Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Palm Springs
Trash Day
Collection runs Monday through Friday, depending on your neighborhood zone.
Recycling
Collected once per week on the same day as your trash collection.
Yard Waste
Collected once per week on the same day as trash and recycling (green organics cart).
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM (June through August) or by 7:00 AM (September through May)
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Trash and recycling services are franchised through Palm Springs Disposal Services (PSDS), with recurring auto-payments processed on the 20th of the billing month.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly or Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail
Pro Tip / Discount
A 15% discount on annual residential waste pickup is available for eligible low-income residents enrolled in the CARE utility assistance program.
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
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.
Local Tips & Community Info
Desert Waste Collection with PSDS
Living in a world-famous desert resort destination requires specialized municipal operations. Palm Springs Disposal Services (PSDS) acts as the exclusive waste management partner for the city. Because high desert winds are a frequent reality, securing your trash is paramount. Homeowners and seasonal residents must roll their carts to the curb edge by 6:00 a.m. on their scheduled morning. Ensure all lids are completely flush; overflowing bins risk scattering debris across neighborhoods and will not be emptied by the automated trucks. Always keep a three-foot perimeter around each container to allow the mechanical lift arms to function smoothly.
Wind-Proofing Your Blue Recycling Cart
State legislation and local sustainability goals drive the Palm Springs recycling program. The blue cart is your destination for unbagged, clean materials. Acceptable items include aluminum cans, glass bottles, rigid plastics, and dry paper. Due to the notorious wind gusts in the valley, it is especially important to break down all corrugated cardboard boxes and wedge them firmly inside the blue receptacle rather than leaving them stacked loosely on the ground where they can easily blow away.
Navigating Organics and Food Scraps
The green organics barrel plays a massive role in California’s overall climate strategy. You must deposit all food scraps, including meat, dairy, bread, and vegetable peelings, directly into this bin alongside your palm fronds and desert yard clippings. Keeping this material out of traditional landfills stops the generation of harmful methane gas. Avoid using standard plastic garbage bags for your kitchen scraps, as they contaminate the organic compost. Biodegradable, BPI-certified bags are the only acceptable liner.
Clearing Out Large Furniture and Appliances
Whether you are renovating a mid-century modern property or simply replacing an old mattress, getting rid of heavy items is straightforward. PSDS provides bulk waste collection for residential accounts. You cannot abandon furniture or broken appliances on the curb or in a vacant lot, as this triggers immediate code enforcement fines. Instead, dial the PSDS customer service office to arrange a specialized pickup date for your heavy goods, keeping the city streets pristine.
Keeping Toxics Out of the Coachella Valley
Corrosive pool chlorine, wet paint, harsh cleaning solvents, and electronic waste cannot be thrown into standard trash carts under any circumstances. These hazardous materials threaten the fragile local ecosystem and the safety of sanitation workers. Palm Springs citizens can drop off these toxic items safely at Riverside County Household Hazardous Waste collection events, or utilize specific local drop-off centers designated for e-waste disposal.
Holiday Schedule Interruptions
Trash collection in Palm Springs takes a brief pause for major holidays, specifically Christmas, New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, Labor Day, Memorial Day, and the Fourth of July. When one of these dates falls on a regular weekday, all subsequent neighborhood routes for that week are pushed back by 24 hours. For example, a Tuesday pickup shifts to Wednesday. Normal operations resume automatically the following Monday.
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.