Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Laguna Hills
Trash Day
Trash is collected once weekly, Monday through Friday, depending on your neighborhood zone.
Recycling
Recycling is collected weekly on the same day as your regular trash pickup.
Yard Waste
Green waste and organics are collected weekly on the same day as your trash pickup.
Set Out Time
By 6:30 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Trash and recycling services in Laguna Hills are provided under franchise by CR&R Environmental Services, which handles billing directly.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail
Pro Tip / Discount
A 10% senior discount is available for qualifying heads of household age 65 and older. Free pull-out valet service is also available for residents with disabilities.
Black Bin (Trash)
Landfill trash should be securely bagged before being placed inside the cart. Cart lids must be completely closed to prevent wind scattering and keep out local pests.
Accepted Items
- ✓Single-use plastic bags, grocery bags, and film wrap
- ✓Styrofoam packaging blocks, plates, and cups
- ✓Disposable baby diapers and sanitary wipes
- ✓Mylar chip bags, snack wraps, and candy packaging
- ✓Palm fronds, palm branches, and bamboo stalks
- ✓Bagged pet waste and kitty litter
Blue (Transitioned from Brown) Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag your recyclables; all items must be clean, empty, dry, and placed loosely inside the blue recycling container.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard and clean paperboard boxes
- ✓Clean office paper, junk mail, newspapers, and catalogs
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (emptied and rinsed)
- ✓Aluminum beverage cans and clean foil baking trays
- ✓Steel, tin, and bi-metal food cans
- ✓Rigid plastics larger than a credit card (bottles, jugs, tubs)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Loose plastic shopping bags, bubble wrap, or film wrap
- ✕Styrofoam blocks or food packaging
- ✕Garden hoses, electrical cords, or wire hangers (tanglers)
- ✕Food scrap leftovers, cooking grease, or liquid container residue
- ✕Household electronics and universal batteries
Yard Waste Bin
Place organic materials loosely in the green cart. Keep out plastic bags, soil, sod, rock, concrete, treated wood, pet waste, and palm fronds.
Accepted Items
- ✓Kitchen food scraps (raw/cooked meat, bones, cheese, fruits, vegetables)
- ✓Grass clippings, tree leaves, weeds, and garden flowers
- ✓Brush prunings, hedge trimmings, and small branches
- ✓Stable bedding and horse manure (for permitted zones)
- ✓Eggshells and coffee grounds
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
3 free curbside pickups per calendar year (Up to 10 items per pickup)
Placement
Items must be placed curbside by 6:30 AM on your scheduled pickup day. Bulky goods must be manageable by a standard two-person crew.
Accepted
- ✓ Oversized furniture (sofas, desks, chairs, tables, mattresses)
- ✓ Major home appliances (washing machines, dryers, stoves, ovens)
- ✓ Refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners (Freon units)
- ✓ Electronic waste (televisions, computer monitors, computers, printers)
- ✓ Bundled cardboard or excessive bagged green waste
Not Accepted
- ✕ Extremely heavy items (materials requiring a crane or forklift)
- ✕ Commercial construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (liquid chemicals, gasoline, motor oil)
- ✕ Automotive tires
The three annual curbside pickups are free. Extra collections or commercial bulky items can be scheduled with CR&R's Laguna Hills Customer Service for an additional fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
CR&R observes six major holidays annually. If your scheduled collection day falls on or follows an observed holiday, your collection service will be delayed by exactly one day for the remainder of that holiday week.
Yard Waste Exception
Organic waste, recycling, and regular waste schedules are shifted uniformly during holiday weeks.
If an observed holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, collections proceed as scheduled on normal weekdays with zero delay.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Autumn Leaf Management
October - DecemberWith heavy late-autumn leaf drop, residents are encouraged to place excess leaves in their green organics cart. Do not blow or pile leaves in street gutters, as loose garden debris clogs municipal storm sewer grates and causes street flooding.
