Gray Bin (Trash)
Place carts at the curb on your designated collection day. Ensure the lid is fully closed to prevent litter from blowing into the street or local waterways.
Accepted Items
- ✓Pet waste and horse manure (bagged)
- ✓Diapers
- ✓Plastic grocery bags
- ✓Ceramics and window glass
- ✓Treated wood
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics and wrappers
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Place items loosely in the blue cart. Never bag recyclables in plastic. Rinsing is not required as long as containers are empty of food and liquids.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard (flattened)
- ✓Paper (junk mail, newspaper, magazines)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (all colors)
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Rigid plastics (bottles, jugs, jars)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or film
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses, wires)
- ✕Styrofoam packing peanuts
- ✕Batteries and electronics
Yard Waste Bin
Do not place any plastic, dirt, rocks, or pet waste in the green cart. Use only paper bags if you wish to wrap food scraps.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Tree branches and brush
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, produce)
- ✓Food-soiled paper and pizza boxes
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Two free pickups per year
Placement
Items must be placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your regularly scheduled service day, but only after you have confirmed the appointment with EDCO.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, chairs, tables)
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Appliances (White goods)
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, computers)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Car bodies or automotive parts
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (paint, chemicals)
- ✕ Items requiring more than two people to lift
Exceeding your limit of two annual pickups or three items per pickup will incur standard bulky item disposal fees. Call EDCO at (619) 287-7555 for an exact quote.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a recognized holiday falls on a weekday, service will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling carts follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as the trash cart.
Holidays that fall on a Saturday or Sunday DO NOT delay waste removal services for the remainder of the week.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Ditch the Plastic Bags
The most common contaminant in both blue recycling and green organics carts is plastic bags. Return plastic grocery bags to retail drop-offs; never use them to hold your recyclables or food scraps.
Keep Manure out of Mulch
Despite being organic, horse manure and pet waste carry pathogens that commercial composting facilities cannot process safely. Always throw bagged animal waste in the gray trash cart.
Flatten Your Boxes
Cardboard takes up unnecessary volume if left whole. Break down and flatten all boxes to ensure you have enough space in your blue cart, which prevents overflowing and street litter.
Seasonal Information
Fire Season
May to OctoberAs temperatures rise and Santa Ana winds threaten the region, property owners are required to maintain defensible space. Cut back dry brush and place it directly into your green organics cart without bagging.
Winter Storms
December to MarchDuring heavy rain events, residents often use sandbags. After the wet season, empty clean sand in your yard or take it to a landfill. Empty, degraded sandbags belong in the gray trash cart.
About Lakeside Waste Management
San Diego County Mandates in Lakeside
As a densely-populated unincorporated community in San Diego County, Lakeside falls under strict local and state (SB 1383) waste division mandates. EDCO Disposal is the exclusive franchised waste hauler for the area, operating a comprehensive three-cart system. Residents must separate designated recyclable materials and organic waste from solid landfill trash to align with the County's goal of achieving an 80% waste diversion rate by 2030.
Automated Organics Collection and SB 1383
Lakeside’s residential organics recycling program allows households to combine food scraps and yard trimmings in the same green cart. Acceptable items include fruit and vegetable scraps, meat, bones, dairy, and food-soiled paper products. This organic material is processed at EDCO’s anaerobic digestion facility, where it is converted into renewable natural gas and agricultural compost, significantly reducing local greenhouse gas emissions.
Equestrian and Pet Waste Disposal
Lakeside is known for its vibrant equestrian culture and semi-rural residential properties. However, horse manure, pet waste, and kitty litter pose contamination risks to the municipal composting stream due to potential pathogens. All animal waste must be securely bagged and placed exclusively in the gray trash cart, never in the green organics or blue recycling carts.
Managing Brush and Defensible Space
With Lakeside’s proximity to open spaces like El Capitan Preserve and Lake Jennings, wildfire prevention is a serious community focus. When clearing brush and creating defensible space around your property, utilize the green organics cart for plant debris. If you generate more green waste than your cart can hold, EDCO allows residents to request additional green carts or drop off material at designated regional facilities.
Drop-off Facilities
Sycamore Canyon Landfill
8514 Mast Blvd, Santee, CA 92071
Materials Accepted
EDCO Station (La Mesa)
8184 Commercial St, La Mesa, CA 91942
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does EDCO charge extra if I need another recycling cart in Lakeside?
No. EDCO encourages residents to maximize their waste diversion. Lakeside households can request additional blue recycling carts at no additional cost by contacting customer service.
Can I throw away old televisions and electronics in my gray cart?
No. Electronic waste is banned from California landfills and should not go in any of your curbside carts. You can schedule a bulky item pickup for e-waste or drop it off for free at the EDCO Station in La Mesa.
Are pizza boxes compostable in the green cart?
Yes. While greasy pizza boxes used to ruin clean paper recycling batches, Lakeside's updated organics program allows you to place food-soiled cardboard and paper directly into the green cart for anaerobic digestion.
How do I schedule a bulky item pickup?
Lakeside residents can schedule their complimentary bulky item pickups by calling EDCO customer service at (619) 287-7555 or by filling out a service request form on the EDCO website.