Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Lancaster
Trash Day
Varies by neighborhood zone
Recycling
Varies by neighborhood zone (same day as trash)
Yard Waste
Varies by neighborhood zone (same day as trash)
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Standard single-family residential waste service is billed annually via the Los Angeles County Property Tax bill. Residents are also entitled to four free bulky item collections each year.
Billing Cycle
Included in Property Taxes
Accepted Methods
Property Tax, Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail
Pro Tip / Discount
A Senior Citizen Discount is available for qualifying Lancaster residents aged 62 and older.
Dark Gray with Black Lid (or older solid Blue cart) Bin (Trash)
All household trash must be bagged before being placed in the cart. The cart weight must not exceed 250 lbs, and the lid must close completely to ensure automated collection.
Accepted Items
- ✓Candy wrappers, chip bags, and non-recyclable plastic film
- ✓Polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) cups and packaging
- ✓Diapers and feminine hygiene products
- ✓Bagged pet waste and cat litter
- ✓Heavily soiled or waxed paper
- ✓Broken ceramics and drinking glasses
Dark Gray with Blue Lid (or older solid Green cart) Bin (Recycling)
Place all recyclable items loose in the cart. Do not put recyclables inside plastic garbage bags, as they damage the sorting machinery at the materials recovery facility.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean and dry paper, junk mail, and newspapers
- ✓Flattened cardboard boxes and magazines
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs (leave caps attached)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars of any color
- ✓Empty aluminum, tin, and steel cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags and shrink wrap
- ✕Food waste or liquid-filled containers
- ✕Styrofoam packing peanuts or blocks
- ✕Batteries, electronics, and cords
- ✕Medical waste or syringes
Yard Waste Bin
To reduce odors, you may place food scraps inside a standard brown paper bag before putting them in the organics cart. Absolutely no plastic bags, including 'compostable' plastics, are allowed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, bread, fruits, vegetables)
- ✓Food-soiled paper (greasy pizza boxes, used paper napkins)
- ✓Grass clippings, leaves, and weeds
- ✓Shrubs and small tree branches
- ✓Untreated wood and sawdust
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
4 free curbside pick-ups per year for eligible residential customers.
Placement
Place your scheduled items at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated service day. Keep bulky items at least three feet away from your standard carts, mailboxes, and parked cars.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, dressers, chairs)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Large appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers)
- ✓ Electronic waste (televisions, computers)
- ✓ Bundled tree branches and scrap wood
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (paint, motor oil, batteries)
- ✕ Spas and camper shells
- ✕ Pianos or items requiring more than two people to lift
- ✕ Construction materials (dirt, concrete, rocks)
- ✕ Tires
If you exceed your allowance of four items per pickup, or if you request more than four total pickups in a year, you will be charged an additional fee (approximately $29.03 per additional bulky item).
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, collection services will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week (e.g., Thursday service moves to Friday). If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no delay.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling carts are collected on the exact same holiday delay schedule as the regular trash carts.
Only the six major holidays listed above cause a delay in Lancaster. Other holidays, such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day or Veterans Day, do not affect the collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Winter Holidays
December to JanuaryWaste Management typically offers free curbside holiday tree collection following Christmas. Trees must have all lights, ornaments, stands, and tinsel removed. If a tree is taller than four feet, it must be cut in half before being placed at the curb.
Summer Heat
June to SeptemberDuring the intense summer heat of the Antelope Valley, prevent odors in your green organics cart by freezing meat and dairy scraps in a container during the week, then dumping them directly into the cart the morning of your collection day.
High Winds
Spring and FallLancaster frequently experiences high winds. On windy days, ensure your cart lids are securely closed and avoid placing overly full carts at the curb to prevent trash from blowing into the streets and local desert habitats.
Local Tips & Community Info
Lancaster’s Residential Waste Collection Overview
In the City of Lancaster, solid waste collection is efficiently managed by Waste Management (WM). The standard residential service includes three distinct containers to handle all your household needs: a large 96-gallon cart for general trash, a 64-gallon cart for recycling, and a 64-gallon cart for organic waste. If your family generates more recyclables or green waste, you can request up to two additional recycling or organics bins at no extra charge. Keeping our High Desert community clean requires everyone to do their part by ensuring all regular trash is properly bagged before tossing it in the primary bin.
