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Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Rancho Palos Verdes
Trash Day
Collection runs Monday through Friday, assigned by neighborhood service area.
Recycling
Collected weekly on the same day as trash pickup.
Yard Waste
Collected weekly on the same day as trash pickup.
Set Out Time
By 7:00 AM on collection day (set out after 4:00 PM the prior day and remove by 10:00 PM on collection day)
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential waste services are billed directly on a quarterly basis by franchised hauler EDCO, which includes an automatic recycling rebate credit on residential bills.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Mail, Phone
Pro Tip / Discount
A 10% senior discount (age 65+), a 5% low-income discount (meeting CA PUC guidelines), and a 5% annual pre-payment discount are available.
Gray Bin (Trash)
All trash must be contained within the gray cart with the lid completely closed. Place carts at the curb by 7:00 a.m. with at least three feet of space between each container.
Accepted Items
- ✓Non-recyclable household garbage
- ✓Diapers and pet waste
- ✓Treated or lead-based painted wood
- ✓Cacti and succulents
- ✓Broken ceramics and glass
- ✓Plastic bags (if used to bag regular trash)
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Keep recyclables loose inside the blue cart. Do not bag your recyclables, and ensure all containers are empty of liquids to prevent contaminating paper products.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean and dry paper and cardboard
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (no lids)
- ✓Plastic bottles and jugs (plastics #1-#7)
- ✓Junk mail and magazines
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Food waste
- ✕Electronics and batteries
- ✕Styrofoam (foam packing peanuts)
- ✕Tanglers (hoses, wires)
Yard Waste Bin
Food waste must be placed directly into the green organics barrel either loose or wrapped in newspaper/paper bags. Plastic bags (even 'compostable' ones) are strictly prohibited because they ruin the anaerobic digester process.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings, leaves, and brush
- ✓Tree branches and pruning waste
- ✓All food waste (meat, bones, dairy, bread, fruits, vegetables)
- ✓Food-soiled paper (100% plant-fiber based, no wax or plastic lining)
- ✓Unflocked Christmas trees (cut into pieces)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Year-round upon request
Placement
You must call EDCO at (310) 540-2977 to arrange a specific pickup date. Place items at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on the scheduled day, never earlier than 4:00 p.m. the day before.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and mattresses
- ✓ Major household appliances
- ✓ Water heaters
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, computers, monitors)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Dirt, concrete, or asphalt
- ✕ Vehicle parts and tires
There is no fee for standard residential bulky item or e-waste pickups as long as they are scheduled properly and do not contain prohibited construction or hazardous materials.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If your collection day falls on or after an observed holiday during the week, your service will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling services follow the exact same one-day holiday delay as standard trash collection.
If an observed holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no disruption to your regular weekday collection schedule. Minor holidays like MLK Day and Presidents' Day do not affect pickup.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Winter (Post-Holiday)
December - JanuaryBetween December 26th and January 12th, you may place extra household trash in bags or personal cans next to your gray cart for free collection.
Year-Round
OngoingThe City and EDCO periodically host free community paper shredding, e-waste collection, and compost giveaway events. Check the city calendar for upcoming dates.
Local Tips & Community Info
Waste Management and Authorized Haulers in Rancho Palos Verdes
To keep our scenic coastal community pristine, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes relies on exclusive franchise agreements for residential solid waste collection. While EDCO Disposal serves roughly ninety-five percent of the city, homes located in the Palos Verdes Drive South and Portuguese Bend Landslide areas are serviced by Universal Waste Systems (UWS). Both providers offer comprehensive waste solutions for single-family and multi-family residences. If you are unsure which hauler is assigned to your specific neighborhood, you can verify your service area map on the Rancho Palos Verdes Public Works webpage or directly contact EDCO at (310) 540-2977 to start your residential services.
