Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Martinez
Collections in California municipal routes run weekly (Mon-Fri). Your specific collection day is determined by your local neighborhood route.
State Mandate
Follow SB 1383 guidelines for food waste.
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
City water utilities are billed bi-monthly, while curbside solid waste, organics, and recycling services are contracted through Republic Services.
Billing Cycle
Bi-Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay (EFT), Phone, Mail, Drop Box
Pro Tip / Discount
A Lifeline rate discount is available for qualifying low-income households on water service, and seniors aged 62 or older are eligible for a discounted garbage rate.
Black or Dark Gray Bin (Trash)
All waste components must fit completely within the landfill cart with the lid flat. Bags or overflowing waste placed next to the bin will not be collected by automated equipment.
Accepted Items
- ✓Soiled plastic bags, bubble wrap, and plastic films
- ✓Diapers, personal hygiene items, and bagged pet waste
- ✓Broken mirrors, windows, and household ceramics
- ✓Soiled takeout boxes and heavily waxed papers
- ✓Worn-out rags, old shoes, and composite home garbage
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Recyclables must be dropped loosely into the blue cart without any bag encapsulation. Bagged items are rejected at the facility sorting belt.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and paperboard shipping boxes
- ✓Aluminum soda cans, tin food cans, and clean steel trays
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (all colors, rinsed empty)
- ✓Rigid plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs labeled #1-#7
- ✓Magazines, mixed office paper, mail inserts, and catalogs
Do NOT Include
- ✕Loose plastic shopping bags or grocery sacks
- ✕Polystyrene (Styrofoam) packaging blocks or cups
- ✕Loose shredded paper fragments
- ✕Electronic waste parts or household batteries
- ✕Food-contaminated pizza boxes or greasy papers
Yard Waste Bin
Yard waste and food waste must be consolidated loosely inside the green container. Do not use traditional plastic bags; only paper bags or certified BPI-compostable liners are permitted.
Accepted Items
- ✓Lawn clippings, fresh thatch, and garden weeds
- ✓Dry autumn leaves, small twigs, and prunings
- ✓Tree limbs under 4 inches in diameter and under 4 feet long
- ✓Household food scraps, fruit peelings, and vegetable cores
- ✓Meat scraps, bones, dairy items, and bread crusts
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
2 bulk pickups and 4 extra recycling cleanups per year
Placement
Items must be positioned neatly at the street curb edge by 5:30 AM on your confirmed appointment date. Ensure items do not block public thoroughfares, gutters, or access to your standard carts.
Accepted
- ✓ Major household appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers)
- ✓ Large home furniture (couches, tables, mattresses)
- ✓ Consumer electronics and television sets
- ✓ Passenger car tires (without metal rims)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous materials (paints, vehicle fluids, solvents)
- ✕ Loose unbundled building material, bricks, or concrete blocks
- ✕ Heavy logs or large intact tree trunks
- ✕ General loose trash bags that exceed established volume limits
Once your complimentary yearly allocations are exhausted, extra bulk pickups can be arranged through Republic Services for an additional fee based on material volume.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Republic Services only alters residential collection schedules for two major holidays: New Year's Day and Christmas Day. If your regular pickup day falls directly on or after these dates during a holiday week, service shifts back exactly one day. Regular Friday collection shifts to Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
Green organic waste collections mirror the identical one-day delay structure implemented for regular trash during holiday operational shifts.
Standard service schedules remain entirely unaffected during minor holiday weeks such as Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Annual Citywide Spring Cleanup
JuneRepublic Services executes an annual Martinez Citywide Cleanup during early June. Residents can place up to 3 cubic yards of extra trash and green waste curbside on their regular service day. Materials must be strictly segregated by type.
Post-Holiday Tree Recycling
December to JanuaryFlocked and natural Christmas trees are collected curbside following the holidays. Residents must strip away all tinsel, metallic stands, lights, and ornaments. Large trees exceeding 6 feet must be sawn completely in half.