Proper Cart Placement and Set-Out Times
To ensure your weekly pick-up goes off without a hitch, please place all bins at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated service day. Your carts should be wheeled into the street with the wheels resting against the curb and the handles pointing toward your property. The automated trucks require plenty of space to operate, so a minimum of three feet of clearance is mandated between each cart, as well as parked cars, fire hydrants, and mailboxes. Carts that are overfilled, incorrectly placed, or blocked by vehicles may be tagged with a non-collection notice.
Organics and Recycling Mandates (SB 1383)
Following California’s SB 1383 regulations, Lancaster residents must separate all food scraps, yard trimmings, and food-soiled paper from the regular garbage stream. These materials belong exclusively in your organics cart. The recycling cart is reserved for unbagged, clean items like aluminum cans, glass bottles, rigid plastics, and broken-down cardboard boxes. Never place hazardous materials, hot ashes, auto parts, or construction debris into any of your standard curbside containers. Sorting your waste properly is vital to keeping the Antelope Valley environmentally sustainable and compliant with state law.
Scheduling Your Free Bulky Item Pickups
Got an old mattress or a broken appliance taking up space in the garage? Lancaster residents with active, good-standing WM accounts are entitled to four free bulky item pick-ups every calendar year. For each scheduled collection, you can place up to four large items at the curb. To utilize this convenient service, you must contact Waste Management at (661) 947-7197 or log into your My WM account at least 48 hours prior to your normal service day. Keep in mind that items must be manageable by two individuals, and household hazardous waste is strictly prohibited.
Disposing of Hazardous and Electronic Waste
For materials that cannot go into your curbside bins—such as paint, motor oil, batteries, solvents, or old electronics—the Antelope Valley Environmental Collection Center (AVECC) provides a safe disposal solution. Located nearby in Palmdale at the local landfill on 10th Street West, this facility accepts hazardous and electronic waste free of charge. The AVECC is open on the first and third Saturday of every month from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Dropping off toxic items here prevents dangerous chemicals from leaching into our local soils and groundwater.
Senior Discounts and Missed Pickups
The City of Lancaster offers a specialized senior discount program for qualified homeowners aged 62 or older. Eligible residents can fill out an application through the city's website or contact WM customer service to secure a reduced monthly rate on their property tax assessment. In the event that your bins were placed out correctly but were skipped during the route, you have three days to report a missed pickup. Reach out to the hauler directly or use the My WM mobile app to schedule a recovery collection, provided your containers weren't blocked or contaminated.
Drop-off Facilities
Lancaster Landfill & Recycling Center
600 E Avenue F, Lancaster, CA 93535
Materials Accepted
Antelope Valley Environmental Collection Center (AVECC)
1200 W City Ranch Road, Palmdale, CA 93551
Materials Accepted
Lancaster 24-Hour Recycling Center
Located near the city's maintenance yard (Check city website for exact drop-off points)
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I schedule a free bulky item pickup in Lancaster?
Residential customers with accounts in good standing receive four free curbside bulky item pick-ups per year, with a limit of four items per pickup. You must contact Waste Management at (661) 947-7197 or schedule it online at least 48 hours before your regular collection day.
What is the Lancaster landfill e-Voucher program?
Every July, residential property owners in Lancaster automatically receive two electronic landfill vouchers on their WM account. These allow you to self-haul up to one ton (2,000 lbs.) of trash or green waste to the Lancaster Landfill & Recycling Center for free. Just bring an ID that matches the account.
Can I put food waste in my trash bin in Lancaster?
No. Due to California's SB 1383 mandate, all food waste—including meat, dairy, and food-soiled paper—must be placed in your green-lidded organics cart. Waste Management monitors these carts, and putting food in the black-lid trash cart can result in a contamination fee of $28.97 per instance.
Where can I safely dispose of old paint and batteries in the Antelope Valley?
Household hazardous waste like paint, cleaners, and batteries cannot go in your curbside bins. Lancaster residents can drop these items off for free at the Antelope Valley Environmental Collection Center (AVECC) in Palmdale, which is open on the first and third Saturday of every month.