Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for National City
Trash Day
Varies by neighborhood zone
Recycling
Varies by neighborhood zone (collected weekly on trash day)
Yard Waste
Varies by neighborhood zone (collected weekly on trash day)
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Curbside waste services are managed by EDCO under contract with the city; residents can also pay their bill in person at the EDCO pay station inside the National City Chamber of Commerce.
Billing Cycle
Bimonthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail, In-Person
Pro Tip / Discount
A 20% senior discount is available through EDCO for qualified head-of-household residents aged 62 or older with annual household income under $30,000.
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
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.
Local Tips & Community Info
EDCO Municipal Waste Collection
For properties situated within National City, all standard trash and recycling operations are executed by EDCO Disposal. This municipal partnership ensures that every home and business receives dependable curbside service tailored to their specific neighborhood zone. Depending on your household's volume of refuse, EDCO offers multiple cart sizes ranging from compact 32-gallon containers to expansive 95-gallon bins. If you are newly relocated or unsure of which day the garbage truck comes to your street, entering your zip code and address into the EDCO routing map online will instantly display your designated collection schedule.
Curbside Protocol and Cart Placement
To help the automated mechanical arms safely lift and empty your containers, strictly adhere to EDCO's curbside placement rules. Residents must wheel their bins out to the street before 6:00 a.m. on the morning of their assigned collection. Arrange the carts side-by-side with at least two feet of clearance between each one, ensuring they do not block driveways, mailboxes, or fire hydrants. The hinges should face your property so that the lid opens toward the street. Once the trucks have completed their route, try to retrieve your empty bins promptly to keep National City neighborhoods looking tidy.
Organics and Blue Bin Sorting Rules
California's SB 1383 legislation mandates aggressive organic waste diversion to combat landfill emissions, and National City residents play a vital role. You must deposit all food scraps, soiled paper plates, and typical yard trimmings into your green organics cart. When it comes to the blue recycling cart, EDCO requires all acceptable materials—like cardboard, glass jars, and aluminum cans—to be placed loosely inside. Never bag your recyclables in plastic grocery bags, as the plastic tangles the sorting machinery at the processing facility. A simple online search tool is available on EDCO's website if you are ever confused about a specific item.
Coordinating Bulky Item Retrieval
When standard carts are not large enough to hold your discarded household items, you can rely on EDCO's bulky item pickup program. National City residents are permitted to schedule curbside removal for oversized goods, such as old refrigerators, worn-out couches, and unwanted mattresses. However, you cannot simply abandon these heavy items on the curb and expect them to be hauled away on a regular service day. You must proactively contact EDCO customer support to register the items and lock in a specific retrieval appointment.
Household Hazardous Waste and Electronics
Toxic materials like motor oil, wet paint, pesticides, and dead batteries should never be tossed into any of your standard curbside bins. To safely dispose of these dangerous substances, National City residents are directed to the South Bay Regional Household Hazardous Waste Facility, located on Maxwell Road in nearby Chula Vista. Operating on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., this specialized site accepts up to 15 gallons or 125 pounds of hazardous chemicals per visit. Broken electronics, or e-waste, can also be dropped off here or taken to local community shredding events.
Handling Holiday Shifts and Missed Stops
Occasionally, your weekly routine might be disrupted by a major recognized holiday. Whenever holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or the Fourth of July land on a normal weekday, all EDCO services will shift forward by exactly 24 hours. If your pickup day passes without a holiday delay and your bins are still full by the evening, you should alert the company right away. Submitting a missed collection notice via the EDCO online portal ensures that the dispatch team can route a recovery truck back to your street as swiftly as possible.
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.