Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Huntington Beach
Trash Day
Varies by neighborhood zone
Recycling
Varies by neighborhood zone (collected weekly on the same day as trash)
Yard Waste
Varies by neighborhood zone (collected weekly on the same day as trash)
Set Out Time
By 7:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential trash service is automatically set up and billed as part of your monthly City of Huntington Beach municipal water and utility statement.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail, Bank Bill Pay
Pro Tip / Discount
Low-income seniors aged 62 and older may apply for a 50% discount on residential trash collection and a Utility User Tax Exemption.
Black or Brown Bin (Trash)
Place cart facing the street with hinges pointing toward your home by 7:00 AM. Carts require at least 1 foot of clearance on all sides.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Diapers
- ✓Bagged pet waste
Blue Bin (Recycling)
All recyclable items must be clean, dry, and placed loosely in the blue cart. Never put your recyclables inside plastic bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard
- ✓Paper
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Clean plastics
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, cords, wires)
Yard Waste Bin
Mix food waste with yard trimmings in the green organics cart to comply with state mandates. Keep lids completely closed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Weeds
- ✓Food scraps
- ✓Coffee grounds
- ✓Food-soiled paper
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
4 times per year
Placement
Items must be collected by a special truck. Allow 48 hours advance notice when calling Republic Services to schedule.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Appliances
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Bagged trash up to 40 lbs
- ✓ Bundled palm fronds (max 4 ft & 40 lbs)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Televisions
- ✕ Computers and monitors
- ✕ Pallets
- ✕ Construction and demolition items
Collections exceeding the annual limit of 4 free pickups may be subject to additional fees through the hauler.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a recognized holiday falls on a weekday, all collection services will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Yard waste and recycling collections are delayed on the exact same schedule as regular trash during holiday weeks.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, your regular collection schedule remains unaffected.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Post-Holiday Cleanup
December to JanuaryChristmas tree collection typically runs for a few weeks after the holidays. Trees must be completely bare, free of all ornaments or stands, and cut in half if they exceed 6 feet in height.
Summer Beach Season
May to SeptemberDuring the heavily trafficked summer months in Surf City, ensure your carts are placed at least 6 feet away from parked cars, as street parking becomes heavily impacted.
Local Tips & Community Info
Republic Services Trash Collection in Surf City
In Huntington Beach, residential curbside waste management is operated exclusively by Republic Services. Every single-family home and business is required by city ordinance to maintain active sanitation service. Your neighborhood is assigned a specific weekly collection day, during which the heavy-duty automated trucks will service your designated refuse, recycling, and organics carts. Because these bins are considered the property of Republic Services, residents are reminded to leave them behind when moving out of a house.
Curbside Placement and Timing Guidelines
To ensure you do not miss your weekly pickup, homeowners must roll their carts out to the curb no later than 7:00 AM on their scheduled service day. Route times can fluctuate, meaning the sanitation trucks may arrive at your property anytime between 7:00 AM and 6:30 PM. Be sure to align the carts neatly along the gutter with the front lids opening toward the street. Leave ample clearance space around each container to allow the mechanical arms of the truck to lift them without knocking over neighboring bins or damaging nearby parked cars.
Organics Recycling and Kitchen Food Pails
Huntington Beach actively participates in California's statewide organics recycling mandate (SB 1383), aiming to divert massive amounts of compostable material away from standard landfills. Residents are instructed to deposit all yard clippings, leaves, and everyday household food scraps into the green organics cart. To make indoor sorting easier, the city occasionally hosts events giving away free countertop kitchen pails. These handy pails allow you to effortlessly collect banana peels, coffee grounds, and dinner leftovers before transferring them out to the primary green yard waste bin.
Navigating the Blue Recycling Bin
Maintaining a clean recycling stream is essential for the city's sustainability goals. Your blue cart is strictly for recyclable materials like flattened cardboard boxes, glass jars, aluminum beverage cans, empty plastic bottles, and dry paper products. Republic Services strongly advises against bagging your recyclables; they should remain loose inside the bin. Contaminants such as greasy pizza boxes, broken window glass, and tangled hoses should be placed into your regular trash cart to prevent sorting facility breakdowns.
Bulky Waste and the Nichols Lane Transfer Station
Unlike standard household refuse, oversized items cannot simply be abandoned on the public right-of-way. The City of Huntington Beach Public Works department does not remove abandoned couches or appliances from private property. Instead, residents can haul excess waste, heavy debris, and oversized furniture directly to the Republic Services Transfer Station located at 17121 Nichols Lane (Gate #4). This local public dump facility operates Monday through Saturday, though specific dumping fees will apply depending on the weight and type of material you are discarding.
Holiday Delays and Schedule Disruptions
Republic Services observes six major national holidays throughout the calendar year: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Whenever one of these holidays lands on a standard weekday, all remaining residential collection routes for that week are pushed back by precisely one day. Consequently, if your normal garbage day is Thursday, you can expect the trucks to arrive on Friday during a holiday week. Standard scheduling resumes the following Monday.
Drop-off Facilities
Orange County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center
17121 Nichols Lane, Gate 6, Huntington Beach, CA 92647
Materials Accepted
Huntington Beach City Yard Compost Station
17371 Gothard Street, Huntington Beach, CA
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get free compost in Huntington Beach?
Huntington Beach residents can pick up free compost at the City Yard located at 17371 Gothard Street, open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. It is a self-serve station, so bring your own shovel and a sturdy container.
Does Huntington Beach provide bulky item pickup services?
Yes. Residents with standard weekly cart service are allowed four free bulky item collections annually, up to 10 items per pickup. You must call Republic Services at (714) 847-3581 at least 48 hours in advance to schedule the truck.
Where can I dispose of old paint and electronics locally?
You can safely drop off household hazardous waste like paint, cleaners, batteries, and e-waste at the Orange County HHW Collection Center located at Gate 6 of the Republic Services facility on Nichols Lane. The center is free for residents and open Tuesday through Saturday.
What happens if my trash isn't picked up on its regular day?
If your cart was missed, leave it at the curb and contact Republic Services within 24 hours (including Saturday morning). Missed pickups are generally collected the next business day.