Holiday Christmas Tree Recycling
December - JanuaryNatural Christmas tree collection runs for three consecutive weeks starting December 26th. Remove all ornaments, lights, stands, and tinsel. Place trees over 6 feet tall cut in half next to your carts. Flocked trees are not compostable and must go with regular trash.
Local Tips & Community Info
Comprehensive Solid Waste Management in Laguna Hills
Maintaining a pristine environment in Orange County starts with effective residential waste collection. In Laguna Hills, CR&R Environmental Services serves as the dedicated franchised hauler for all single-family homes. They handle your weekly removal of household refuse, recyclable materials, and organic yard trimmings. Establishing a routine and understanding the specific collection parameters not only keeps our neighborhoods looking their best but also ensures compliance with California's strict environmental mandates, including SB 1383 for mandatory organics recycling. If you ever have service concerns, CR&R's local support line is readily available to assist residents.
Proper Cart Sorting and Curbside Placement Rules
To ensure a smooth pickup process, residents must wheel their carts to the curb early on their designated service day. Space the bins a few feet apart so the automated truck arm can easily grasp them without knocking over adjacent containers. Your recycling cart is meant for clean paper, flattened cardboard boxes, glass jars, and rigid plastics. The organics bin is specifically for landscape debris like grass clippings and leaves, as well as food scraps, aligning with state composting laws. Standard non-recyclable garbage goes into the municipal solid waste container. Remember to keep carts clear of fire hydrants, parked cars, and mailboxes.
Scheduling Your Free Bulky Item and E-Waste Pickups
Getting rid of oversized furniture, broken appliances, or old electronics is remarkably simple. Every residential household in Laguna Hills is entitled to three complimentary bulky item collections per calendar year through CR&R. Each scheduled pickup allows you to place up to 10 large items at the curb. Furthermore, the city offers up to two free Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) curbside collections annually for materials like paint, motor oil, and batteries. To utilize these specialized services, you must contact CR&R at (949) 849-5771 at least five business days before your normal collection day to provide an itemized list of your materials.
Special Amenities: Reusable Donations and Valet Service
Beyond basic disposal, CR&R provides unique community programs designed to reduce landfill impact and help neighbors. Once a year, residents can schedule a free pickup for reusable household goods and clothing, making charitable donations incredibly convenient without needing to drive to a donation center. Additionally, if you have a physical disability that prevents you from wheeling heavy carts to the street, you can apply for a complimentary pull-out service. Proof of medical necessity is required, but once approved, drivers will manually retrieve and return the bins directly from your property.
Holiday Schedule Adjustments and Tree Recycling
Major national holidays can occasionally interrupt your weekly sanitation routine. If a recognized holiday falls on a weekday, services for the remainder of the week are typically pushed back by one day, finishing up on Saturday. During the winter season, CR&R offers a generous three-week window following December 25th for free Christmas tree recycling. Simply place your bare, un-flocked tree next to your bins on collection day. If your tree exceeds six feet in height, you are required to cut it in half to fit safely inside the compaction mechanisms of the collection vehicles.
Drop-off Facilities
Irvine Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center
6411 Oak Canyon, Irvine, CA 92618
Materials Accepted
San Juan Capistrano HHW Collection Center
32250 Avenida La Pata, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How many free bulky item pickups can I schedule with CR&R each year?
Laguna Hills households are eligible for three complimentary bulky waste collections annually. A maximum of 10 large items is permitted per scheduled pickup, and you must call ahead to arrange it.
Can I get my household hazardous waste picked up at my curb?
Yes, CR&R offers residents up to two free curbside pickups per year for Household Hazardous Waste (HHW). You must contact them at least five business days in advance to provide a list of the hazardous items.
What are the rules for Christmas tree recycling in Laguna Hills?
Christmas trees are collected free of charge for three full weeks after December 25th. They must be completely free of ornaments, lights, and stands. Any tree taller than six feet must be cut in half before being placed at the curb.