Summer Heat Odor Suppression
June to SeptemberHigh summer temperatures accelerate food decomposition in organic bins. To manage pests and odors, keep your green cart in the shade, ensure the lid is tight, and layer food scraps beneath a heavy dry layer of lawn trimmings.
Local Tips & Community Info
Navigating Solid Waste Services in Martinez
Republic Services serves as the exclusive waste hauler for the Martinez community. Residential neighborhoods enjoy the convenience of having their landfill, recycling, and organic compost containers all emptied on a single designated day each week. The city also offers special reduced garbage rates for senior citizens aged 62 and older, which can be requested through customer support. If you ever need to adjust your container size to save money on your monthly statement, you can reach Republic Services directly at (925) 685-4711.
What Belongs in the Blue Recycling Bin?
Proper sorting is vital to local environmental goals. Your blue curbside cart is strictly for clean plastics, glass bottles, aluminum cans, and dry paper or cardboard. It is heavily emphasized that all recyclables should be tossed loosely into the container. Do not bag them in plastic grocery sacks, as these wrap around the sorting machines at the local processing facility. For residents living in apartments or condos, property managers can request free indoor recycling totes from the hauler to make transporting materials to the shared dumpsters much easier.
State Law SB 1383 and Your Green Compost Cart
California's Senate Bill 1383 mandates organic waste recycling for every home and business in the municipality. This means your green cart is no longer just for grass trimmings and tree branches. You must also include all household food scraps, such as vegetable peels, eggshells, meat bones, and coffee grounds. Diverting these organics from the standard landfill stream drastically cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions. If you need guidance on what exactly goes into the compost bin, the city provides a detailed organics sorting guide online.
Scheduling Oversized Load Removals
When you are doing a major garage cleanout or replacing old furniture, you cannot simply shove a mattress or refrigerator into your standard curbside cart. Fortunately, Republic Services gives single-family households access to on-call bulky item collections throughout the year. You must book this service in advance by calling their dispatch office. The collection team will instruct you on the accepted dimensions and allowable items to ensure your bulky waste is hauled away smoothly and without violating local dumping ordinances.
Local Options for CRV Redemption and Hazardous Waste
Tossing dangerous chemicals, batteries, or old electronics into your typical bins is strictly prohibited. Martinez residents should utilize the StopWaste RE:Source Guide to locate safe disposal drop-off sites in Contra Costa County for household hazardous waste. Additionally, if you are looking to redeem your California Redemption Value (CRV) beverage containers for cash, there are certified buyback centers in town, such as Recycle It Inc. located on Pacheco Boulevard. Taking the time to drop off these materials correctly prevents environmental contamination.
Drop-off Facilities
Contra Costa Transfer and Recovery Station
951 Water Rd, Martinez, CA 94553
Materials Accepted
Central Contra Costa Sanitary District HHW Facility
4797 Imhoff Pl, Martinez, CA 94553
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I secure a senior rate discount on my garbage bill in Martinez?
The City of Martinez provides an established garbage rate discount for senior residents who are 62 years of age or older. Eligible residents can coordinate directly with the Republic Services customer service line at 925-685-4711 to apply the discount to their primary residential utility account.
Where can I safely dispose of old oil, wet paint, and fluorescent light tubes?
These hazardous materials are strictly banned from all curbside rolling carts. Fortunately, Martinez residents have free access to the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District HHW Facility located at 4797 Imhoff Place, which accepts chemical waste Monday through Saturday.
How do I claim my free annual landfill drop-off voucher?
Martinez residential account holders can drop by the Republic Services business office located at 441 North Buchanan Circle in nearby Pacheco (Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM). Present your valid proof of residency to receive one free voucher good for a single cubic yard of waste disposal at the Water Road Transfer Station.
Can I put residential food scraps in my green container?
Yes, absolutely. To satisfy California SB 1383 rules, all organic food waste—including fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells, bread, cheese, meat, and bones—should be mixed directly into your green curbside cart.