Grey/Black Bin (Trash)
Place your cart at the edge of the street with the lid arrow pointing toward the street. Allow a minimum of 4 feet of clearance from cars, light poles, and mailboxes. Carts must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Styrofoam packing materials
- ✓Ceramics and glassware
- ✓Diapers and pet waste
- ✓Cat litter
- ✓Bubble wrap
- ✓Plastic wrappers
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Remove all caps, corks, and lids before recycling. Lightly rinse or scrape out sticky foods using a spatula. Keep materials completely loose; never bag your recyclables.
Accepted Items
- ✓Aluminum and metal cans
- ✓Cardboard (clean, dry, and flattened)
- ✓Computer paper and mixed paper
- ✓Plastics numbered 1-5
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (all colors)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Compostable bags or food ware
- ✕Ceramic dishes
- ✕Window glass and mirrors
- ✕Grease-soiled pizza boxes
- ✕Caps, corks, and lids
Yard Waste Bin
Yard waste must be kept entirely loose. Conversely, food waste must be placed in a clear plastic, white plastic, or compostable bag before placing it inside the green cart with your yard waste.
Accepted Items
- ✓Palm fronds
- ✓Grass clippings and weeds
- ✓Leaves and twigs
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy)
- ✓Food-soiled paper
- ✓Coffee grounds and tea bags
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
12 items per year (scheduled in batches of 2)
Placement
You must schedule your pickup by calling (760) 327-1351 ext. 313. Place items at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on the scheduled day. Tie or bundle any large loose pieces.
Accepted
- ✓ Major home appliances
- ✓ Household furniture
- ✓ Electronic waste (eWaste)
- ✓ Car tires
- ✓ Bulky items up to 150 lbs
Not Accepted
- ✕ Items exceeding 150 pounds
- ✕ Items that cannot be lifted safely by two people
- ✕ Hazardous chemical waste
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
The service is completely free for single-family residential subscribers up to the 12-item limit. Commercial and multi-family bin customers are subject to a separate fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, waste collection for that day and the remainder of the week will be delayed by exactly one day. If the holiday falls on a weekend, there is no change to the scheduled collection.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling bins are collected on the exact same delayed schedule as your standard trash cart.
Even during holiday weeks with delayed service, make sure your carts are placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your adjusted collection day to guarantee pickup.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Bag Your Food, Keep Yard Waste Loose
Unlike many neighboring cities, Palm Springs explicitly requires you to bag your food scraps in a clear, white, or compostable bag to control odors and assist sorting facilities. However, your yard waste, including palm fronds, must always remain loose in the green cart.
Remove Caps and Lids
Before tossing empty glass bottles and plastic jars into your blue recycling cart, you must remove all caps, lids, and corks. These small items jam sorting machinery and should be disposed of in your trash cart.
No Soiled Takeout Containers
Takeout food 'clamshells' or heavily soiled cardboard are considered contaminated and cannot be recycled in the blue cart. Greasy pizza boxes, however, can be diverted and placed into your green organics cart.
Seasonal Information
Spring & Fall
April and OctoberDuring the April and October Citywide Clean-Up weeks, single-family residents can place up to two extra bulky items at the curb on Monday morning without counting against their 12 free annual items.
Winter
JanuaryFollowing the winter holidays, the City of Palm Springs typically hosts free paper shredding and electronic waste drop-off events at Palm Springs City Hall for proper disposal of sensitive documents and old devices.
Summer
June - SeptemberDue to intense desert summer heat, securely bagging your food waste before placing it in the green cart is particularly crucial to minimize insect activity, pest attraction, and strong odors.
About Palm Springs Waste Management
Palm Springs' Unique Approach to Organics
To comply with California's SB 1383 mandate, the City of Palm Springs and its exclusive franchised hauler, Palm Springs Disposal Services (PSDS), have implemented a robust organics recycling program. What makes Palm Springs distinct is its bagging protocol: while yard waste like palm fronds and grass clippings must remain completely loose in the green cart, all food scraps should be securely placed inside a clear plastic, white, or compostable bag before being tossed in. This specialized bagging method helps control odors in the extreme desert heat and streamlines operations at the processing facility.
Walk-In Collection Services for Convenience
For residents who find it physically difficult to wheel heavy bins to the curb, or simply prefer the convenience of having it handled for them, PSDS offers a specialized 'Walk-In' service. For a subscription fee, waste collectors will retrieve your carts from an accessible spot on your property, wheel them to the curb to be emptied, and return them securely to their original location. This premium service even includes the retrieval of your first recycling cart at no additional charge.
Generous Bulky Item Program and Citywide Clean-Ups
Single-family residents in Palm Springs enjoy one of the most generous bulky item programs in the Coachella Valley. Qualifying households can schedule up to 12 free bulky item pick-ups annually, which are collected in increments of two items per scheduled pickup. Additionally, the city hosts week-long Citywide Clean-Up events every April and October. During these dedicated weeks, residents can place up to two extra large items curbside without having them deducted from their yearly 12-item allowance.
Strict Anti-Scavenging Measures
To combat neighborhood scavenging, Palm Springs Disposal Services strategically designs its collection routes so that residential recycling is typically completed before 10:00 a.m. Residents are strongly encouraged to wait until the morning of their pickup day to place their blue carts at the curb, rather than leaving them out unattended overnight. Combined with proactive municipal code enforcement, these measures help keep the community clean and ensure valuable recyclable materials reach the proper recovery facilities.
Drop-off Facilities
Palm Springs Regional Permanent Household Hazardous Waste Facility
1100 Vella Road, Palm Springs, CA 92264
Materials Accepted
PSDS eWaste & Cardboard Drop-off Bins
4690 E Mesquite Ave (corner of Williams St), Palm Springs, CA 92264
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if my Palm Springs street is too narrow for standard carts?
For residents on very narrow streets or in housing developments with tight storage limitations where standard trucks cannot fit, PSDS manually collects trash from customer-provided 32-gallon cans that weigh no more than 50 pounds when filled.
Can I put palm fronds in my green yard waste cart?
Yes, palm fronds are fully accepted in your green organics cart. However, you must make sure you leave them loose and do not place them inside any plastic bags or yard waste sacks.
How do I stop scavengers from digging through my recycling cart?
PSDS purposefully schedules recycling routes early in the morning and aims to finish by 10:00 a.m. To reduce illegal scavenging, the city recommends waiting until the morning of your collection day to place your blue cart at the curb instead of setting it out overnight.
Where can I safely dispose of hazardous chemicals like paint or motor oil?
Hazardous items are strictly prohibited from curbside carts. You can drive through and drop them off for free at the Palm Springs Regional Permanent HHW Facility located at 1100 Vella Road, which is open exclusively on Saturdays.