Black Bin (Trash)
Place container at the curb by 6:00 AM on your scheduled collection day. The lid must be completely closed. Keep the container 3 to 5 feet away from cars, mailboxes, and fences.
Accepted Items
- ✓Household trash
- ✓Plastic bags
- ✓Chip bags and candy wrappers
- ✓Clothing and fabric
- ✓Styrofoam
- ✓Foil pouches and juice boxes
- ✓Porcelain, china, and ceramics
Blue Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables can be mixed together loosely in the Blue Can. Flatten all cardboard boxes and empty/rinse containers before disposal.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastics #1 through #7 (beverage bottles, detergent jugs)
- ✓Glass jars and bottles (all colors)
- ✓Steel and tin cans
- ✓Aluminum cans and clean foil
- ✓Clean paper (newspaper, mail, magazines, phone books)
- ✓Cardboard and dry food boxes (flattened)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags
- ✕Food scraps
- ✕Pizza boxes (food or grease-soiled)
- ✕Light bulbs and mirrors
- ✕Window glass
- ✕Hazardous waste
Yard Waste Bin
Do NOT use plastic bags. All green waste and organics must be placed loosely inside the green cart. The lid must close completely.
Accepted Items
- ✓Leaves and lawn clippings
- ✓Small tree trimmings
- ✓Miscellaneous garden waste
- ✓Food waste and kitchen scraps
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
During City-sponsored clean-up events
Placement
During Community Clean-up events, residents must transport their bulky items directly to the City Corporation Yard. You must present a current City of Porterville refuse bill as proof of residency.
Accepted
- ✓ General bulky trash
- ✓ Wood waste
- ✓ Excess yard clippings
- ✓ Electronic waste (e-waste)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Dirt, sod, rock, and concrete
- ✕ Hot ashes
- ✕ Flammable materials and gasoline
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
Disposal of accepted large items during official City Clean-up events is free for verified residents.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a designated holiday falls on a weekday, refuse collections for the rest of the week will be pushed back one day (e.g., Thursday service moves to Friday). If the holiday falls on a weekend, there are no delays.
Yard Waste Exception
The one-day delay applies to all residential carts, including the blue recycling and green yard waste containers.
Carts must still be placed at the curbside by 6:00 AM on your adjusted holiday collection day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Blue Bin
Never bag your recyclables. Plastic grocery bags easily tangle and damage the mechanical gears at the recycling sorting facility. Take plastic bags to local retail drop-off bins or throw them in the black trash cart.
Greasy Pizza Boxes Are Garbage
While clean cardboard is highly recyclable, cardboard that is saturated with grease or covered in melted cheese cannot be processed into new paper. Throw heavily soiled pizza boxes into your black trash can.
Hazardous Materials Require Special Drop-off
Never place batteries, old televisions, or paint in any of your three curbside bins. These are hazardous and must be taken to the monthly Waste Collection Center event at the City Corporation Yard.
Seasonal Information
Fall
OctoberPorterville typically hosts an annual Fall Community Clean-Up Event in October. Residents can bring general bulk trash, yard clippings, and e-waste to the Corporation Yard for free disposal with a current refuse bill.
Summer
JulyDuring the hot summer months, especially around the Fourth of July, expect a one-day delay in trash collection if the holiday falls on a weekday. Ensure all food waste in your green bin is kept dry to minimize pests and odors.
About Porterville Waste Management
Porterville's Three-Cart Waste Management System
The City of Porterville Public Works Department utilizes a standardized three-color cart program to effectively manage municipal solid waste. Under this automated system, each residential property across the four collection zones is assigned a black cart for regular garbage, a blue cart for mixed recyclables, and a green cart for organic and yard waste. Ensuring that items are correctly sorted not only keeps local neighborhoods clean but also helps the city meet California’s AB939 waste reduction mandate, which aims to divert at least 50% of refuse from landfills.
Mandatory Organics Recycling Under SB 1383
In compliance with state environmental laws, specifically SB 1383, Porterville requires all households to separate their organic waste from general trash. Residents must use their green organics cart to dispose of yard clippings, leaves, small tree trimmings, and importantly, all kitchen food scraps. By keeping organic matter out of the black garbage can, the city significantly cuts down on harmful methane gas emissions generated at the regional landfill. Remember that all organics must be placed loosely into the bin—plastic bags are strictly prohibited.
Convenient 24-Hour Recycling Drop-Off
Moved recently or hosted a large family gathering? Sometimes your standard curbside blue can isn't large enough to handle an influx of flattened cardboard boxes and empty beverage containers. To accommodate extra recyclables, Porterville provides a 24-hour Recycling Drop-Off Center located centrally at the City Corporation Yard on North Prospect Street. This self-serve facility is strictly for residential use and accepts the exact same materials as your curbside blue bin, making it incredibly convenient to responsibly dispose of excess waste.
Safe Disposal of Household Hazardous Waste
Tossing toxic chemicals into your curbside bins is illegal and poses severe risks to sanitation workers and the San Joaquin Valley environment. Items such as motor oil, leftover paint, pesticides, fluorescent tubes, and electronic waste (e-waste) are completely banned from the standard three-cart system. Fortunately, Porterville residents can safely dispose of these materials at the city's Waste Collection Center, which typically hosts dedicated drop-off days on the third Saturday of every month.
Drop-off Facilities
Porterville Recycling Drop-Off Center
City Corporation Yard, 555 N. Prospect Street, Porterville, CA 93257
Materials Accepted
Porterville Waste Collection Center (HHW)
City Corporation Yard, 555 N. Prospect Street, Porterville, CA 93257
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What time should I put out my trash cans in Porterville?
All automated carts (black, blue, and green) must be placed at the curbside by 6:00 AM on your scheduled collection day. Ensure the lids are completely closed and keep them 3 to 5 feet away from parked cars, mailboxes, and fences.
Can I recycle plastic grocery bags in my Blue Can?
No. Plastic grocery bags and film are strictly prohibited from the blue recycling can because they tangle in the sorting machinery. You should return them to designated local retail drop-offs or throw them in the black trash can.
Where can I dispose of excess cardboard or large recyclables?
If your blue cart is full, Porterville offers a convenient 24-hour Recycling Drop-Off Center at the City Corporation Yard (555 N. Prospect Street). This self-serve location is free and designed specifically for residential bulk recyclables.
Does the City of Porterville offer free bulky item pickup?
Porterville does not offer standard free curbside bulk item pickup year-round. However, they host annual Community Clean-Up events (such as the Fall Clean-up in October) where residents can bring large items, e-waste, and wood waste to the Corporation Yard for free disposal.