Brown Bin (Trash)
All trash must be securely bagged to prevent windblown litter. Roll carts to the curb by 5:00 a.m. on collection day. Allow 18 inches of clearance on all sides of the cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Pet waste and kitty litter (bagged)
- ✓Diapers and wipes
- ✓Expanded Polystyrene (Styrofoam)
- ✓Food-soiled paper and greasy cardboard (fast-food wrappers)
- ✓Treated or painted wood
- ✓Ceramics, china, and broken window glass
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables (except shredded paper). All containers must be Empty, Clean, and Dry. Carts with egregious contamination will be rejected or charged a fee.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard and clean paper
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Rigid plastic containers
- ✓Shredded paper (only if bagged in clear plastic or paper)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Styrofoam (foam packaging)
- ✕Food or liquid waste
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses, wires)
- ✕Textiles and clothing
Yard Waste Bin
If it grows, it goes! Place all organics loosely in the cart. Absolutely no plastic bags, compostable bags, bioplastics, or fiber food containers are allowed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Plant and flower trimmings
- ✓Clean, untreated wood and tree limbs (up to 4 inches in diameter)
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, produce, coffee grounds)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Four (4) appointments per calendar year
Placement
You must call Tri-Cities Disposal at (888) 678-6798 to schedule an appointment. Due to high demand, wait times can be up to three weeks. Place items curbside only on your scheduled appointment day.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, tables, chairs)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Large household appliances (white goods)
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, computers)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals)
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris (bricks, concrete, dirt)
- ✕ Tires and auto parts
- ✕ Bagged household garbage
This service is included at no extra charge. Multi-family and apartment residents must have their property manager call to coordinate the pickup.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a recognized holiday falls on a weekday, collections for the holiday and the remainder of the week will be delayed by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as the standard trash service.
If Christmas, New Year's, or the 4th of July falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no delay to the regular weekday collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Don't Bag Recyclables
Never use plastic garbage bags or grocery sacks for your recyclables. Except for shredded paper enclosed in a clear bag, all materials in the blue cart must be loose. If it is bagged, it will be treated as trash.
Compostable Does Not Mean Accepted
Products marked as 'compostable' (like bioplastics and fiber to-go containers) do not break down in the regional residential compost system. They must go into your brown trash cart.
Diapers and Styrofoam are Trash
Soiled diapers, wipes, and expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam) cannot be recycled or composted. Always place these items in your brown garbage cart.
Seasonal Information
Winter Holidays
JanuaryTri-Cities Disposal offers curbside Christmas tree recycling during the first two to three weeks of January. Remove all tinsel, ornaments, and stands. Un-flocked trees can also be cut into pieces and placed inside the green organics cart.
Summer and Fall Cleanups
August and SeptemberGreenfield partners with Tri-Cities Disposal to host bi-annual Community-wide Garage Sales and Free Drop-off Cleanup events, usually taking place at the Greenfield Corporation Yard. Check your mailers for specific late summer dates.
About Greenfield Waste Management
Salinas Valley Waste Management Partnership
Nestled in the heart of the agricultural Salinas Valley, the City of Greenfield partners with Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling Service (TCDRS) and the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority (SVSWA) to manage residential waste. This regional collaboration ensures sustainable diversion efforts, offering residents a comprehensive color-coded, three-cart automated curbside system to keep the valley's soil and water free of contamination.
SB 1383 Compliance: No 'Compostable' Plastics
To comply with California's SB 1383 organics mandate, Greenfield residents use their green cart for both yard trimmings and food scraps, guided by the rule: 'If it grows, it goes!' However, there is a very strict rule for residential accounts: food scraps must be placed in the cart completely loose. Bioplastics, compostable bags, and fiber to-go containers are strictly banned because they do not break down in the regional composting facility.
Strict Bagging Rules to Prevent Valley Litter
To combat litter caused by strong afternoon winds in the Salinas Valley, Tri-Cities Disposal requires that all regular landfill waste placed in the brown garbage cart be securely bagged. Conversely, items in the blue mixed recycling cart must be absolutely loose, clean, and dry. There is only one exception: shredded paper may be recycled, provided it is sealed in a clear plastic or paper grocery bag and clearly labeled.
Curbside Motor Oil and Battery Collection Perks
Keeping toxic materials out of the local watershed and agricultural soil is a top priority. Greenfield offers highly convenient curbside solutions for common household hazardous waste. Residents can request a free used motor oil and filter collection bag from Tri-Cities. Additionally, household batteries can be safely recycled by placing them in a sealed, quart-sized clear plastic bag resting directly on top of the blue recycling cart's lid on collection day.
Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) Prevention
The City of Greenfield actively campaigns against pouring Fats, Oils, and Grease down residential kitchen drains. Even when flushed with hot water, liquid grease rapidly cools and solidifies inside local sewer pipes, causing costly blockages and sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs). Residents are instructed to wipe greasy pots and pans with paper towels before washing, tossing the soiled paper into the brown trash cart.
Drop-off Facilities
Johnson Canyon Landfill & Recycling Center
31400 Johnson Canyon Road, Gonzales, CA 93926
Materials Accepted
Salinas Valley Recycles Hazardous Waste Facility
1104 Madison Lane, Salinas, CA 93907
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I throw food scraps in my green cart in Greenfield?
Yes. Following state law, all food scraps—including meat, bones, dairy, and produce—must go into the green yard waste cart. However, you must place the food scraps in loose. Do not use compostable bags or bioplastic containers.
How do I schedule a large item pickup for an old mattress?
Greenfield residents receive up to four free bulky item appointments a year, with up to five items per pickup. Call Tri-Cities Disposal at (888) 678-6798 to book. Be aware that appointments can book out up to three weeks in advance.
What is the proper way to dispose of old batteries?
Tri-Cities Disposal offers a convenient curbside battery collection program. Simply place your household batteries in a quart-size clear plastic zipper bag, and place the sealed bag on top of your blue recycling cart's lid on collection day.
What are the rules for placing carts on the street?
Carts must be rolled to the edge of the street by 5:00 a.m. on your collection day with the wheels against the curb and lids facing the street. Leave at least 18 inches of clearance around each cart and avoid placing them near cars or low branches.