Black Bin (Trash)
Place cart at the curb with the lid fully closed. Batteries and hazardous materials must never be placed in the trash cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Animal waste and cat litter
- ✓Diapers
- ✓Shelf-stable cartons and drink pouches
- ✓Styrofoam/Foam plastic
- ✓Palm fronds and ivy
- ✓Plastic utensils and straws
Blue Bin (Recycling)
All recyclable containers must be empty, clean, and dry. Do not bag your recyclables; leave them loose in the cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Empty plastic containers (caps on)
- ✓Clean aluminum foil (crumpled in a ball)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Flattened cardboard
- ✓Clean paper
Do NOT Include
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Plastic bags or film
- ✕Pouches or poly-coated cartons
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, cords)
Yard Waste Bin
Materials must fit in the cart with the lid closed. Do not include palm fronds, ivy, or standard plastic bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy)
- ✓Plant debris and weeds
- ✓Food-soiled paper and pizza boxes
- ✓BPI Certified compostable bags
- ✓Untreated wood scraps
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
2 free on-call clean-ups per calendar year
Placement
Schedule your pickup by calling 510-262-7100. Place items curbside on the confirmed day; bags must weigh less than 50 lbs each.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (couches, tables)
- ✓ Large household appliances
- ✓ Mattresses (wrapped in plastic)
- ✓ Electronic waste
- ✓ Up to 15 bags of yard waste or regular trash
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste and chemicals
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Tires
- ✕ Dirt, rocks, and concrete
The first two pickups per year are completely free. Additional pickups or items beyond the limit will incur extra fees.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday (Monday - Friday), your collection will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Recycling and organics collection follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as the standard garbage.
If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there are no delays and your curbside pickup will occur on its normal scheduled day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Palm Fronds and Ivy in the Trash
Unlike standard yard trimmings, palm fronds and ivy are too tough and fibrous to break down properly at the regional composting facility. In Hercules, these specific plants must be disposed of in your Black garbage cart.
Shelf-Stable Cartons Belong in the Garbage
While they might look like cardboard, poly-coated items like juice boxes, milk cartons, and shelf-stable aseptic containers are lined with plastic and cannot be recycled in your Blue cart. They must go in the Black trash cart.
Leave Plastic Caps On Bottles
When recycling plastic water bottles or soda bottles, Republic Services requests that you empty the liquids, rinse if necessary, and leave the plastic caps tightly screwed on the bottles before tossing them in the Blue cart.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryFollowing the holidays, Christmas trees can be recycled in your Green organics cart. You must remove all lights, tinsel, ornaments, and stands, and cut the tree into pieces so that it fits completely inside the cart with the lid closed.
Year-Round
MonthlyHercules residents can take advantage of the West County Resource Recovery Facility (WCRR) Compost Give-Away Program on the first Wednesday of each month in Richmond to grab free, nutrient-rich compost for their seasonal gardens.
About Hercules Waste Management
New Republic Services Franchise Agreement
The City of Hercules continues its long-standing partnership with Republic Services under a newly approved franchise agreement that took effect in July 2025. Republic Services handles curbside collection for the city's mandatory three-cart system, while the West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority (RecycleMore) oversees the post-collection processing and diversion programs to ensure Hercules meets its state-mandated sustainability goals.
Flexible On-Call Curbside Cleanups
Hercules residential customers are entitled to two free on-call bulky item cleanups per calendar year. This program is uniquely flexible: for each cleanup appointment, residents can choose to dispose of up to three large furniture items, five electronic waste items, fifteen 35-gallon bags of yard waste or trash, or four 95-gallon bags. Appointments must be scheduled in advance by contacting Republic Services customer service.
SB 1383 Compliance and Compostable Bags
To comply with California's SB 1383 short-lived climate pollutant strategy, Hercules requires all food scraps and food-soiled paper to be placed in the Green organics cart. While many jurisdictions strictly ban all bags in the green bin, Hercules allows the use of BPI-certified compostable bags and liners to contain messy kitchen scraps before tossing them into the organics cart.
Hazardous Waste Drop-Off in West County
Items like batteries, motor oil, and wet paint cause truck fires and are strictly banned from curbside carts. Hercules residents can safely dispose of these materials at the West Contra Costa Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility located at 101 Pittsburg Ave in Richmond, which operates Wednesday through Saturday.
Drop-off Facilities
West Contra Costa HHW Facility & Buy Back Center
101 Pittsburg Ave, Richmond, CA 94801
Materials Accepted
Golden Bear Transfer Station
1 Parr Blvd, Richmond, CA 94801
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I schedule a bulky item pickup in Hercules?
Hercules residents receive two free on-call bulky item clean-ups each year. You can schedule a pickup by calling Republic Services at (510) 262-7100. You can choose to dispose of up to three large items, five e-waste items, or up to fifteen 35-gallon bags of trash per pickup.
Does my trash get delayed on Memorial Day?
No. Republic Services in Hercules only observes five holidays: New Year's Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Curbside collection is not delayed for Memorial Day.
Can I use compostable bags for my food scraps in Hercules?
Yes, under the local organics program guidelines, residents can use BPI-certified compostable bags and liners to collect food scraps and place them in the Green organics cart. Standard plastic bags are strictly prohibited.
Where should I throw away old milk cartons or juice pouches?
Shelf-stable cartons, milk cartons, and juice pouches (poly-coated paper) cannot be recycled in your Blue cart because of their plastic lining. They must be thrown away in your Black garbage cart.