Gray Bin (Trash)
Place all non-recyclable, non-compostable household refuse in the gray cart. Ensure the lid can close completely to prevent litter and deter local pests.
Accepted Items
- ✓Broken glass, ceramics, and mirrors
- ✓Diapers and pet waste
- ✓Chip and snack bags
- ✓Plastic grocery bags and wrappers
- ✓Vacuum bags and dust
- ✓Rubber or garden hoses
- ✓Wires and tanglers
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Keep recyclables loose! Do not put your recyclables inside plastic garbage bags, as they wrap around the sorting gears at the recycling facility.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastics #1 through #7 (bottles, jugs, tubs)
- ✓Aluminum and steel cans
- ✓Clean glass bottles and jars
- ✓Clean cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Newspaper, mixed paper, and junk mail
- ✓Empty aerosol cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Soiled paper plates, towels, and tissues
- ✕Plastic grocery bags or film
- ✕Food waste and liquids
- ✕Clothing and textiles
- ✕Electronics and batteries
- ✕Ceramics or mirrors
Yard Waste Bin
Do not use any type of plastic bag in the green organics cart, including 'compostable' or 'biodegradable' plastics. Place organic matter loosely inside the cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps (fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, bread)
- ✓Food-soiled paper and greasy pizza boxes
- ✓Grass clippings and weeds
- ✓Leaves and plant trimmings
- ✓Small branches and twigs
- ✓Uncoated paper bags for collecting food waste
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
By appointment only; call EDCO to verify your household's allowance.
Placement
You must contact EDCO Customer Service at (619) 474-8855 to arrange a pickup date before placing any bulky items at the curb.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, tables, chairs)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Large household appliances
- ✓ Large yard waste bundles
- ✓ Electronic waste
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (paint, oil)
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Automobile parts and tires
- ✕ Dirt, rock, or concrete
Single-family and multi-family residential allowances vary. Call EDCO to verify how many free collections your specific property is entitled to annually.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a designated EDCO holiday falls on a weekday, residential collection services will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
The one-day holiday delay applies equally to the green organics cart and the blue recycling cart.
If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no service interruption. Please set out your waste and recycling containers on your normally scheduled day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
No Plastic Bags in Recycling
Never bag your recyclables. The plastic bags jam the automated sorting screens at the EDCO facility. Always empty bottles, cans, and paper loosely directly into the blue cart.
Skip the 'Biodegradable' Bags
Even if a plastic bag claims to be 100% compostable, it is not accepted in National City's green organics cart. Use a paper bag to hold messy food scraps instead.
Keep Hoses Out of the Blue Bin
Items known as 'tanglers'—such as garden hoses, electrical wires, and clothing—cause massive damage to recycling machinery. These items must go in the gray trash cart.
Seasonal Information
Winter
Late December through JanuaryEDCO collects natural Christmas trees year-round in National City. However, trees must be cut into smaller pieces so they fit entirely inside your green organics cart with the lid completely closed. All lights, stands, and decorations must be removed.
Spring
March to MayDuring heavy spring landscaping, ensure your green organics cart is not overflowing. The lid must close. If you have excess yard waste, save it for the following week's collection rather than leaving it on the ground.
About National City Waste Management
EDCO's Automated Three-Cart System in National City
Residential solid waste and recycling in National City is managed exclusively by EDCO through a fully automated three-cart collection system. To help California meet its ambitious landfill diversion goals, households are provided with a gray cart for landfill trash, a blue cart for commingled recyclables, and a green cart for combined yard trimmings and food organics. Carts must be placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated service day, or the night before, with wheels facing the curb and carts spaced apart.
The Ban on Compostable Plastics in Organics Carts
To comply with Senate Bill 1383, National City residents must recycle all food scraps in their green organics cart. However, EDCO strictly prohibits the use of any plastic bags in the organics bin—including bags specifically labeled as 'compostable' or 'biodegradable.' These materials contaminate the commercial composting process. Instead, you must toss your food waste loosely into the green cart or wrap it in uncoated paper bags.
Managing Your Bulky Items
If you have oversized items like old furniture, mattresses, or large broken appliances that cannot safely fit inside your gray trash cart, do not abandon them on the sidewalk. EDCO provides bulky item pickup services for National City residents. You must call their local customer service line in advance to schedule your curbside collection and verify any limits or fees associated with your specific property type.
Free Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off
Toxic materials such as leftover paint, motor oil, pool chemicals, and lithium-ion batteries pose severe fire risks to EDCO drivers and sorting facilities, meaning they are completely banned from all curbside carts. Fortunately, National City residents have access to the South Bay Regional Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) drop-off center in neighboring Chula Vista, where they can safely and legally dispose of these dangerous items at no extra cost.
Drop-off Facilities
South Bay Regional Household Hazardous Waste Drop-Off Center
1800 Maxwell Road, Chula Vista, CA 91911
Materials Accepted
EDCO Recycling & Transfer Station
6670 Federal Blvd, Lemon Grove, CA 91945
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What company picks up the trash in National City?
EDCO is the exclusive, franchised waste hauler for residential and commercial solid waste and recycling collection in National City, California.
How do I correctly dispose of food waste in National City?
Under California's SB 1383, all food scraps (including meat, dairy, and food-soiled paper) must be placed in your green organics cart. However, EDCO strictly prohibits the use of any plastic bags, including compostable ones. Food waste should be placed loosely in the green cart or contained in a paper bag.
Does EDCO pick up trash on holidays in National City?
EDCO observes six major holidays: New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. If the holiday falls on a weekday, service is pushed back by one day for the rest of that week. If the holiday falls on a weekend, there is no delay.
Where can National City residents take household hazardous waste?
Items like old paint, lithium batteries, and motor oil cannot go in your curbside bins. National City residents can safely drop off these toxic materials at the South Bay Regional HHW Center located at 1800 Maxwell Road in Chula Vista on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.