Gray Bin (Trash)
Trash must fit in the 60 or 90-gallon cart with the lid closed. Pet waste must be securely bagged before being placed in the gray cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Pet waste (bagged)
- ✓Diapers
- ✓Plastic bags and wrap
- ✓Broken kitchen plates and tempered glass
- ✓Sponges, rugs, and hangers
- ✓Clothing and shoes
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Recyclables are collected bi-weekly. All containers must be scraped and rinsed. Do not place items in plastic liner bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cardboard and packaging
- ✓Junk mail, newspapers, catalogs
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic bottles and tubs
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Yard waste
- ✕Liner bags
- ✕Soiled food containers
Yard Waste Bin
Items must be placed completely loose in the 90-gallon green cart. No plastic, biodegradable, or compostable bags are allowed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings, leaves, weeds, flowers
- ✓Branches (less than 6 inches in diameter, less than 3 feet long)
- ✓Plate scrapings, meat, bones, dairy
- ✓Food-soiled paper and cardboard
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
One free curbside clean-up per calendar year
Placement
Place items neatly at the curb no earlier than the night before and no later than 4:00 a.m. on the day of the scheduled clean-up.
Accepted
- ✓ Up to 10 32-gallon bags of garbage
- ✓ One large furniture item (sofa, mattress, table)
- ✓ Bundled wood or brush (under 4 feet in length)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Appliances and white goods
- ✕ E-waste (TVs, monitors)
- ✕ Hazardous materials
- ✕ Unbundled loose brush
Appliances and items requiring special handling can be picked up, but they require a special request and incur an additional fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a major observed holiday falls on a weekday, all collection services will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week (e.g., Thursday pickup moves to Friday).
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling follow the exact same holiday schedule as regular garbage collection.
Minor holidays such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents' Day do not affect the pickup schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
No Bags in the Green or Blue Carts
Keep all materials completely loose in your organics and recycling carts. Plastic, biodegradable, and even certified compostable bags are strictly banned from the green cart and will contaminate the load.
Bag Your Pet Waste for the Gray Cart
While organics must remain loose, pet waste is the opposite. It must be securely bagged and placed exclusively in the gray trash cart to prevent health hazards and cart mess.
Scrape and Rinse Recyclables
Ensure all glass and plastic containers are scraped of food debris and rinsed lightly before tossing them in the blue cart to keep your paper and cardboard dry and recyclable.
Seasonal Information
Fall
October to NovemberDuring autumn leaf drop, ensure all leaves and trimmings fit inside your green organics cart so the lid fully closes. West Valley Disposal's automated trucks will not collect overflow materials left on the street.
Spring/Summer
April to AugustIf you have a large property and anticipate generating a lot of extra green waste during the peak growing season, you can contact West Valley Disposal to request an additional organics cart.
Winter
December to JanuaryNatural holiday trees are accepted, but you must ensure all ornaments, lights, stands, and tinsel are removed. Flocked (fake snow) trees cannot be composted and must be cut up and placed in the gray trash cart.
About Mountain House Waste Management
Transition to Cityhood and Waste Contracts
In July 2024, Mountain House officially transitioned from a Community Services District (CSD) to an incorporated city. Despite this historic municipal change, West Valley Disposal continues to operate as the exclusive franchise hauler, managing all residential weekly trash, organics, and bi-weekly recycling collections.
SB 1383 and Local Open-Windrow Composting
To meet California's SB 1383 mandates, Mountain House residents are required to place all organic waste—including food scraps, meat, dairy, and food-soiled paper—into their 90-gallon green carts. This material is transported to the Tracy Material Recovery facility, where it undergoes open-windrow composting to become nutrient-rich soil for local San Joaquin Valley agriculture.
Strict Zero-Bag Policy for Organics
While some California jurisdictions accept certified compostable bags, West Valley Disposal strictly prohibits all bags in the green organics cart. Residents must place all yard trimmings and kitchen scraps completely loose into the container. Using plastic, biodegradable, or compostable bags will result in a contamination notice and a delayed pickup.
Consolidated Utility Billing
Although West Valley Disposal handles the physical hauling of your bins, waste services in Mountain House are billed jointly with your water and sewer utilities. Inframark, the city's utility billing manager, oversees these consolidated accounts. Your account must remain active and in good standing to qualify for special services like the annual curbside clean-up.
Free Annual Residential Clean-Up
Mountain House households with an active account are entitled to one free curbside clean-up per calendar year. This highly specific program allows residents to easily dispose of up to ten 32-gallon bags of excess trash along with one large furniture item, such as a sofa or mattress, saving residents a trip to the transfer station.
Drop-off Facilities
Tracy Material Recovery & Solid Waste Transfer Facility
30703 South MacArthur Drive, Tracy, CA 95377
Materials Accepted
San Joaquin County Household Hazardous Waste Facility
7850 R.A. Bridgeford Street, Stockton, CA 95206
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I put food waste in my yard trimmings cart?
Yes, it is required under state law (SB 1383). You must place all food scraps, including meat, dairy, bones, and food-soiled paper, directly into your green cart alongside yard debris.
How do I schedule my free bulky item pickup?
Mountain House residents receive one free curbside clean-up per calendar year. You must call West Valley Disposal at (209) 835-3639 to schedule it. The service includes up to ten 32-gallon bags of trash and one large furniture item.
Are compostable bags allowed in the green cart?
No. West Valley Disposal prohibits all types of bags in the organics cart, including those labeled as compostable or biodegradable. All food scraps and yard waste must be placed loose in the bin.