Gray Bin (Trash)
All regular garbage should be securely bagged before being tossed into the gray cart to prevent wind-blown litter in Fresno's neighborhoods. Make sure the cart lid is completely closed.
Accepted Items
- ✓General household refuse
- ✓Pet waste and cat litter
- ✓Diapers
- ✓Styrofoam and packing peanuts
- ✓Broken glass and ceramics
- ✓Treated wood
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Place all recyclables loosely inside the blue cart. Never seal your recyclables in plastic garbage bags, as these bags jam the automated sorting machinery at the material recovery facility.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean paper and cardboard
- ✓Cans (aluminum and tin)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic bottles and containers (#1 through #5)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or plastic film
- ✕Food-soiled cardboard (like greasy pizza boxes)
- ✕Clothing, shoes, or textiles
- ✕Tanglers such as cords, wires, or garden hoses
Yard Waste Bin
This green cart is exclusively for organic waste. Keep organics loose inside the cart; do not use plastic bags, even if they are marketed as 'biodegradable' or 'compostable'.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and weeds
- ✓Leaves, tree prunings, and brush
- ✓Food scraps (cooked meat, bones, raw vegetables)
- ✓Food-soiled paper
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Once a year during 'Operation Clean Up' (Free) or year-round via 'Special Hauls' (Fee-based)
Placement
Place piles at the curb, 1 to 2 feet from the street edge, in the exact same location you place your regular trash carts. Do not place items in the alley for Operation Clean Up. Everything must be out by 6:00 a.m. on your assigned day.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and couches
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Major household appliances
- ✓ Tree limbs and brush
- ✓ Scrap lumber
- ✓ General large household items
Not Accepted
- ✕ Explosives and ammunition
- ✕ Radioactive materials
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Commercial or business waste
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (paint, batteries, oil)
Operation Clean Up is a free annual service. If you require immediate pickup, 'Special Hauls' require an extra fee (starting at a 30-minute minimum labor charge) and your utility account must have a zero balance to schedule.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
The Residential Collection Schedule DOES NOT change for most holidays (such as Memorial Day, MLK Jr. Day, or Labor Day). It only shifts by one day if Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Day falls on a weekday.
Yard Waste Exception
Green waste and organics carts follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as your gray trash and blue recycling carts.
During the week of Thanksgiving, Thursday service is delayed to Friday, and Friday service is pushed to Saturday.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Proper Cart Spacing is Essential
Fresno's automated collection trucks require ample room to safely operate their mechanical arms. Always place your gray, blue, and green carts at least 3 to 4 feet apart from each other, and keep them clear of mailboxes, basketball hoops, and parked cars.
Pizza Boxes Go in the Green Cart
A greasy pizza box cannot be recycled into clean paper, which means it ruins the materials in your blue cart. Instead, tear it up and toss it into your green organics cart where it can be properly composted.
Dispose of Tires Separately
Tires are never accepted in any of your three curbside carts or in your Operation Clean Up pile. If you need to dispose of old tires, you must contact Fresno Code Enforcement at (559) 621-8400.
Seasonal Information
Fall/Winter
October - JanuaryDuring the fall season, ensure that all accumulated leaves and yard debris fit entirely inside your green organics cart with the lid completely closed. SWMD drivers cannot service overfilled or overflowing carts.
Spring
March - JuneThe Solid Waste Management Division typically hosts Free Dump Events during the spring months at the CARTS facility on Cedar Avenue, allowing eligible residents to haul one full-size pickup truck load of bulky items at no extra cost.
About Fresno Waste Management
Mastering Fresno's Three-Cart Collection System
The City of Fresno’s Solid Waste Management Division (SWMD) services approximately 119,000 residential accounts using an automated three-cart system. Single-family homes up to fourplexes are provided with three 96-gallon bins: a gray cart for landfill trash, a blue cart for recyclables, and a green cart for organics. To guarantee service, residents must roll their carts to the curb by 5:30 a.m. on their designated collection day, although bins can be set out as early as 6:00 p.m. the evening prior. Once emptied, city ordinances require all carts to be removed from the street and stored out of public view.
Meeting SB 1383 Organics Mandates in the Central Valley
In compliance with California’s SB 1383, Fresno residents must actively sort all organic waste into their green carts. This includes not just traditional yard clippings like grass and leaves, but also kitchen food scraps, meat, bones, and food-soiled paper products. By diverting these materials away from local landfills, the city turns organic waste into valuable compost while significantly reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions. Remember to keep these materials loose; plastic and bio-plastic bags are strictly prohibited in the green organics cart.
Operation Clean Up: Fresno's Annual Bulk Waste Event
Once a year, Fresno provides a massive community benefit known as Operation Clean Up (OCU). This free curbside bulk collection program allows residents to discard large household items, furniture, and major appliances without having to visit the dump. Residents are required to sort their debris into two distinct piles—one exclusively for yard clippings and lumber, and another for all other acceptable trash. Items should be placed 1 to 2 feet from the curb no earlier than seven days before the neighborhood's scheduled OCU date.
Handling Holidays and On-Demand Special Hauls
Unlike many municipalities, Fresno’s collection schedule is highly resilient to holidays. Service is only delayed for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Holidays such as Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day will not disrupt your normal trash pickup. If you generate bulk waste outside of the annual Operation Clean Up window, the SWMD offers on-demand 'Special Hauls' for a fee, or you can take advantage of the Free Dump Events typically hosted at the CARTS facility during the spring and fall.
Drop-off Facilities
CARTS Facility (Cedar Avenue Recycling and Transfer Station)
3457 S. Cedar Ave., Fresno, CA 93725
Materials Accepted
Fresno County Household Hazardous Waste Facility
1327 West Dan Ronquillo Drive, Fresno, CA 93706
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What holidays actually delay trash pickup in Fresno?
The City of Fresno SWMD only delays collection for three major holidays: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. If your pickup day falls on or after these holidays on a weekday, it will be delayed by one day. Other holidays like Labor Day, Veterans Day, or Memorial Day do not disrupt service.
How do I participate in Fresno's Operation Clean Up?
Operation Clean Up is an annual bulk waste collection program assigned by neighborhood zones. You do not need to call to schedule it, but you must check the city's schedule to find your specific date. Set your items out no more than 7 days prior to your date, sorted into one yard waste pile and one trash pile.
Can I throw food scraps into my yard waste cart?
Yes. To comply with California's SB 1383 organics law, all Fresno residents must place food waste—such as vegetable peels, cooked meat, bones, and food-soiled paper—directly into the green organics cart along with traditional yard trimmings.
How do I request an extra bulk pickup if I miss Operation Clean Up?
If you missed your annual free collection, you can request an on-demand 'Special Haul' by calling 559-621-6888. This is a fee-based service, and your city utility account must have no past-due balance to qualify for the appointment.