Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Ridgecrest
Trash Day
Collection runs Monday through Friday depending on neighborhood zone; routes south of Ridge Road are generally collected Mondays/Thursdays, while areas north of Ridge Road are serviced Tuesdays/Fridays on an alternating bi-weekly schedule.
Recycling
Collected every other week on your assigned zone pickup day.
Yard Waste
Green organics carts are collected weekly on your regular collection day.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential trash, organics, and recycling services are contracted through Waste Management and billed quarterly with tiered pricing depending on your selected cart size.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail
Pro Tip / Discount
No specific discounts listed. (Waste Management uses tiered pricing based on cart size rather than demographic discounts.)
Black lid (or Green cart) Bin (Trash)
All trash should be bagged to prevent windblown litter. Do not overfill your container; the lid must close completely. Ensure the cart is at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household trash
- ✓Chip bags and candy wrappers
- ✓Plastic film and loose plastic bags
- ✓Diapers
- ✓Pet waste
- ✓Foam cups and containers
- ✓Broken ceramic dishes
Blue lid (or Dark Gray cart with Blue lid) Bin (Recycling)
Empty recyclables directly into the bin. Do not bag recyclables in plastic. Items must be relatively clean and dry.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened cardboard
- ✓Paper and paperboard
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Plastic and paper to-go cups
- ✓Rigid plastic containers
Do NOT Include
- ✕Food or liquids
- ✕Plastic bags or film
- ✕Foam containers
- ✕Clothing and textiles
- ✕Batteries and electronics
- ✕Hazardous waste
- ✕Yard waste
Yard Waste Bin
Place organic materials directly into the green organics cart. To reduce odor, you may put food waste inside a paper bag or an ASTM-certified compostable bag.
Accepted Items
- ✓Yard waste and grass clippings
- ✓Produce and vegetables
- ✓Meat, fish, and poultry
- ✓Dairy products
- ✓Bread, pasta, rice, and grains
- ✓Coffee grounds and tea bags
- ✓Food-soiled paper and coffee filters
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Up to 3 free collections per year
Placement
Items must be placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated service day. Pickups must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, chairs)
- ✓ Appliances (washers, dryers, dishwashers)
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, computers)
- ✓ Wrapped mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Tires
- ✓ Scrap wood and tree branches
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Machinery and industrial discards
- ✕ Oil, grease, or chemicals
- ✕ Cardboard boxes or bags of regular trash
- ✕ Dirt, sand, rocks, or logs
The first three bulky pickups per year are free. Additional pickups or items exceeding the volume limit can be scheduled for an extra fee through WM Customer Service.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, 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 is no delay.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics collection follows the exact same holiday delay schedule as standard trash and recycling.
Always refer to the annual City of Ridgecrest Collection Schedule provided by WM for specific dates, as no other holidays affect the pickup routes.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryRidgecrest residents can recycle real, unflocked holiday trees at no extra cost during the first two service days following Christmas. Remove all tinsel, lights, and stands. Trees longer than six feet must be cut in half and placed near your green cart.
Summer
June - AugustThe intense summer heat in the Mojave Desert accelerates the decomposition of organic waste. To prevent odors and pests, consider freezing your meat and dairy scraps until collection day, and periodically wash out your green cart with a water and vinegar solution.
Local Tips & Community Info
Waste Management Services in Ridgecrest
Residents of Ridgecrest, California, receive dependable curbside trash and recycling collection services through Waste Management (WM). The city partners with WM to ensure local neighborhoods remain clean and compliant with state environmental regulations. Depending on your household needs, WM provides 96, 65, or 35-gallon carts for regular waste collection. Having a structured solid waste program allows the community to manage standard refuse, recyclables, and green waste efficiently. Residents can easily manage their accounts, review collection days, and request container repairs through the My WM online portal, bringing convenience directly to your fingertips.
Standard Collection Schedule & Cart Guidelines
To guarantee successful weekly pickups, residents must place their carts on the street with the wheels facing the curb by 6:00 a.m. on their scheduled service day. Once the Waste Management trucks have emptied the bins, they must be removed from the curb by the end of the day. Proper placement is essential for automated trucks to operate securely; please ensure your containers are at least three feet away from parked vehicles, mailboxes, trees, and other obstacles. Additionally, all standard household trash should be bagged to prevent litter, and the cart lid must be securely closed. Overfilled bins or loose materials placed outside the cart may incur extra charges or be left uncollected.
Holiday Delay Schedule
During major national holidays, your regular waste collection day may be impacted. Waste Management typically observes holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. If a recognized holiday falls on a weekday, collections for the remainder of that week will be delayed by one day. For example, if a holiday lands on a Thursday, Thursday customers will be serviced on Friday, and Friday customers will be serviced on Saturday. If the holiday occurs on a Saturday or Sunday, the residential pickup schedule remains completely unchanged. Residents are encouraged to check the My WM dashboard for real-time ETA updates during holiday weeks.
Recycling and SB 1383 Organics Rules
In compliance with California’s SB 1383 mandate, Ridgecrest residents must sort and separate food scraps, yard debris, and food-soiled paper from their standard trash and recycling. This means that organic waste is strictly prohibited in your normal garbage container. Clean recyclables such as cardboard, paper, aluminum cans, and certain plastics belong in your designated recycling bin. Standard trash like chip wrappers, plastic film, and treated textiles go into the standard garbage cart. Hazardous materials, automotive fluids, electronic waste, and construction debris are never accepted in curbside carts and must be disposed of at an approved household hazardous waste facility.
Bulk Item and Yard Waste Disposal
For items that are too large to fit in your standard residential cart, Waste Management offers bulky item pickup services. Furniture, appliances, large branches, and mattresses can often be collected by scheduling a special bulk pickup through your online WM account or by calling customer service. Yard waste must be handled according to the new organics recycling guidelines, meaning grass clippings, leaves, and pruned branches should go into your green waste container. Keeping bulk and yard waste out of regular bins helps prevent truck damage and ensures recyclable organics are properly diverted from local landfills.
Missed Pickups & Customer Support
Occasionally, a bin might be missed due to blocked access or timing issues. If your carts were out by 6:00 a.m., placed correctly, but not emptied, you can report a missed pickup. Missed collections must be reported within three days of the originally scheduled pickup date. The easiest way to report this is by logging into the My WM portal and submitting a missed pickup request under your service card. For direct assistance, you can also reach the local Waste Management support team at (760) 463-6024 for immediate residential solid waste concerns.
Drop-off Facilities
Ridgecrest Kern County Special Waste Facility
3301 W. Bowman Road, Ridgecrest, CA 93555 (at the Ridgecrest Landfill)
Materials Accepted
WM Community Recycling Bin & Soiled Waste Bin
237 County Line Rd, Ridgecrest, CA 93555
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do I need to put my trash bins out in Ridgecrest?
All trash, recycling, and organic waste carts must be placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on your designated collection day. Be sure to keep them three feet away from vehicles and mailboxes.
Are food scraps allowed in my regular trash bin?
No. Under California law SB 1383, food scraps, yard debris, and food-soiled paper must be sorted and placed into the designated organics/green container, not the regular household garbage bin.
How do I report a missed trash pickup in Ridgecrest?
You can report a missed pickup through your online My WM account or by calling customer service at (760) 463-6024. Please note that missed pickups must be reported within three days of your scheduled service day.