Brown or Beige Bin (Trash)
Lids must be completely closed. All organic waste and kitchen food scraps should be put in this bin, as they are mechanically extracted and composted off-site.
Accepted Items
- ✓All household food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, fruits, veggies)
- ✓Food-soiled paper products, greasy pizza boxes, and napkins
- ✓Succulents, cacti, and palm fronds
- ✓Styrofoam packaging, cups, and food containers
- ✓Single-use plastic wrap, bags, and clean snack wrappers
- ✓Diapers, pet waste, and cat litter (must be bagged)
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables. All recyclable materials must be clean, dry, and placed loosely inside the blue container.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard boxes and paperboard packaging (must be flattened)
- ✓Clean, dry paper, junk mail, and newspapers
- ✓Aluminum, tin, and steel food and beverage cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (emptied and rinsed)
- ✓Rigid plastics and plastic bottles
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags, bubble wrap, or plastic film liners
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Hoses, holiday lights, wires, or extension cords
- ✕Ceramic dishware or drinking glasses
- ✕Food waste, liquids, or heavily soiled paper
Yard Waste Bin
Keep material loose. Do not include plastic bags, food scraps, succulents, palm fronds, dirt, rocks, or pet waste in this container.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Flowers and weeds
- ✓Prunings and small branches under 4 inches in diameter
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
4 free annual collection appointments
Placement
Place your scheduled bulky items at your curbside by 6:00 AM on your appointed collection day, clear of parked cars or utilities. Items exceeding 5 feet in length or 60 pounds must be reported when scheduling.
Accepted
- ✓ Large home appliances (refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers)
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, tables, mattresses, box springs)
- ✓ Tires and wooden pallets
- ✓ Electronic waste (televisions, computer monitors, electronics)
- ✓ Bundled green waste and extra bagged trash
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and remodeling materials (concrete, drywall)
- ✕ Hazardous waste (paints, household chemicals, automotive fluids)
- ✕ Boats, spas, or hot tubs
The four standard annual pickups are free of charge. Pickups exceeding the free limits must be arranged with MarBorg for a fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If your scheduled collection day falls on or after an observed weekday holiday, your service will be delayed by exactly one day for the rest of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Organic waste, recycling, and trash services all follow the same delayed holiday schedule.
If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, collections run normally on weekdays without any delay.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Yard Waste Exclusions: No Palms or Succulents
Never mix palm fronds, cacti, or succulents into your green yard waste cart. Because they do not break down in rapid mulch cycles, they damage processing equipment and must go into your brown trash bin.
Keep Film Plastics Out of Blue Carts
Never bag your recyclables or toss grocery bags, bubble wrap, or plastic wrap in the blue bin. Wrap can jam the mechanical sorters at the recycling center, causing system shutdowns.
Avoid Liquids in Recycling
Ensure all cans, glass jars, and plastic bottles are completely drained and rinsed out. Liquid contamination ruins clean paper and cardboard in the same truck load, rendering them unrecyclable.
Seasonal Information
Autumn Leaf Fall
October - JanuaryGoleta's abundant oaks and sycamores produce heavy leaf drop in late fall. Residents should sweep leaves into their green yard waste cart rather than blowing them into the road, as loose debris blocks storm drains and municipal sweepers.
Post-Holiday Tree Recycling
JanuaryDuring the first three weeks of January, natural Christmas trees are collected curbside for composting. Residents must remove all ornaments, stands, tinsel, and lights before placement next to their green bin.
About Goleta Waste Management
The Innovative ReSource Center System of Goleta
Residential waste management in Goleta features a highly advanced infrastructure powered by Santa Barbara County's ReSource Center. Unlike most regions in California that require separate curbside food scrap bins, Goleta residents put all food waste directly into their brown trash bins. The ReSource Center uses state-of-the-art mechanical and biological sorting to recover organics and recyclables from the general trash, converting organic material into compost and renewable energy that powers thousands of local homes.
Strict Separation for Yard Waste and Succulents
While food scraps go in the brown trash cart, standard landscaping waste is collected separately in your green yard waste container. Because Goleta's green waste is processed directly into clean garden mulch, slow-decomposing, fibrous, or tough materials like palm fronds, succulents, cacti, and ivy are strictly prohibited from the green bin. These plants must be placed in your brown trash container to go through the ReSource Center's specialized sorting processes.
Curbside Bagged Battery Recycling
Goleta offers a highly convenient solution to prevent hazardous waste from reaching landfills or local coastal ecosystems. Residents can recycle household batteries directly at the curb. Simply tape the contact terminals, seal the alkaline or rechargeable batteries in a clear zip-top bag, and place the bag on top of your blue recycling cart lid on your regular collection morning.
Unlimited Extra Recyclables and Yard Bins
To actively support municipal recycling and community greening, Goleta's franchise agreement with MarBorg Industries allows residential accounts to request extra blue recycling bins and green yard waste carts at no additional charge. Residents who want to compost directly in their yards can also request up to two backyard composting bins for free.
Drop-off Facilities
Goleta Recycle Center (MarBorg Industries)
20 David Love Place, Goleta, CA 93117
Materials Accepted
Community Hazardous Waste Collection Center (at UCSB)
Henry T. Yang Drive, Building 565, Goleta, CA 93106
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Goleta residents put food scraps in the brown trash bin instead of a green organics bin?
Goleta residents do not need a separate kitchen food waste bin because of Santa Barbara County's advanced ReSource Center. All trash sent to the Tajiguas Landfill goes through high-tech mechanical sorting that extracts food waste and organic materials to process them into compost and green energy off-site.
Can I throw succulents, cacti, or palm fronds in my green yard waste cart?
No, succulents, cacti, and palm fronds are slow-decomposing and highly fibrous, which makes them unsuitable for the county's commercial mulching equipment. You must place these specific landscape items into your brown trash container.
How do I safely recycle batteries at my home in Goleta?
You can recycle household batteries right at your curb. Simply cover the terminal ends with clear tape, seal them inside a clear zip-top plastic bag, and lay the bag directly on top of your blue recycling cart lid on your service morning.
How do I schedule a free bulky waste pickup for a large appliance?
Single-family residents can schedule up to four free bulky item pick-ups each year by calling MarBorg Industries at 805-963-1852. You can include up to 5 items per pickup, such as refrigerators, washing machines, or sofas.