Black or Brown Bin (Trash)
Place at the curb by 5:00 a.m. Make sure the lid is fully closed and the cart is kept clear of obstructions.
Accepted Items
- ✓Diapers
- ✓Pet waste
- ✓Sanitary products
- ✓Styrofoam
- ✓Broken ceramics
- ✓Standard non-recyclable household waste
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Keep all recyclables loose in the blue cart. Do not bag your recycling in plastic bags, and flatten all cardboard boxes.
Accepted Items
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Clean cardboard
- ✓Paper products
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic containers and jugs
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Electronic waste
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Tanglers like hoses and wires
Yard Waste Bin
Organics and food scraps must go in the green cart. Do not use plastic bags to contain food waste; use paper bags or place items loosely.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps (meat, dairy, bones, bread)
- ✓Food-soiled paper products
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Small branches and weeds
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Two (2) On-Call bag pickups and one (1) large bulky item pickup per calendar year.
Placement
You must call 925-682-9113 to schedule in advance. Place items curbside by 5:00 a.m. on your designated service day.
Accepted
- ✓ Up to 12 bags of garbage or yard waste
- ✓ One large appliance
- ✓ One large piece of furniture
- ✓ One electronic item (TV, computer)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste
- ✕ Items weighing over 200 lbs
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Dirt, rock, or concrete
These annual pickups are entirely free for single-family residential customers. Additional pickups or extra items will require a fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
MDRR only observes Christmas Day and New Year's Day. If your collection day falls on or after one of these two holidays during the week, your service will be delayed by one day, with Friday customers serviced on Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
The one-day delay applies to all three carts, including recycling and organics.
Collections run on a completely normal schedule for all other holidays, including Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep plastic bags in the garbage
Plastic grocery bags and film wrap tangle the sorting gears at the recycling center. Place them in your black or brown garbage cart, or return them to local grocery stores.
No Styrofoam in the blue bin
Expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam) packaging peanuts and blocks cannot be recycled in the curbside blue cart. Always put these materials in the garbage cart.
Batteries are a fire hazard
Never throw household batteries into any of your three curbside carts. Drop them off at the designated battery container at the MDRR office to prevent truck fires.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryFollowing the holidays, you can schedule a curbside collection for your Christmas tree on your regular pickup day. Alternatively, residents can drop off one bare, uncut Christmas tree per household directly at the Recycling Center and Transfer Station on Loveridge Road.
Autumn
October - NovemberIf you accumulate massive amounts of fallen leaves that won't fit in your green organics cart, remember to utilize one of your two annual On-Call Pickups to dispose of up to 12 extra bags of yard debris for free.
Year-Round
January - DecemberIf you prefer not to wait for a scheduled bulky pickup, Pittsburg residents can self-haul materials directly to the Recycling Center and Transfer Station (RCTS) at 1300 Loveridge Road. It is open year-round from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
About Pittsburg Waste Management
Navigating Pittsburg's Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery System
Pittsburg utilizes Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery (MDRR) as its exclusive waste hauler for residential homes [1.1.3]. The city features a standard three-cart automated collection system consisting of a black or brown garbage cart, a blue recycling cart, and a green organics cart. All single-family homes are required to wheel their containers to the curb by 5:00 a.m. on their scheduled collection day. Ensure all lids are completely closed, and position your carts with at least three feet of distance from vehicles and mailboxes to guarantee a seamless automated pickup.
Mandatory Organics Recycling and Kitchen Food Scraps
To comply with California's SB 1383 mandate, all Pittsburg residents are mandated to use their green organics cart for both yard debris and food scraps. You must place all food waste, including meat, bones, and dairy products, directly into the green cart along with your landscape clippings. To manage odors, many residents line their indoor kitchen pails with newspaper or paper bags, as standard plastic bags are strictly prohibited in the green organics bin and will trigger contamination warnings.
Making the Most of Your Free Extra Bag Pickups
Beyond regular cart collection, MDRR provides Pittsburg households with two free On-Call Cleanups per calendar year specifically designed for extra bags. During each scheduled cleanup, you can set out up to 12 bags of standard garbage or yard debris on your normal service day. Each bag must weigh less than 50 pounds, and pickups must be scheduled at least one week apart. This is the perfect solution for post-holiday overflow or extensive yard work weekends.
Scheduling Heavy Bulky Items and E-Waste
If you need to dispose of something heavier than a trash bag, Pittsburg residents also receive one free bulky item pickup per calendar year. This allows you to dispose of a single large item, such as a mattress, large furniture piece, major appliance, or an electronic device like a television. The item must weigh under 200 pounds and be placed at the curb. You must contact MDRR at 925-682-9113 in advance to reserve your bulky item collection.
Curbside Motor Oil and Drop-Off Battery Recycling
Pittsburg residents can conveniently recycle used motor oil right from their curb. By calling MDRR, you can request a free 6-quart oil container. Once you have filled the jug, simply call them back to arrange a complimentary curbside pickup. For household batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, etc.), you can securely drop them off in the Battery Recycling Containers located inside the local MDRR lobby on California Avenue during normal business hours.
Drop-off Facilities
Recycling Center and Transfer Station (RCTS)
1300 Loveridge Road, Pittsburg, CA 94565
Materials Accepted
Delta Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility
2550 Pittsburg-Antioch Hwy, Antioch, CA 94509
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How many extra bags of trash can I throw away for free?
Pittsburg residents get two free On-Call Pickups per year, which allows up to 12 bags of garbage or yard waste per scheduled pickup.
Where can I drop off household hazardous waste and old paint?
You can take HHW to the Delta Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility located at 2550 Pittsburg-Antioch Hwy in Antioch. They are open Thursday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Can I put food scraps in my green yard waste bin?
Yes, in compliance with SB 1383, Pittsburg residents are required to place all food scraps, including meat and dairy, directly into the green organics cart.
What do I do if I miss my bulky item pickup limit?
If you've used your annual free bulky pickup, you can either schedule an additional pickup for a fee or self-haul your items to the Recycling Center and Transfer Station (RCTS) at 1300 Loveridge Road.