Gray Split Cart (Garbage & Food Scraps) Bin (Trash)
The Gray cart is split into two sections. Place non-recyclable garbage in the garbage compartment and food scraps (loose or in clear plastic bags only) in the food scraps compartment.
Accepted Items
- ✓Diapers and personal hygiene items
- ✓Pet waste (bagged)
- ✓Styrofoam and plastic film
- ✓Painted or stained wood
- ✓Meat, bones, and dairy (in Food Scraps compartment)
- ✓Bread, grains, and produce (in Food Scraps compartment)
Blue Split Cart (Paper & Containers) Bin (Recycling)
The Blue cart is split into two sections. Place paper and fibers on one side, and clean glass, metal, and plastic containers on the other. Do not mix them.
Accepted Items
- ✓Corrugated cardboard and paper boxes
- ✓Newspapers, junk mail, and magazines
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (clean)
- ✓Aluminum and metal cans
- ✓Plastics containers labeled #1-#7
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Food-soiled pizza boxes
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Batteries (inside the cart)
- ✕Household hazardous waste
Yard Waste Bin
The Green Yard Trimmings Cart is for yard waste and clean wood ONLY. Do not place any food scraps, food-soiled paper, or dirt in this container.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves and flowers
- ✓Ivy and weeds
- ✓Small branches (less than 6 inches in diameter)
- ✓Tree stumps (smaller than 16 inches in diameter)
- ✓Untreated dimensional lumber (under 24 inches long)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Four (4) free clean-ups per rolling 12-month period for single-family homes.
Placement
Call MSI to schedule. Place your bags or up to 3 large items at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated collection day.
Accepted
- ✓ Couches and mattresses (up to 3 items)
- ✓ Small E-waste (placed in a discardable box next to clean-up bags)
- ✓ Scrap metal under 30 lbs
- ✓ General household overflow waste
Not Accepted
- ✕ Items over 75 pounds (if placed in bags)
- ✕ Dirt, sod, cement, rock, and brick
- ✕ Treated wood waste
- ✕ Automobile parts
- ✕ Hazardous waste
Additional bulky item pickups beyond the four free annual clean-ups can be arranged for a fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If one of the three observed holidays falls on a weekday, collection services will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as garbage collection.
Milpitas Sanitation works on all other major holidays, including MLK Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Keep to your normal schedule on these days.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Do not mix food scraps with yard waste
Unlike many neighboring cities, Milpitas strictly separates organics. Food scraps must go into the food compartment of your Gray Split Cart. Your Green Cart is exclusively for grass, leaves, and clean wood.
Keep batteries out of the bin
Never toss batteries inside your recycling or trash compartments. Place them in a clear, sealed zipper-lock bag and rest it on the lid of your Blue Recyclables Split Cart so the driver can manually collect them.
Respect the Blue Cart divider
Your Blue Recyclables Split Cart has two distinct sides. You must physically separate your clean paper and cardboard into the fiber side, and place your glass, plastic, and metal containers into the container side.
Seasonal Information
Winter
JanuaryDuring the first two weeks of January, Milpitas Sanitation collects holiday trees curbside at no extra charge. Trees must be stripped of all decorations, lights, and stands, and any tree over five feet must be cut in half. Flocked trees are accepted but will be sent to the landfill rather than composted.
Autumn/Winter
November - DecemberTo prevent storm drains from clogging and flooding streets, the city implements targeted street sweeping for excess leaves during November and December. Residents in heavy-foliage neighborhoods should still prioritize placing leaves in their Green Yard Trimmings Cart first.
About Milpitas Waste Management
Navigating Milpitas' Unique Split-Cart System
Milpitas Sanitation (MSI) operates a highly distinct waste collection program that relies heavily on split-compartment carts rather than standard single-use bins. Residents use a Gray Garbage/Food Scraps Split Cart and a Blue Recyclables Split Cart, alongside a standard Green Yard Trimmings Cart. The split-cart trucks have divided interiors that keep materials completely separated during collection. To ensure proper service, all carts must be placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated pickup day, with wheels facing your home and at least three feet of clearance between each container.
How to Properly Manage Food Scraps in Milpitas
Unlike most California cities that combine food scraps with yard waste to meet SB 1383 mandates, Milpitas requires you to keep them completely separate. Food waste belongs exclusively in the dedicated food scraps compartment of your Gray Split Cart. You can place items like meat, dairy, bones, and moldy food loosely into this compartment, or you may use clear plastic bags to contain the mess. Opaque, black, or colored garbage bags are strictly prohibited for food scraps.
Curbside Collection for Motor Oil, Batteries, and Cooking Oil
You don't always have to drive to a household hazardous waste (HHW) facility for common household items. Milpitas Sanitation offers free curbside collection for batteries, used motor oil, and used cooking oil. Place A, AA, AAA, C, D, and 9-volt batteries in a clear zipper-lock bag on top of your Blue Recyclables Split Cart. Motor oil and cooking oil must be sealed in separate 1-gallon, screw-top containers and placed on the ground next to your blue cart.
Four Free Bulky Item Clean-Ups Annually
Single-family residents are entitled to four free bulky item clean-ups every rolling 12-month period, provided they are scheduled at least eight weeks apart. What makes this program unique is its flexibility. When you schedule, you can choose between three curbside options: setting out up to three large furniture items, using two company-provided 1.5-cubic-yard cleanup bags, or setting out up to fourteen 32-gallon household garbage bags. Alternatively, you can request a self-haul voucher to take a vehicle load directly to the Zanker Material Processing Facility in San Jose.
Senior Discounts for Low-Volume Waste Generators
The City of Milpitas values its older residents by offering a substantial 50% discount on quarterly solid waste rates for those aged 62 and older. To qualify for this Senior Low-Volume Rate, the account must be in the applicant's name, and the household must downgrade to either a 26-gallon or 19-gallon garbage/food scraps cart. Applications must be submitted directly through the Milpitas Sanitation website along with proof of age and residency.
Drop-off Facilities
Zanker Material Processing Facility (For Self-Haul Vouchers)
675 Los Esteros Road, San Jose, CA 95134
Materials Accepted
Santa Clara County Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off
Various Locations / Environmental Innovation Center
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use plastic bags for my food scraps in Milpitas?
Yes, but with strict rules. You are permitted to use clear plastic bags to collect your food scraps before tossing them into the food scraps compartment of your Gray Split Cart. Opaque, colored, or black garbage bags are strictly prohibited for food waste.
What should I do if my garbage collection was missed?
If your cart was completely missed due to mechanical issues or weather, it is typically resolved within the week. You should leave your cart out and submit a Missed Pickup Request through your online Milpitas Sanitation portal or call 408-988-4500.
How do I dispose of old motor oil and cooking oil?
You do not need to take them to a hazardous waste center. Place your used motor oil or cooking oil in a sealed 1-gallon, screw-top container and set it on the ground next to (not inside) your Blue Recyclables Split Cart on your normal collection day.
Does my trash get delayed on Memorial Day or Labor Day?
No. Milpitas Sanitation only observes three holidays for collection delays: New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Service runs on a normal schedule for all other holidays, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day.