Gray Bin (Trash)
Place your gray cart against the curb with about 2 feet between carts and other obstacles no later than 6:00 a.m. on your scheduled collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Non-recyclable plastics
- ✓Broken glass
- ✓Pet waste
- ✓Styrofoam
Blue or Brown Bin (Recycling)
Place recyclables loose in the cart. Shredded paper is the only item permitted in a clear plastic bag. Set out by 6:00 a.m. on your bi-weekly collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Paper and cardboard
- ✓Metal and aluminum cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastics coded #1-#7
- ✓Shredded paper (must be in a clear plastic bag)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Black or white plastic garbage bags
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Liquids
- ✕Hazardous waste
Yard Waste Bin
Do not include oleander, poison oak, or palm trees. No plastic bags allowed—wrap food waste in newspaper or paper bags instead. Collected weekly.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps (vegetables, meat, bones, dairy)
- ✓Food-soiled paper (pizza boxes, napkins, uncoated paper plates)
- ✓Leaves and grass clippings
- ✓Branches and prunings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
On-call fee-based for single-family; free annual vouchers available for drop-off
Placement
Call Recology at (408) 842-3358 to request a quote and schedule the curbside pickup, or use your annual vouchers at the San Martin Transfer Station.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture
- ✓ Major appliances (with or without refrigerants)
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Bundled yard trimmings
- ✓ E-waste (TVs, monitors)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Liquids and chemicals
- ✕ Dirt, rock, concrete, and bricks
- ✕ Automobile parts
Single-family homes incur a fee per item collected at the curb. The two annual transfer station vouchers provide an alternative free drop-off option.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Recology South Valley operates regularly on all holidays except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. If your collection day falls on or after one of these holidays, service is delayed by one day for the remainder of the week.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling are delayed on the exact same schedule as the regular trash collection.
If a major holiday falls on a weekend, your regular weekday collection schedule remains completely unaffected.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
The Shredded Paper Exception
While all other recyclables must be placed loose in the blue or brown cart, shredded paper is the only item that must be secured in a clear plastic bag to prevent it from blowing away and contaminating the facility.
Keep Toxic Plants Out of Compost
Do not place oleander, poison oak, or palm tree fronds in your green compost cart, as these materials disrupt the municipal composting process and cannot be safely processed.
Zero Plastic in the Organics Cart
Never use plastic bags—even those marketed as compostable or biodegradable—to collect food scraps. Use a standard brown paper bag or newspaper to wrap your food waste instead.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryAfter the holidays, unflocked Christmas trees cut into 3-foot by 3-foot sections can be placed next to your green organics cart on your service day for free collection.
Spring
March - MayTake advantage of Morgan Hill's annual 2nd Chance Week and Citywide Garage Sale, designed to promote community reuse and divert usable goods from the landfill.
Year-Round
January - DecemberSingle-family residents receive two free vouchers per year for the San Martin Transfer Station—one for a garbage load and one for recyclable/electronic items.
About Morgan Hill Waste Management
Comprehensive Waste Management by Recology South Valley
Morgan Hill’s residential solid waste and recycling services are managed under an exclusive franchise agreement with Recology South Valley. The city utilizes a highly efficient, fully automated three-cart system to help residents minimize their ecological footprint. To ensure smooth mechanical collection, households must roll their gray, blue, and green carts out to the curb by 6:00 a.m. on service day, leaving at least a two-foot gap between each bin.
Maximizing the Green Organics Cart
To align with California’s stringent environmental mandates, Morgan Hill integrates both household food scraps and traditional yard trimmings into its weekly green compost cart collection. Residents are encouraged to use indoor kitchen caddies lined with newspaper or paper bags for greasy pizza boxes, bones, dairy, and plate scrapings. It is critical to note that absolutely no plastic bags of any kind are permitted in the organics cart, and toxic yard materials like oleander or poison oak must be kept out.
Bi-Weekly Recycling and the Shredded Paper Exception
Unlike the weekly trash and compost services, residential recycling in Morgan Hill is collected on a bi-weekly schedule. Materials such as glass jars, aluminum cans, and plastics numbered 1 through 7 must be placed loosely into the 64-gallon blue or brown recycling cart. The singular exception to the strict no plastic bags rule is shredded paper, which must be secured in a clear plastic bag to prevent massive litter issues during the facility's sorting process.
Bulky Item Pickups and Transfer Station Vouchers
Handling oversized waste is flexible for Morgan Hill residents. While curbside bulky item pickups for appliances and large furniture are available on an on-call, fee-per-item basis for single-family homes, the city also issues two free drop-off vouchers annually. These vouchers can be redeemed at the nearby San Martin Transfer Station to dispose of bulky garbage or recycle e-waste and scrap metal without additional charges. Meanwhile, multi-family property managers can schedule free bulk pickups based on total unit counts.
Household Hazardous Waste and Oil Recycling
Chemicals, paints, and fluorescent bulbs are strictly prohibited from all curbside carts. Morgan Hill residents can responsibly dispose of household hazardous waste (HHW) by making a free appointment through the Santa Clara County HHW program. For added convenience, used motor oil and oil filters can be safely recycled directly at the San Martin Transfer Station or through specialized local drop-off events.
Drop-off Facilities
San Martin Transfer Station
14070 Llagas Ave, San Martin, CA 95046
Materials Accepted
Kirby Canyon Recycling & Disposal Landfill
910 Coyote Creek Golf Dr, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Morgan Hill provide weekly recycling pickup?
No, while standard garbage and green organics are collected weekly, residential recycling in Morgan Hill is collected on a bi-weekly schedule by Recology South Valley.
How do I dispose of a bulky item like a couch or refrigerator in Morgan Hill?
Single-family residents can call Recology at (408) 842-3358 to schedule a fee-based curbside pickup, or use one of their two free annual vouchers to drop the item off at the San Martin Transfer Station. Multi-family properties can have their manager schedule free pickups based on unit counts.
Can I put my food scraps in biodegradable plastic bags?
No. Morgan Hill's composting program strictly prohibits all plastic bags, including those labeled compostable or biodegradable. You should use a paper bag or newspaper to contain food scraps inside your green cart.
What should I do with my old household batteries and paint?
These items are considered household hazardous waste (HHW) and cannot go into any curbside bin. You must schedule a free drop-off appointment with the Santa Clara County HHW program by calling (408) 299-7300.