Dark Gray with Black Lid (or legacy Blue cart) Bin (Trash)
All landfill garbage must be securely bagged to prevent windblown litter. The lid must close entirely. Palm fronds must go here, as their fibrous nature damages composting equipment.
Accepted Items
- ✓Palm fronds and cactus trimmings
- ✓Polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) cups and packaging
- ✓Candy wrappers, chip bags, and snack film
- ✓Bagged pet waste and cat litter
- ✓Diapers and feminine hygiene products
- ✓Broken ceramics, dishes, and pots
- ✓Clothing and textiles
Dark Gray with Blue Lid Bin (Recycling)
Keep all recyclable items empty, clean, dry, and loose in the cart. Do not bag recyclables in plastic grocery or garbage bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean, dry paper, magazines, and mail
- ✓Flattened cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs
- ✓Glass bottles and jars of any color
- ✓Aluminum and tin/steel food and beverage cans
- ✓Food and beverage cartons (Tetra Paks)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags, shrink wrap, and plastic film
- ✕Food waste and liquids
- ✕Styrofoam packing peanuts or blocks
- ✕Batteries, electronics, and cords
- ✕Garden hoses and tanglers
Yard Waste Bin
To reduce odors, you may place food scraps inside a standard brown paper bag before putting them in the organics cart. No plastic bags, including 'compostable' plastics, are allowed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, bread, fruits, vegetables)
- ✓Food-soiled paper (coffee grounds, tea bags, greasy paper)
- ✓Grass clippings, leaves, and weeds
- ✓Floral and yard waste
- ✓Small branches and tree trimmings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
4 free curbside pick-ups per year for residential customers.
Placement
Place your scheduled bulky items at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated service day. Mattresses and box springs must be completely wrapped in plastic.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, dressers, chairs)
- ✓ Wrapped mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Large appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers)
- ✓ Electronic waste (televisions, computers)
- ✓ Bundled tree branches and scrap wood
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (paint, motor oil, batteries)
- ✕ Spas and camper shells
- ✕ Pianos or items requiring more than two people to lift
- ✕ Construction materials (dirt, concrete, rocks)
- ✕ Machinery and industrial discards
If you exceed your allowance of four items per pickup, or if you request more than four total pickups in a year, you will be charged an additional per-item fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, collection will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week (e.g., Thursday service moves to Friday). If the holiday falls on a weekend, there is no delay.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling carts are collected on the exact same holiday delay schedule as the regular trash carts.
Only the six major holidays listed above cause a delay in Palmdale. Other holidays, such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day or Veterans Day, do not affect the Waste Management schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Palm Fronds Go in the Trash
Unlike standard yard trimmings, palm fronds and yucca leaves cannot be composted because their tough, stringy fibers tangle the regional grinding machinery. You must place all palm fronds in your black-lidded trash cart.
Use Paper, Not Plastic, for Food Scraps
When separating your food waste to comply with SB 1383, do not use plastic bags. Even bags marketed as 'biodegradable' or 'compostable' are prohibited. Use a standard brown paper bag to contain messy food waste before tossing it into the green-lidded organics cart.
Never Bag Your Blue Bin Recyclables
Plastic garbage bags are the most common contaminant at the local material recovery facility. They wrap around the sorting gears and cause costly shutdowns. Always place your cans, paper, and bottles loose inside the recycling cart.
Seasonal Information
Winter Holidays
Late December to JanuaryWaste Management collects unflocked Christmas trees for recycling on your regular service day during the first two weeks in January at no extra cost. Also, enjoy up to three weeks of free trash bag overage collection following December 26th.
Spring
AprilDuring Palmdale's annual Environmental Pride Week, residential customers can place extra bags of refuse at the curb for collection at no additional charge. Check the city calendar for the exact dates each year.
High Winds
Year-RoundThe Antelope Valley is notorious for high winds. Always ensure your trash is bagged within the black-lidded cart and that all cart lids are completely closed to prevent litter from blowing into the desert environment.
About Palmdale Waste Management
Palmdale's Transition to Standardized Cart Colors
To comply with California state law, the City of Palmdale and Waste Management (WM) have standardized residential waste containers. All newly issued carts feature a uniform dark gray body, differentiated solely by their lids: a black lid for landfill trash, a blue lid for recycling, and a green lid for organic waste. Residents are urged to 'Check the Lid' for graphic instructions to avoid contamination, as the city actively monitors bins to enforce SB 1383 organics diversion mandates.
The Landfill E-Voucher Program
One of the most valuable, yet underutilized, perks for Palmdale residents is the annual Landfill E-Voucher program. Every July 1st, Waste Management automatically loads three electronic vouchers onto residential accounts in good standing. Two of these vouchers can be used to self-haul up to one ton of general trash or bulky items to the Antelope Valley Recycling and Disposal Facility, while the third voucher is exclusively for disposing of up to two tons of clean soil or turf.
Save Money with the Super Saver Program
If you are an aggressive recycler and composter, Palmdale rewards your zero-waste efforts financially. Through the Super Saver Program, residents who produce minimal landfill waste can request to downsize their standard 96-gallon trash cart to a smaller 32-gallon cart. Doing so immediately qualifies the household for a 20% discount on their standard trash service billing rate.
Exceptional Overage Allowances
Palmdale understands that some times of the year generate more waste than others. To prevent illegal dumping in the beautiful Antelope Valley desert, WM allows residents to place up to three extra 30-gallon bags of trash at the curb for free, twice a year. Furthermore, the city offers massive free overage allowances during Environmental Pride Week in April and for three weeks following December 26th to handle post-holiday refuse.
Hazardous Waste at AVECC
Disposing of chemicals, paint, or batteries in your curbside bins is strictly prohibited and dangerous. Palmdale residents have direct access to the Antelope Valley Environmental Collection Center (AVECC), located on West City Ranch Road. The facility is open on the first and third Saturday of every month, providing a safe, free drop-off location for household hazardous waste, e-waste, and used motor oil.
Drop-off Facilities
Antelope Valley Recycling and Disposal Facility (Palmdale Landfill)
1200 W City Ranch Rd, Palmdale, CA 93551
Materials Accepted
Antelope Valley Environmental Collection Center (AVECC)
1200 W City Ranch Rd, Palmdale, CA 93551
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do the Landfill E-Vouchers work for Palmdale residents?
Every July 1st, residential accounts in good standing automatically receive three E-Vouchers. Two vouchers allow you to dump up to one ton of general trash or green waste for free, and one is designated for up to two tons of clean soil. Just bring an ID matching your Waste Management account to the Palmdale Landfill scale house.
Can I put palm fronds in my green organic waste cart?
No. Palm fronds, yucca, and cactus trimmings are highly fibrous and can damage the commercial composting equipment. In Palmdale, you must put palm fronds directly into your black-lidded trash cart.
What is the Super Saver Program for Palmdale trash collection?
The Super Saver Program financially rewards residents who produce very little garbage. By calling Waste Management and requesting to downsize your standard 96-gallon trash cart to a 32-gallon cart, you will receive a 20% discount on your regular residential trash rate.
How many free bulky item pickups do I get in Palmdale?
Palmdale residents are entitled to four (4) free curbside bulky item pick-ups per calendar year, with a limit of four (4) items per pickup. You must call WM at (661) 947-7197 at least 48 hours in advance to schedule the collection.