Gray Bin (Trash)
Carts must be curbside prior to 6:00 AM on your regular service day. Ensure that all general landfill trash is bagged and cart lids are completely closed to deter local pests.
Accepted Items
- ✓Single-use plastic bags, wrappers, and film wrap
- ✓Styrofoam cups, plates, and non-recyclable foam blocks
- ✓Disposable diapers, sanitary wipes, and personal hygiene items
- ✓Bagged pet waste and kitty litter
- ✓Broken household glassware, mirrors, and ceramics
- ✓Soiled textiles and worn clothing that cannot be donated
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag your recyclables; all plastic, glass, and metal items must be clean, dry, and placed loosely inside the blue container.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard boxes and paperboard packaging
- ✓Clean, dry office paper, junk mail, newspapers, and catalogs
- ✓Aluminum beverage cans, baking pans, and clean aluminum foil
- ✓Steel, tin, and bi-metal food cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (emptied and rinsed)
- ✓Rigid plastics labeled with recycling symbols #1 through #7
Do NOT Include
- ✕Loose plastic shopping bags, stretch wrap, or bubble wrap
- ✕Styrofoam and packaging peanuts
- ✕Garden hoses, wires, cords, or clothing hangers
- ✕Food scrap leftovers, liquids, or heavily grease-stained pizza boxes
- ✕Electronic waste or alkaline batteries
Yard Waste Bin
Keep organic materials loose in your green cart. Absolutely no plastic bags, soil, rock, concrete, treated wood, or pet feces are allowed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Raw or cooked kitchen leftovers (meats, bones, dairy, fruits, vegetables)
- ✓Food-soiled paper products, napkins, paper plates, and pizza boxes
- ✓Grass clippings, tree leaves, weeds, and garden flowers
- ✓Small branches and prunings (under 6 inches in diameter)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
2 free On-Call Cleanups per calendar year
Placement
Fill the delivered bags at your curbside by 6:00 AM on your scheduled cleanup day. Keep bulky items clear of parked cars, low utility lines, and fire hydrants.
Accepted
- ✓ Up to 4 cubic yards of extra loose household waste contained in delivered bags
- ✓ Up to three large bulky items (mattresses, couches, major appliances)
- ✓ One electronic waste item (VCR, TV, or computer monitor) in place of one bulky item
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (liquid chemicals, solvents, pesticides)
- ✕ Automotive components, vehicle tires, and lead-acid batteries
- ✕ Treated wood products or construction and demolition debris
The two annual pickups are free. Rescheduling or requesting extra collection visits beyond these limits will incur standard service fees.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Mission Trail observes Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. If one of these holidays falls on a weekday, curbside service for that day and the remainder of the week will be delayed by exactly one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling follow the exact same holiday delay timeline as standard garbage collection.
Regular curbside collections will run as scheduled on all other federal and state holidays, such as Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Wrap Out of the Blue Cart
Never throw plastic bags, bubble wrap, or plastic film wrap loosely in the blue recycling container. They wrap around mechanical sorting rollers at regional recovery facilities and can cause entire sorting lines to break down.
Tape Terminals Before Bagging Batteries
Always put a small piece of non-conductive tape over the contact terminals of lithium-ion and household batteries before sealing them in a bag on your blue cart lid. This stops them from friction-sparking and starting fires in collection vehicles.
Wrap Wet Kitchen Leftovers with Paper
To prevent unpleasant odor and pest issues in your kitchen pail or green organics cart, wrap sticky or wet food scraps in a sheet of plain newspaper or a simple paper bag to absorb moisture.
Seasonal Information
Autumn Leaf Fall and Runoff Guarding
October - DecemberDuring heavy fall leaf drop, place loose leaves directly in your green organics cart. Do not sweep or blow leaves into street gutters, as they block public storm drains, disrupt street sweepers, and cause immediate pooling during winter rainstorms.
Post-Holiday Christmas Tree Recycling
December - JanuaryUnflocked and undecorated natural Christmas trees are collected curbside for composting at no extra charge. Cut trees into sections no longer than 5 feet and place them directly next to your green organics cart on your service day.
About Los Altos Waste Management
Los Altos' Advanced Resource Stewardship and Solid Waste System
In the beautiful community of Los Altos, residential solid waste, recycling, and organic programs are operated through an exclusive partnership with Mission Trail Waste Systems. Guided by local sustainability initiatives and California's strict environmental regulations, the City's three-stream collection framework focuses on maximum material diversion, protecting local creeks, and keeping our affluent neighborhoods clean.
Leading Carbon Reduction with Senate Bill 1383 Organics Sorting
To comply with California’s state mandate SB 1383, Los Altos has successfully integrated organic waste recycling directly into daily curbside routines. All single-family homes utilize their green organics cart to divert wet kitchen leftovers, coffee grounds, and yard waste away from local landfills. Collected organic materials are safely composted and periodically made available back to residents to enrich local home gardens.
The Innovative On-Call Cleanup Bag Program
Los Altos has replaced standard, messy seasonal neighborhood junk drops with a highly structured On-Call Cleanup Program. Single-family households are eligible for up to two free comprehensive cleanup visits every calendar year. To make trash collection clean and efficient, Mission Trail delivers two large 4'x4'x4' collection bags directly to your home beforehand, which can then be filled and set curbside along with up to three large bulky appliances or furniture items.
Convenient Front-Yard Hazardous Waste and Fluid Recycling
To actively safeguard the local ecosystem, Los Altos residents can recycle critical automotive and household fluids right at their curb on regular service days. Mission Trail provides free collection jugs and zippered bags for used motor oil and oil filters. Additionally, labeled cooking oil containers and water-based latex paints can be set out directly adjacent to your blue recycling cart for clean, safe recovery.
Drop-off Facilities
Santa Clara County HHW Collection Facility
Varying Regional Event Locations (San Jose Permanent Site), CA
Materials Accepted
Los Altos Pharmacy (Free Sharps Recycling)
255 2nd Street, Los Altos, CA 94022
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the On-Call Cleanup Program bag delivery work in Los Altos?
Once scheduled, Mission Trail will drop off two large 4'x4'x4' bags (each capable of holding up to 2 cubic yards of trash) at your home. You place them curbside, fill them up with extra household waste, and place up to three bulky items next to them for a single-trip pickup.
Where can I legally and safely drop off medical sharps in Los Altos?
Medical sharps must never go in regular bins. Los Altos residents can drop off medical needles and lancets for free at the Los Altos Pharmacy located at 255 2nd Street. All sharps must be placed inside an approved rigid biohazard container.
How can I recycle used motor oil, filters, and cooking oil at my home in Los Altos?
You can leave these next to your blue recycling cart on your normal collection day. Place used motor oil and filters in the free jugs/bags provided by Mission Trail. Secure cooking oil in its original screw-top bottle and label it clearly.
How do I dispose of old electronics (E-waste) in Los Altos?
Under the City's waste program, you can include one E-waste item (such as a TV, computer, or printer) in place of one bulky item during your free bi-annual On-Call Cleanup. Alternatively, drop them off at Santa Clara County recycling events.