Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Long Beach
Trash Day
Varies by neighborhood zone
Recycling
Same day as trash collection
Yard Waste
Same day as trash collection
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Trash, recycling, and organics charges are conveniently bundled into your monthly City of Long Beach municipal utility bill alongside water and gas services.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail, In-Person
Pro Tip / Discount
Utility Users Tax exemptions and reduced refuse rates are available for qualifying low-income seniors and persons with permanent disabilities.
Black Bin (Trash)
Trash should be bagged to prevent litter. Do not overfill the cart; the lid must close fully, and the cart should weigh no more than 200 lbs (95-gallon) or 150 lbs (65-gallon).
Accepted Items
- ✓General household garbage
- ✓Products labeled compostable or biodegradable
- ✓Palm fronds, cacti, and succulents
- ✓Treated or painted wood
- ✓Pet waste and diapers
Blue (Formerly Purple) Bin (Recycling)
Place all items loosely in the blue cart; never bag your recyclables. Flatten all cardboard boxes to maximize cart space.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean, dry paper and cardboard
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (empty)
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or film
- ✕Food-soiled paper
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, wires, strings)
- ✕Styrofoam
Yard Waste Bin
Keep materials loose; do not use plastic bags, even those marketed as "compostable" or "biodegradable," as they cannot be processed by the local facility.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, bread)
- ✓Food-soiled paper (napkins, pizza boxes)
- ✓Weeds and plant trimmings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
12 free special collections per year for city-serviced accounts
Placement
Place approved items at the curb or in the alley at your standard collection point by 6:00 a.m. EES employees are not permitted to enter private property to retrieve items.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, chairs, tables)
- ✓ Appliances (doors removed or taped)
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, computers, monitors)
- ✓ Tires (maximum 5 per pickup, 16 inches or smaller)
- ✓ Tree branches and yard debris bundles
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Rocks, concrete, and dirt
- ✕ Hot ashes
- ✕ Items exceeding 72 inches by 48 inches
The 12 annual pickups are completely free. However, certain hazardous or difficult-to-handle items may require a regulatory fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If Christmas or New Year's Day falls on a weekday, collection for the holiday and the remainder of the week will be delayed by one day, ending on Saturday. All other holidays maintain regular service schedules.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as regular refuse.
When Christmas and New Year's Day fall on a Saturday, collection will occur the Friday before the holiday.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Summer
June - SeptemberDuring hot summer months, cart fires are a serious risk. Never throw hot charcoal or ashes into any of your carts. Always allow ashes to cool completely in a metal container for several days before placing them in the black refuse cart.
Winter
December - JanuaryChristmas and New Year's Day are the only two holidays that cause a one-day delay in trash collection. Plan accordingly if your collection day falls on or after these dates.
Local Tips & Community Info
The Iconic Purple Carts and Waste Sorting Rules
Long Beach stands out in Southern California with its highly recognizable purple recycling carts, managed by the Environmental Services Bureau (ESB). Along with the purple bin for clean recyclables, residential properties utilize a standard refuse cart for landfill trash and a green container for all yard debris and food scraps. To ensure seamless early-morning service, all bins must be placed in the alleyway or at the curb no later than 6:30 a.m. on your designated collection day. To accommodate the mechanized lifting arms on the garbage trucks, you must leave at least two feet of space between each container and ensure they are clear of parked cars and utility poles. Furthermore, municipal rules require that all carts be pulled back onto your private property by 8:00 p.m. on the same day.
Scheduling Your Four Annual Bulky Pickups
Living in Long Beach comes with the fantastic perk of four complimentary special collections every single calendar year. If you are a city refuse customer, you do not need to haul your old mattresses, broken couches, or dead refrigerators to the dump. Instead, you can schedule a bulky item pickup directly through the GO Long Beach mobile app or by calling the ESB hotline. Each free appointment allows you to place up to four oversized items on the curb. It is important to note that crews will not take construction debris, car parts, or loose bags of trash during these specialty runs, and items must be placed out only on the scheduled morning.
How Holidays Impact Your Collection Day
Keeping track of your waste schedule during the festive season is fairly straightforward in this coastal city. The Environmental Services Bureau only observes three major holidays throughout the entire year: New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. If your normal trash day lands on or after one of these specific holidays, your service will be pushed back by one day for the remainder of that week. For all other federal, state, or local holidays, such as Memorial Day or Halloween, you should roll your carts out exactly as you normally would. If a truck happens to bypass your street on a regular workday, you can submit a service request via the GO Long Beach app within 24 hours.
Disposing of E-Waste and Household Chemicals
Protecting the local coastline means keeping toxic materials out of the standard waste stream. Long Beach residents are strictly forbidden from throwing items like leftover paint, motor oil, pesticides, and old electronics into their curbside carts. Instead, the city directs residents to the EDCO Environmental Center located on California Avenue in neighboring Signal Hill. This facility acts as the primary drop-off hub for household hazardous waste and e-waste, completely free of charge for locals. They host regular drop-off events on the second and fourth Saturdays of every month, making it incredibly easy to safely discard materials that could otherwise pollute the nearby ocean and groundwater.
Drop-off Facilities
EDCO Recycling & Transfer / Environmental Center
2755 California Ave, Signal Hill, CA 90755
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my collection day change for Thanksgiving in Long Beach?
No. The City of Long Beach only observes collection delays for Christmas Day and New Year's Day. For Thanksgiving and all other major holidays, you should place your carts out on your normal collection day.
Why is the city changing my recycling cart from purple to blue?
The transition from purple to blue recycling carts is required to comply with California’s SB 1383 law, which mandates uniform, state-wide cart colors for waste streams. There are no changes to the actual recycling rules or your service fees.
Can I throw palm fronds in the green organics cart?
No. Palm fronds, along with cacti and succulents, cannot be processed by the city's composting partners. You must place these items into your black refuse cart, or schedule a special collection for very large fronds.
How do I request a bulky item pickup for an old mattress?
City-serviced residents receive 12 free special collections annually. You can schedule a pickup for your old mattress by calling the Environmental Services Bureau at (562) 570-2876 or submitting a request online through the city's Special Collection portal.