Gray Bin (Trash)
All household trash must fit within the cart, allowing the lid to close fully. Refrain from overstuffing the bin so that waste falls out freely during automated collection.
Accepted Items
- ✓Styrofoam packaging
- ✓diapers
- ✓pet waste
- ✓loose plastic bags
- ✓broken glass wrapped securely
- ✓wipes and napkins
- ✓broken ceramics
Blue Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be clean, dry, and loose. Never bag your recyclables, as bagged items cannot be sorted at the Cal-Waste MRF and will end up discarded.
Accepted Items
- ✓clean aluminum cans
- ✓tin and steel cans
- ✓dry cardboard boxes
- ✓mixed paper and junk mail
- ✓clean plastic bottles and jugs #1-7
- ✓glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕plastic bags of any kind
- ✕food-soiled containers
- ✕styrofoam
- ✕electronics
- ✕lightbulbs
- ✕ceramics and mirror glass
Yard Waste Bin
Place organic wastes and food scraps loosely into your green bin. Plastic bags, bioplastics, and compostable plastics are completely banned as they cause compost contamination.
Accepted Items
- ✓leaves and grass clippings
- ✓small tree branches and weeds
- ✓vegetables and fruit scraps
- ✓meat, bones, and dairy products
- ✓food-soiled paper napkins
- ✓used paper cups and pizza boxes
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
1 free Handy Hauler AND 1 free Large Item Pickup per calendar year
Placement
Place scheduled bulky items or your Handy Hauler curbside, ensuring it remains at least 3 feet away from regular carts and 6 feet from cars.
Accepted
- ✓ furniture
- ✓ mattresses
- ✓ large exercise equipment
- ✓ appliances (water heaters, ranges, refrigerators)
- ✓ electronic waste (computers, TVs, stereos)
- ✓ carpet rolls
Not Accepted
- ✕ dirt, rock, concrete, or tile
- ✕ household hazardous waste
- ✕ tires
- ✕ items over 50 pounds (for the Handy Hauler container)
- ✕ uncontained loose debris
Fees apply for Freon evacuation in refrigerators, freezers, or air conditioning units. Extra bulky cleanups can be booked for an additional fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Cal-Waste services are only delayed for Christmas Day and New Year's Day. If either holiday falls on a weekday, collections for the remainder of that week will be delayed by exactly one business day.
Yard Waste Exception
Organic waste and recycling collections are delayed by the same one-day holiday rule as solid waste.
If Christmas or New Year's Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there are absolutely no collection delays during the week.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
The 'Loose Only' Recycle Rule
Never bag your recyclables. Sorting facilities rely on automated optical scanners and screen rollers that are easily jammed by loose plastic bags. Bagged recyclables are pulled off the line and directed to the landfill.
Say No to Bio-Plastics in Compost
Even if a plastic cup or fork is labeled 'compostable' or 'biodegradable', it cannot be processed by the municipal composting systems serving Galt. Keep these in the gray trash bin.
Keep Food Out of Your Blue Recycling Bin
Food residue on cardboard or plastic contaminates the clean recycling stream. Ensure all containers are scraped empty and dry before tossing them in the blue cart.
Seasonal Information
Post-Holiday Tree Pickup
December - JanuaryClean Christmas trees can be composted. Cut your tree down to fit entirely inside your green organics cart with the lid closed, or look for specific community drop-off sites advertised by Galt Public Works.
Leaf Drop Management
October - DecemberGalt experiences heavy leaf fall in late autumn. Make sure your leaves go into the green cart loose. Do not blow or sweep leaves into street gutters, which can clog stormwater inlets and cause street flooding.
About Galt Waste Management
A Sustainable Partnership: Galt and Cal-Waste
Galt manages its residential waste stream through a dedicated exclusive franchise contract with Cal-Waste Recovery Systems. This model ensures that every household in Galt receives predictable, environmentally sound collection services. The system is custom-designed to optimize regional waste diversion and adhere to strict state environmental statutes, protecting the fertile agricultural landscape of surrounding Sacramento County.
Proper Cart Placement and Weekday Collections
Residential curbside pickup in Galt begins bright and early. To guarantee service, residents must roll out their carts by 5:00 AM on their scheduled collection day. Ensure carts are placed roadside or just forward of the sidewalk with three feet of clearance on all sides and six feet of distance from parked vehicles. Proper spacing allows automated side-loader trucks to grip and empty carts without damaging neighborhood property.
SB 1383 and Galt’s Organic Green Waste Initiative
Under California SB 1383 mandates, organic and yard wastes are collected weekly to keep compostable material out of landfills. Galt residents utilize the 96-gallon green cart for everything from lawn clippings to food scraps, including meat, bones, dairy, and food-soiled paper products like greasy pizza boxes or napkins. Utilizing the green cart directly halts methane production in local landfill zones.
Cal-Waste's Innovative Split-Body Truck Fleet
To streamline local collection routes and lower municipal greenhouse gas emissions, Cal-Waste employs specialized split-body trucks. These vehicles possess two entirely separate compartments inside the same chassis, allowing a single truck to simultaneously empty trash and organics on your street while completely preventing the co-mingling of materials. It is a highly efficient way Galt keeps its service rates stable.
Drop-off Facilities
Elk Grove Special Waste Collection Center (SWCC)
9255 Disposal Lane, Elk Grove, CA 95624
Materials Accepted
San Joaquin County Household Hazardous Waste Facility
7850 R.A. Bridgeford Street, Stockton, CA 95206
Materials Accepted
Galt Materials Recovery Facility (Cal-Waste)
175 Enterprise Court, Galt, CA 95632
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I dispose of household hazardous waste in Galt?
Galt residents can dispose of household hazardous waste (paints, pesticides, chemicals) for free at the nearby Elk Grove Special Waste Collection Center or the San Joaquin County HHW Facility. The City of Galt also typically hosts a free annual HHW collection event in the spring at the Galt Market Grounds.
Where can I drop off old paint, batteries, or medication?
Batteries can be dropped off at the Galt Police Department (455 Industrial Drive) or Galt Community Park. Unwanted paint can be taken to participating local PaintCare retail locations. Unused medications can be placed in drop boxes located at the Galt Police Station or Valley Pharmacy Express.
Can I use compostable bags in my green organic waste cart?
No. Cal-Waste does not accept compostable or biodegradable plastic bags in Galt's green bins. All organic food waste and yard scraps must be placed directly into the cart loose, or wrapped in paper bags or newspaper.
How can I schedule a free bulky waste pickup?
You can schedule your one free annual Large Item Pickup or request your 3.5-cubic-yard Handy Hauler container by calling Cal-Waste customer service directly at (209) 369-6887 or using the 'Cal-Waste Recycles Right' mobile app.