Gray or Beige Bin (Trash)
Since food scraps and soiled papers are processed off-site into compost, keep these organic items strictly in the gray trash bin. Bins must be set out by 6:00 AM on collection days.
Accepted Items
- ✓All food waste and raw/cooked kitchen scraps
- ✓Food-soiled paper products, napkins, and greasy pizza boxes
- ✓Polystyrene and Styrofoam packaging materials
- ✓Plastic bags, dry wrappers, and plastic films
- ✓Disposable baby diapers and sanitary wipes
- ✓Cacti, succulents, and palm fronds
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Recyclables must be kept loose, clean, and empty—do not bag them. Blue bins are emptied biweekly on a rotational schedule.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean, dry cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Clean office paper, catalogs, and mail
- ✓Glass bottles and food jars (rinsed and dry)
- ✓Aluminum beverage cans and clean foil
- ✓Steel, tin, and bi-metal food cans
- ✓Hard, rigid plastics larger than 6 inches
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags or trash liners
- ✕Styrofoam blocks or food packaging
- ✕Dirty or wet paper products
- ✕Hoses, electrical cords, and wire hangers
- ✕Liquids or remaining food residue
Yard Waste Bin
Material must be placed loose in the container with no bags. Absolutely no food scraps, animal pet waste, dirt, rocks, concrete, palm fronds, or succulents are allowed in this cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Lawn clippings and cut grass
- ✓Dry leaves and flowers
- ✓Weeds and general garden vegetation
- ✓Small prunings and branches under 4 inches in diameter
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
4 free curbside pickup visits per calendar year
Placement
Place your scheduled bulky items at your roadside property edge on the pre-arranged collection morning, clear of vehicles, mailboxes, and low-hanging tree branches.
Accepted
- ✓ Sofas, armchairs, tables, and wooden furniture
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Major appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers)
- ✓ Televisions, computer monitors, and electronics
- ✓ General large household items too heavy for carts
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (liquid paints, chemicals)
- ✕ Dirt, sand, gravel, stone, concrete, and asphalt
- ✕ Construction and home demolition waste
- ✕ Automotive parts, tires, and oil-filled small engines
The four standard annual pickups are free of charge. Collections exceeding the free annual limit must be arranged with MarBorg for an added service estimate.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
MarBorg Industries observes six holidays annually. If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, curbside collections for that day and all remaining weekdays in that calendar week will be delayed by exactly one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Biweekly recycling and weekly yard waste collection programs follow the exact same holiday shift.
If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no change or delay to regular weekday collection schedules.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Food Scraps Out of Yard Waste
Never place food waste or greasy paper in your green container. Green waste in Orcutt is chipped directly into clean garden mulch, so kitchen scraps and food waste belong strictly in the gray trash bin.
Keep Plastic Bags Out of Blue Bins
Plastic shopping bags, grocery wrap, and bag liners are severe sorting plant contaminants. They jam conveyor rollers and endanger workers; discard them in the gray trash bin.
Do Not Pack Succulents with Green Waste
Tough succulents, thick cacti, and fibrous palm fronds do not break down in rapid mulching cycles. Dispose of these specific landscape items in the gray trash cart.
Seasonal Information
Post-Holiday Christmas Tree Recycling
JanuaryNatural, unflocked Christmas trees are collected curbside in January. All stands, nails, lights, tinsel, and ornaments must be removed. Trees exceeding 6 feet in length must be cut in half.
Winter Storm Runoff & Debris Control
November - MarchIn the event of heavy winter rainstorms, sweep garden leaves into green carts. Never blow leaves into roadways, as they clog public stormwater drains. Storm-damaged branches and mud must be managed according to county storm protocols.
About Orcutt Waste Management
Orcutt's Tailored Unincorporated Waste Architecture
Because Orcutt is an unincorporated community in the Santa Maria Valley, its residential sanitation and recycling programs are governed by Santa Barbara County's Resource Recovery and Waste Management Division (RR&WMD) rather than municipal departments. Under this local framework, classified as Zone 5, waste hauling is provided exclusively by MarBorg Industries. Services are designed to maximize recovery of resources while protecting the area's native flora, wildlife habitats, and nearby agricultural lands.
The ReSource Center Mixed Waste Strategy
A highly advanced aspect of waste management in Santa Barbara County's unincorporated north is the mixed waste sorting handled by the county's state-of-the-art ReSource Center. In Orcutt, residents continue to place all residential food scraps, food-soiled papers, and leftovers directly into their gray or beige trash carts. This mixed landfill stream is sent to the regional facility, which mechanically extracts organic waste to process it into clean compost and generate renewable natural gas on-site.
Specialized Biweekly Recycling and Weekly Green Waste
Orcutt utilizes a structured collection frequency where standard trash and green yard waste are picked up every single week. However, to lower regional truck emissions and control municipal utility costs, blue-cart mixed recycling is serviced on a biweekly (every other week) rotation. Residents must monitor their designated blue or orange week schedules to ensure their recycling carts are rolled out at the correct time.
Curbside Batteries and On-Demand Sharps Disposal
To eliminate the safety risks of battery friction in garbage trucks, Orcutt residents with active curbside recycling can utilize an easy doorstep recovery method. Placing taped household batteries in a clear, sealed bag on top of the blue cart lid allows drivers to handle them safely. Additionally, single-family households can contact MarBorg Industries to request free, postal-approved mail-back containers for home-generated medical sharps.
Drop-off Facilities
Santa Maria Regional Landfill & HHW Facility
2065 East Main Street, Santa Maria, CA 93454
Materials Accepted
Goodwill Industries Orcutt (Drop-off Site)
3486 Orcutt Road, Orcutt, CA 93455
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Orcutt food scraps go in the gray trash cart instead of the green waste cart?
Orcutt's green yard waste container is only for clean plant materials, which are mulched directly for agricultural use. Instead, all household food scraps must be discarded in the gray trash bin. These are sorted mechanically at the county's ReSource Center to be processed into organic compost.
How do I schedule a free bulky waste pickup for an old mattress or television?
Orcutt residents can book up to four free bulky item removals per year by calling MarBorg Industries customer service at 805-963-1852. Each scheduled pickup allows you to discard up to 5 qualifying items.
How should I safely recycle household batteries in Orcutt?
To recycle batteries curbside, apply clear tape over the contact terminals of lithium and rechargeable batteries. Place them inside a clear, sealed plastic zip-top bag, and set the bag directly on top of your blue recycling cart lid on collection morning.
What is the county's program for safe disposal of medical needles and sharps?
Single-family homes in the unincorporated areas of Santa Barbara County can contact MarBorg Industries to request a free, postal-approved mail-back sharps container. This allows you to safely mail full needles and lancets for free disposal.