Dark Gray or Black Bin (Trash)
All residential trash items must fit completely loose inside the container with the lid sealed flat down. Overflow items stacked next to the bin are not pulled by the mechanical arms unless advance arrangements are authorized.
Accepted Items
- ✓Unrecyclable snack wrappers and chip packaging
- ✓Diapers and feminine hygiene items
- ✓Bagged pet feces and cat litter
- ✓Polystyrene (Styrofoam) foam pieces
- ✓Broken incandescent light bulbs
- ✓Vinyl, rubber bands, and composite home garbage
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Recyclables must be deposited entirely loose, clean, dry, and unbagged. Small fragments of shredded paper must be safely sealed inside a paper bag marked 'Shredded Paper' to prevent scattering.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean aluminum cans and tin foil balled up
- ✓Glass bottles and food jars (all colors)
- ✓Rigid plastics labeled #1 through #7
- ✓Flattened cardboard shipping boxes (non-waxed)
- ✓Newspapers, magazines, junk mail, and phonebooks
Do NOT Include
- ✕Loose plastic grocery sacks or heavy bubble wraps
- ✕Food-stained pizza boxes or greasy grease sheets
- ✕Fluorescent tubes and household electronics
- ✕Ceramic kitchenware or window pane shards
- ✕Loose shredded paper fragments
Yard Waste Bin
Vegetation and food remnants must be mixed loose directly in the cart. Do not encapsulate organics in traditional plastic bags, as they ruin the commercial composting digestors.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings, lawn weeds, and garden thatch
- ✓Dry autumn leaves, flowers, and shrub trimmings
- ✓Tree limbs under 6 inches in diameter and 2 feet in length
- ✓Household food scraps, meat scraps, bones, and dairy
- ✓Food-soiled paper towels, greasy pizza boxes, and coffee filters
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
3 pickups per calendar year
Placement
Bulky items must be positioned neatly at the street curb edge by 5:00 AM on the day of your approved collection appointment. Items must not exceed 6 feet in length or 100 lbs in weight per item.
Accepted
- ✓ Large home appliances (washers, dryers, refrigerators)
- ✓ Oversized furniture (sofas, tables, mattresses)
- ✓ Consumer electronics (television sets, computers, microwaves)
- ✓ Up to 12 garbage bags (32-gallon size) or 5 bundled parcels under 100 lbs
- ✓ Up to 4 passenger vehicle tires without metal rims
Not Accepted
- ✕ Liquid chemicals, paints, or solvents
- ✕ Commercial construction debris and concrete aggregates
- ✕ Treated wood or commercial railroad ties
- ✕ Loose unbagged household garbage piles
Once your three free annual choices are exhausted, additional items or extra runs can be reserved through Recology for an assessed structural service fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Recology of the Coast maintains normal curbside collection on Thanksgiving Day without scheduling changes. However, operations are adjusted for Christmas Day and New Year's Day; when these holidays occur, routes are completed on the preceding or designated Saturday (e.g., Saturday adjusted loops). Always consult your custom calendar for these specific holiday shifts.
Yard Waste Exception
Organic and yard waste collections shift on the exact same early or delayed timeline as standard trash carts during major holiday updates.
The Palmetto Recycling Yard drop-off facility closes on a broader list of dates, including MLK Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Fog Festival Weekend, and Thanksgiving.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Seal Household Batteries in Dedicated Baggies
Never drop batteries loosely into your standard carts. They can cause hazardous friction fires inside trucks; seal household batteries in a clear plastic baggie and place them right on top of the blue recycling cart lid.
Ditch Flimsy Plastic Grocery Sacks
Do not bundle your plastics or clean items inside grocery sacks. Flimsy films clog sorting rotating screens at the material facility, so place your recyclables loose.
Double-Bag and Small-Smash Broken Window Glass
If a window mirror or home pane shatters, do not toss it loose. Wrap the fragments carefully inside a double layer of brown paper bags, crush them into small pieces safely, and secure the bag in the trash cart to protect municipal workers.
