Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Redding
Trash Day
Trash collection runs Monday through Saturday depending on your neighborhood route.
Recycling
Recycling is collected weekly on your designated trash collection day.
Yard Waste
Yard and organic waste is collected weekly on your regular collection day.
Set Out Time
By 5:30 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Solid waste and recycling charges are bundled together on your monthly City of Redding municipal utility statement alongside electric, water, and sewer services.
Billing Cycle
Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail, In Person
Pro Tip / Discount
The Lifeline Rate Program provides rate assistance for qualifying low-income seniors (age 62+) and permanently disabled individuals, alongside the CARES emergency assistance program.
Black or Gray Bin (Trash)
All regular garbage must fit inside the cart with the lid completely closed. Do not pack dirt, rocks, or hot ashes. Place at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Plastic clamshell containers and berry boxes
- ✓Yogurt, sour cream, and butter tubs
- ✓Milk, juice, and soup cartons
- ✓Styrofoam packing materials and cups
- ✓Plastic bags, wrappers, and film
- ✓Diapers and pet waste
Blue Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be completely empty, clean, and dry. Do not bag your recyclables in plastic bags; place them loosely in the blue cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic bottles and milk/detergent jugs
- ✓Clean aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Office paper, junk mail, and magazines
- ✓Flattened cardboard and cereal boxes (liners removed)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags or shrink wrap
- ✕Clamshell containers or yogurt cups
- ✕Pizza boxes or food-soiled paper
- ✕Milk or juice cartons
- ✕Styrofoam
Yard Waste Bin
Place organic materials directly into the green cart. Do not use plastic bags or 'compostable' bioplastics. Treated wood, dirt, and pet waste are strictly prohibited.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, bread, veggies)
- ✓Food-soiled paper and plate scrapings
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Tree trimmings, weeds, and small branches
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
On-demand, fee-based service.
Placement
Do not set bulky items at the curb without scheduling a pickup first. Items must be placed curbside by 6:00 a.m. on the agreed-upon collection day.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (couches, chairs, tables)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Large appliances (refrigerators, washers)
- ✓ Excess yard waste or bulky household items
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (paint, oil, chemicals)
- ✕ Automotive parts and tires (curbside)
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Dirt, concrete, or rocks
Curbside collection requires a fee. Alternatively, residents can self-haul bulky items to the Transfer Station on Abernathy Lane, where standard gate fees apply.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, residential collection services for the remainder of that week will be delayed by one day (e.g., Thursday pickups move to Friday).
Yard Waste Exception
Green waste and recycling carts follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as the regular garbage collection.
Download the 'City of Redding Solid Waste' app to receive automatic push notifications confirming if your specific route is delayed.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Winter
Late December to JanuaryHoliday trees can typically be recycled if they are stripped of all ornaments, lights, tinsel, and stands. Flocked trees cannot be composted and must be disposed of as regular trash. Check the Solid Waste app for exact drop-off or curbside dates.
Summer
June to SeptemberTo prevent odors and deter pests in your green organics cart during the hot Redding summers, consider keeping food scraps in a container in your freezer during the week and emptying them into the green cart the night before collection.
Local Tips & Community Info
Municipal Solid Waste Management in Shasta County
Unlike many California municipalities that outsource to private companies, the City of Redding actively operates its own Solid Waste Utility. This municipal division is solely responsible for executing all residential curbside collections, ensuring neighborhoods from Enterprise to West Redding remain sanitary. If you have recently purchased a home or signed a lease, you can arrange for new cart deliveries or adjust your current service capacities by calling the Solid Waste division directly at (530) 224-6201.
Early Morning Curbside Protocols
Sanitation drivers in Redding begin their local routes before dawn. Consequently, residents must wheel their carts to the street edge no later than 5:00 a.m. on their scheduled service day, or simply place them out the night before. Physical placement is heavily regulated: containers must sit flat on the pavement with arrows pointing toward the street, positioned at least three feet apart. Keeping bins clear of basketball hoops, parked vehicles, and overhead branches ensures the automated truck arms can operate without causing property damage.
Sorting Guidelines for the Three-Cart System
To meet regional diversion goals, Redding households are equipped with a three-cart setup. The brown cart is exclusively meant for standard, non-recoverable household garbage. Your blue cart is dedicated to loose, unbagged recyclables, including rigid plastics, aluminum cans, glass bottles, and dry cardboard. The green cart processes organic materials, which captures yard debris like pine needles and grass, alongside kitchen food scraps. Contaminating the blue or green carts with standard garbage may result in a warning tag or a skipped pickup.
Utilizing the Abernathy Lane Transfer Station
When you are tackling a major garage cleanout or landscaping project that exceeds your standard cart capacity, the City of Redding Transfer Station is your primary resource. Located at 2255 Abernathy Lane, this facility allows residents to self-haul excess trash, green waste, and large bulky items like furniture or appliances. While standard drop-offs require a tipping fee based on weight, the city occasionally hosts free dump days for residents. For home pickups of oversized items, you can also contact the utility to schedule a special bulky waste collection for a nominal charge.
Handling Toxic Waste and E-Waste
Pouring chemicals down the drain or tossing them in the brown bin is strictly prohibited in Redding. Household hazardous waste (HHW)—including old motor oil, herbicides, fluorescent tubes, and wet paint—poses a severe threat to the local watershed and sanitation crews. Residents can safely dispose of these volatile products at the City of Redding's dedicated HHW facility. Electronic waste, such as obsolete televisions and computers, is also accepted here, ensuring heavy metals do not contaminate the local landfill.
Holiday Schedule Interruptions
The Solid Waste Utility works through most minor holidays, but operations are completely halted on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. If your normal collection day falls on or after one of these three major holidays, your service will be pushed back by exactly 24 hours for the remainder of that week. Normal scheduling resumes the following Monday.
Drop-off Facilities
City of Redding Transfer Station & Material Recovery Facility (MRF)
2255 Abernathy Lane, Redding, CA 96001
Materials Accepted
West Central Landfill
14095 Clear Creek Road, Igo, CA 96047
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my garbage pickup is delayed for a holiday in Redding?
The easiest way to check for holiday delays is to download the free 'City of Redding Solid Waste' app on your smartphone. It provides personalized push notifications reminding you to take your carts out and alerts you if service is delayed due to a holiday like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Can I put yogurt cups or plastic clamshells in my blue recycling bin?
No. In Redding, curbside recycling is generally limited to plastic bottles and jugs (like water bottles or laundry detergent jugs). Clamshell containers, yogurt cups, and microwave meal trays cannot be recycled at the local manual-sort MRF and must be thrown in the black trash cart.
What goes in the green cart under the new state laws?
To comply with California's SB 1383, the green cart is no longer just for yard trimmings. Residents must place all organic waste—including food scraps like meat, dairy, vegetables, plate scrapings, and food-soiled paper—directly into the green cart to be composted.
Where can I dispose of an old mattress in Redding?
You can call the Solid Waste Utility to schedule a curbside bulky item pickup for a fee, or you can haul it yourself to the City of Redding Transfer Station on Abernathy Lane, which accepts limited mattresses for free recycling under state stewardship programs.