Your Three-Cart System: Trash, Recycling, and Organics
Every household is equipped with a color-coded three-cart system designed to separate refuse responsibly and efficiently. Residents receive a gray container for standard household garbage, a blue container for recyclable materials, and a green container for yard trimmings and food scraps. While all three bins are emptied on the same designated day each week, they are serviced by three separate trucks to prevent cross-contamination. Your blue recycling carts are provided completely free of charge, and households can request up to three green organics carts at no extra cost. Your monthly rate is determined solely by the size of your gray trash cart, which comes in 35-gallon, 64-gallon, and 96-gallon options.
Cart Placement Rules and Storage Restrictions
Because Rancho Palos Verdes takes its neighborhood aesthetics seriously, strict municipal codes dictate when and where trash receptacles can be visible. Containers should not be placed on the street or public parkways before 5:00 PM on the evening prior to your collection day. Once the automated trucks have emptied your carts, they must be removed from the curb by 8:00 PM that evening. Between collection days, all trash, recycling, and green waste bins must be stored in a concealed area on your property where they are not visible from the public right-of-way.
Bulky Waste Collection Services
When it is time to do some major spring cleaning or replace old furniture, residents do not need to haul large items to the county dump. EDCO and UWS provide convenient bulky item pickup services for all residential customers. This program is specifically designed to handle items that are simply too large to fit inside your gray cart, such as mattresses, sofas, broken appliances, and bundled green waste that exceeds standard dimensions. You must schedule this special pickup in advance by contacting your designated hauler via phone or their online portal. Remember to place your scheduled bulky items at the curb only on the morning of your confirmed appointment.
Discounts for Seniors and Annual Pre-Payments
Rancho Palos Verdes and its franchise haulers offer a couple of helpful ways to reduce your annual waste management costs. If you are a senior citizen aged sixty-five or older, you are eligible to apply for a ten percent discount on your monthly refuse rate. Furthermore, any resident who chooses to pre-pay their annual trash collection bill in full can take advantage of an additional five percent discount. To apply for the senior discount or set up annual prepaid billing, you will need to fill out the specific rate discount forms provided by EDCO or UWS customer service.
Holiday Delays for Trash Service
Like most municipal utilities, waste collection in Rancho Palos Verdes takes a brief pause to observe major national holidays. If a recognized holiday such as New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas Day falls on a weekday, your trash pickup will be delayed by exactly one day for the remainder of that week. For example, if Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday, Thursday customers will have their bins emptied on Friday, and Friday customers will be serviced on Saturday. If the holiday happens to land on a Sunday, your regular weekly schedule remains completely unaffected.
Drop-off Facilities
S.A.F.E. Collection Center (San Pedro)
1400 N. Gaffey St, San Pedro, CA 90731
Materials Accepted
EDCO Recycling and Transfer Environmental Collection Center
2755 California Ave, Signal Hill, CA 90755
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
When am I allowed to put my trash bins out on the curb in Rancho Palos Verdes?
According to city municipal code, carts cannot be placed at the curb earlier than 4:00 p.m. the day before your scheduled collection. Furthermore, empty carts must be removed from the curb by 10:00 p.m. on your collection day and hidden from public view.
Who provides my trash pickup in the Portuguese Bend area?
While EDCO services 95% of Rancho Palos Verdes, Universal Waste Systems (UWS) provides trash collection for the Portuguese Bend landslide and Palos Verdes Drive South (PVDS) areas. You can reach UWS at (800) 631-7016.
How many recycling and green waste carts am I allowed to have?
Residents can receive unlimited blue recycling carts for free and up to three free green organics carts from EDCO. If you need more than three green carts, or an extra gray trash cart, an additional monthly fee will apply.
Can I use compostable plastic bags for my food waste in the green cart?
No. Plastic bags of any kind, including those labeled 'compostable' or 'biodegradable', are strictly prohibited because they jam EDCO's anaerobic digestion facility. Food waste must be loose or wrapped in plain paper bags.