Black or Gray Bin (Trash)
All regular household trash should be bagged to prevent litter. Ensure the lid can close completely. Carts must be placed at the curb with handles facing your home.
Accepted Items
- ✓Non-recyclable household garbage
- ✓Styrofoam and packing peanuts
- ✓Pet waste and kitty litter
- ✓Diapers and sanitary products
- ✓Broken ceramics or glassware
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Recyclables must be completely empty, clean, and dry. Place items loosely in the blue cart. Never put your recyclables inside a plastic garbage bag.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Junk mail, magazines, and office paper
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (lids removed)
- ✓Aluminum, tin, and steel cans
- ✓Rigid plastics (bottles, jugs, tubs)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or film wrap
- ✕Food waste or liquids
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, wires, cords)
- ✕Styrofoam packaging
- ✕Clothing or textiles
Yard Waste Bin
Yard trimmings should be placed loose in the green cart. All food scraps and food-soiled paper MUST be placed inside a CLEAR plastic bag so contents are visible. Opaque bags are prohibited.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Tree and hedge trimmings
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, fruits, vegetables)
- ✓Food-soiled paper products
- ✓Clear plastic bags (strictly for containing food scraps)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
4 free collection appointments per calendar year for residential properties (1-4 units).
Placement
Requests must be made at least three working days prior to your collection day. Items must be placed at the curb, in the alley, or at the side street curb by 6:00 a.m. on the scheduled day.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, mattresses, tables)
- ✓ Large household appliances
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, monitors)
- ✓ Excess bundled yard waste (up to 10 bundles)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals)
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris (concrete, dirt, bricks)
- ✕ Vehicle tires and automotive parts
- ✕ Industrial or commercial waste
If you exceed the 4 free pickups per year, additional collections can be scheduled for a predetermined fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
During the week of an observed holiday, collections will be postponed by one day on the holiday and for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling collections follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as standard trash.
If a recognized holiday falls on a weekend, your standard weekday collection schedule remains completely unaffected.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Don't Hide Organics in Opaque Bags
Your green organics cart is for yard waste and food scraps. While you are asked to bag your kitchen food waste, you must use CLEAR plastic bags. Opaque, colored, or black garbage bags will result in your cart being red-tagged for contamination.
Film Plastics Ruin Recycling
Never put your recyclables in plastic bags. Plastic grocery bags, bubble wrap, and shrink wrap wrap around the mechanical sorting gears at the recycling center, causing major delays. Drop them off at a local grocery store instead.
E-Waste Requires Special Handling
Old electronics, cell phones, and lithium-ion batteries pose severe fire risks to collection trucks. Keep them out of all curbside carts and utilize the Glendale Recycling Center or the Fire Department's HHW facility.
Seasonal Information
Summer
July to SeptemberDuring periods of extreme Southern California heat, ensure all food waste is securely tied in clear bags within your organics cart to minimize odors and prevent pest activity in your neighborhood.
Winter
December to JanuaryHoliday trees are collected curbside during standard service days following Christmas. Ensure trees are free of all ornaments, tinsel, and stands. Flocked trees cannot be composted and must go in the black trash cart.
Year-Round
January to DecemberSB 1383 mandates cart contamination inspections. Glendale's Integrated Waste staff conduct random lid flips. If your cart receives a red tag, you must remove the incorrect items before it will be serviced.
About Glendale Waste Management
Glendale's Hybrid Waste Collection System
Glendale operates a unique hybrid system for waste management. Single-family homes and smaller multi-unit properties (up to 4 units) receive direct curbside service from the City of Glendale’s Integrated Waste Management Division. Meanwhile, larger apartment buildings and commercial properties are serviced by four designated franchise haulers based on assigned geographic zones. Regardless of your property type, the city mandates a three-cart system to comply with California’s state-mandated environmental regulations.
The Unique 'Clear Bag' Organics Rule
While many California cities ban plastic bags entirely from their green organics bins, Glendale has a very specific exception to comply with SB 1383 while maintaining neighborhood sanitation. To manage odors and pests, the city requests that all kitchen food scraps and food-soiled paper be placed inside CLEAR plastic bags (or clear bioplastic bags) before going into the green cart. The contents must be clearly visible to inspectors. Black bags, opaque grocery bags, and even paper bags (unless placed inside a clear plastic bag) are strictly prohibited, as they obscure the organic material inside.
Four Free Bulky Pickups Annually
Disposing of old furniture or large appliances is highly convenient for Glendale residents. Properties with 1 to 4 units are entitled to four free bulky item pickup appointments every calendar year. Each scheduled appointment allows you to place up to four large items or ten bundles of yard waste at the curb. Pickups must be requested at least three working days prior to your standard refuse collection day using the city's online portal or by calling the Integrated Waste Call Center.
Free Local HHW Drop-Off
Keeping toxic materials out of the Scholl Canyon Landfill is a top municipal priority. The Glendale Fire Department operates one of the oldest permanent indoor Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facilities in Southern California, located on Chevy Chase Drive. Open every Wednesday and the second Saturday of the month, this facility allows residents of Glendale and La Cañada to safely drop off items like leftover paint, used motor oil, pool chemicals, and batteries completely free of charge.
Drop-off Facilities
Glendale Environmental Management Center (HHW)
548 W. Chevy Chase Drive, Glendale, CA 91204
Materials Accepted
Scholl Canyon Landfill
7721 North Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90041
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Who collects my trash in Glendale, CA?
It depends on the size of your property. Single-family homes and multi-unit buildings with up to 4 units receive service directly from the City of Glendale's Integrated Waste Management Division. Larger multi-family complexes (5+ units) and commercial properties are serviced by one of four franchised haulers: Athens Services, NASA Services, Southland Environmental Services, or Waste Management.
Can I put food waste directly into my green organics cart?
In Glendale, yard trimmings like grass and leaves should go loose into the green cart. However, all kitchen food scraps and food-soiled paper must be placed inside a CLEAR plastic bag or clear bioplastic bag before going into the cart. This helps manage pests while allowing inspectors to verify the contents. Do not use black garbage bags or opaque grocery bags for organics.
How do I schedule a bulky item pickup in Glendale?
Residential properties with 1-4 units receive four free bulky item pickup appointments per calendar year. Each pickup allows up to four large items or 10 bundles of green waste. You must request the pickup at least three working days prior to your normal refuse collection day by calling the Integrated Waste Call Center at (818) 548-3916 or using the city's online request form.
Where can I safely dispose of household hazardous waste (HHW) in Glendale?
Glendale residents can safely dispose of toxic materials like paint, pool chemicals, fertilizers, and batteries at the Glendale Fire Department's Household Hazardous Waste center located at 548 W. Chevy Chase Drive. The facility is completely free and operates every Wednesday and the second Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.