Seasonal Information
Post-Holiday Tree Collection Loop
December to JanuaryRecology provides curbside tree recycling from December 26 through January 31. Residents must remove all ornaments, stands, tinsel, and light stringing. Flocked trees are accepted, but long trees must be trimmed into segments under 4 feet.
Community Compost Giveaway Series
March and SeptemberPacifica hosts free community compost giveaway events on select Saturdays (e.g., early March and September) at 2212 Beach Street. Residents can claim up to two 30-gallon containers of organic mulch; bags or boxes are not allowed.
Coastal Storm Operations & Wind Protection
November to MarchHeavy coastal Pacific winter winds can tip over curbside containers. To reduce wind scatter and run-off into marine zones, keep cart lids fully closed and align containers with the wind direction if necessary.
About Pacifica Waste Management
Pacifica's Coastal Zero-Waste Vision and Framework
Nestled along the scenic San Mateo County shoreline, the City of Pacifica relies on an exclusive franchise contract with Recology of the Coast to handle its residential solid waste, mixed recycling, and regional organics infrastructure. Emphasizing environmental sustainability along the coast, the city works in tandem with Recology to optimize source diversion and divert compostable and recyclable components from regional landfills. Regular single-family curbside services take place under uniform automated routing designed to withstand local sea winds and hilly terrains.
Curbside Container Rules and Municipal Ordinances
Per City of Pacifica Ordinance #6-5.106, residents are subject to strict timelines for curbside presentation. Rolling bins must not be positioned in public view more than 12 hours before the scheduled pickup and must be pulled back inside within 12 hours following service. All automated containers must be set out by 5:00 AM on collection morning with lids resting entirely flat. Route drivers are directed to bypass any overfilled containers that cannot drop clean without dropping debris onto coastal rights-of-way.
Comprehensive Backyard and Kitchen Organics Tracking
To align fully with California SB 1383 regulations, Pacifica features a combined green waste stream that accepts food scrap fractions alongside conventional lawn brush. Residents must route items like leftover poultry bones, dairy, fruit peels, and food-soiled paper products directly into their green cart. This organic slurry is transported to specialized facilities to become valuable landscape compost rather than creating harmful landfill methane gases.
Exclusive Drop-Off Access at the Palmetto Recycling Yard
For residential accounts needing options beyond standard container pickups, Recology maintains a dedicated local drop-off station known as the Pacifica Recycling Yard on Palmetto Avenue. Local residential account holders can transport one standard carload of materials daily at no added charge, provided they bring proof of account ownership. Commercial trailers, flatbeds, or unconfirmed out-of-town haulers are prohibited from utilizing this community hub.
Drop-off Facilities
Recology of the Coast Recycling Yard
1046 Palmetto Ave, Pacifica, CA 94044
Materials Accepted
San Mateo County HHW Drop-off Program
Varies by Appointment (Main Facility in San Mateo / South SF)
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Pacifica residents schedule a free bulky item collection?
Pacifica homeowners can schedule their three annual free bulk pickups by emailing the Recology team at [email protected], or calling customer service at 650-355-9000. Appointments must be logged at least a week in advance and are available from February through December.
Can I throw away household batteries or fluorescent tubes in my carts?
No. Fluorescent light tubes are banned from all carts and should be taken to the Palmetto Recycling Yard. Small household batteries can be recycled curbside by sealing them inside a clear plastic baggie and setting it directly on top of your blue recycling cart lid.
What are the rules regarding extra garbage bags that don't fit in my bin?
Extra garbage bags cannot simply be left next to your gray cart. You must contact Recology at least 24 hours in advance to arrange a pickup for a per-bag fee, or you can utilize one of your annual free bulky item appointments to pick up a batch of up to 12 extra bags.
Is there a local discount available for low-income residents in Pacifica?
Yes. Recology of the Coast provides a Lifeline rate structure for qualifying low-income residential accounts in Pacifica. Residents can call the local service office at 650-355-9000 to obtain application forms and verify current income guidelines.