting WM customer service.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When an observed holiday falls on a weekday, curbside collection is delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
No separate exception; organic waste follows the same delayed schedule.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no disruption or delay to the normal service schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Ditch the Plastic Bags in Recycling
The number one contaminant in French Valley's recycling stream is the plastic garbage bag. When you bag your recyclables, the sorting facility treats the entire bag as trash because the machinery cannot safely tear them open.
Keep the Lids Closed Tightly
Overfilled carts are a major issue that triggers automated camera warnings from WM. If your bin lid sits open even a few inches, the truck's mechanical arm may spill debris onto the street, and you could be subject to overage fees.
Isolate Your E-Waste and Batteries
Never throw alkaline batteries, lithium-ion batteries, or old cell phones into any of your three curbside bins. They pose a massive fire risk to the collection trucks and local processing facilities.
Seasonal Information
Fall
September - NovemberSanta Ana wind events frequently sweep through French Valley, creating severe litter hazards. Ensure all trash is tightly bagged and consider waiting until the morning of your collection day to place your bins on the curb to prevent them from tipping over.
Winter
December - JanuaryWM offers a free holiday tree recycling program from December 26 through January 9. Trees longer than six feet must be cut in half, and all tinsel, ornaments, and stands must be completely removed. Flocked trees are collected as trash and cannot be composted.
Summer
June - AugustInland Empire summer temperatures routinely exceed 100 degrees, which can cause food scraps in your organics cart to smell rapidly. Freeze meat and dairy scraps indoors, and only dump them into your green cart on the morning of your pickup.
About French Valley Waste Management
Navigating French Valley's Evolving Waste Services
As an unincorporated community in Riverside County, French Valley operates its curbside refuse services through an exclusive franchise agreement with Waste Management (WM) of Inland Empire. Because the region is rapidly growing, standardizing waste collection has become a massive priority. Recently, WM transitioned the community to a highly structured three-cart system to align with strict California state regulations. If you are a new resident moving into the 92596 zip code, you will automatically be set up with a dark gray cart sporting a black lid for trash, a blue lid for recycling, and a green lid for organic waste.
Strict Adherence to Senate Bill 1383 Organics Mandates
French Valley homeowners must closely monitor how they dispose of food waste. Under California's SB 1383, it is no longer legal to throw food scraps into your standard black-lid trash bin. Instead, everything from coffee grounds and meat bones to moldy bread and yard trimmings must go directly into the green-lid organics cart. To help offset the odor, residents are encouraged to freeze their food waste in a kitchen pail before collection day or layer their scraps between dried leaves and lawn clippings.
Automated Enforcement via Smart Truck Technology
Waste Management utilizes advanced Smart Truck technology throughout its French Valley routes. The automated arms on the collection trucks are equipped with cameras that photograph the contents of your bins as they are emptied. If the system detects contamination—such as plastic bags in the recycling bin or household trash in the organics cart—you will receive a warning notice containing photographic evidence. Chronic offenses can lead to financial penalties, so it is imperative to sort your waste properly.
Disposing of Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)
Due to strict environmental protections in Riverside County, Waste Management will not accept any hazardous materials at the curb. This includes paint, motor oil, batteries, pool chemicals, and electronic waste. Fortunately, French Valley residents can utilize the permanent HHW collection facilities operated by the Riverside County Waste Management Department, such as the nearby Murrieta County Road Yard for antifreeze, batteries, oil, and paint (ABOP) or the Lamb Canyon facility in Beaumont.
Drop-off Facilities
Murrieta County Road Yard (ABOP Center)
25315 Jefferson Avenue, Murrieta, CA 92562
Materials Accepted
Lamb Canyon Landfill (HHW & ABOP)
16411 Lamb Canyon Road, Beaumont, CA 92223
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How does California's Senate Bill 1383 affect my food waste disposal in French Valley?
SB 1383 mandates that all organic material—including meat, dairy, coffee grounds, and yard clippings—be diverted from landfills to reduce methane emissions. You must place all food scraps into your green-lid organics cart instead of your standard trash bin. Do not bag these scraps in plastic.
What should I do if my black-lid WM trash bin is full and I have extra bags?
As part of the residential franchise agreement, French Valley residents are allowed to place one extra 32-gallon garbage bag (weighing up to 50 pounds) next to their cart up to five times per year. You must call WM in advance to schedule this extra bag collection.
Can I put dead batteries or old cell phones in my recycling cart?
No, batteries and electronics cannot go inside any of your carts. However, French Valley residents can place up to 15 items—including household batteries and cell phones—in a sealed, clear plastic bag placed securely on top of their recycling cart on collection day.
How do I request a bulky item pickup for an old couch or mattress?
You can request up to two free bulky item pickups per year by calling WM at (800) 423-9986 or visiting your My WM online account. You must submit your request at least 48 hours prior to your normal collection day. Mattresses must be wrapped and securely taped before being placed on the curb.