Black Bin (Trash)
All household trash must fit securely inside the 96-gallon black cart with the lid closed. Do not overfill the cart or place extra bags on the ground without arranging a special pickup.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Diapers and pet waste
- ✓Polystyrene foam (Styrofoam)
- ✓Chip bags and multi-layer snack wrappers
- ✓Treated or painted wood
- ✓Broken glass and ceramics
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Place recyclables loose in the blue cart. Never bag your recyclables. Food-soiled paper and cardboard must be redirected to the green organics cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean, dry paper and cardboard
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic containers, jugs, and bottles
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Empty, non-toxic aerosol cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Food waste and liquids
- ✕Food-soiled cardboard (like greasy pizza boxes)
- ✕Hazardous waste
- ✕Tanglers (cords, wires, hoses)
Green Bin (Yard Waste)
All organic matter must go directly into the green cart. Do not use standard plastic bags. Keep the lid closed to deter pests.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings, leaves, and weeds
- ✓Branches and plant trimmings
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, fruits, vegetables)
- ✓Coffee grounds and tea bags
- ✓Food-soiled paper and cardboard
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
5 free collection events per year
Placement
Only place bulky items out at the curb after 6:00 p.m. on the night before your scheduled service day. Earlier placement may result in a code violation.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (sofas, chairs, tables)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Household appliances
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, computers)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste (paint, oil, chemicals)
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Tires and automotive parts
- ✕ Commercial or industrial waste
Multi-family dwellings (5 units or more) receive 6 large item pickups up to 5 times per year. Additional items beyond the limit may incur a fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If an observed holiday falls on a weekday, sanitation collection for the remainder of that week will be delayed by one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Organic waste and recycling collection follow the exact same delayed holiday schedule as regular trash.
If a holiday falls on a weekend, your collection schedule will not be interrupted.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Pizza Boxes Go in the Green Cart
Unlike many older recycling programs, Rosemead's SB 1383 compliance requires that all food-soiled paper, including greasy pizza boxes and used paper napkins, be placed in the green organics cart to be composted, rather than the blue recycling cart.
Keep Batteries Out of the Bins
Never toss batteries inside your black, blue, or green carts, as they cause dangerous fires in collection trucks. Instead, schedule a free battery pickup with Republic Services and place them in a Ziploc bag on top of your cart lid.
Watch for Contamination Tags
Republic Services is monitoring all three carts. If you mix up your waste streams, you will receive a contamination notice on your bin. Accumulating three of these notices can result in direct fines applied to your account.
Seasonal Information
Spring
April - MayTake advantage of the City's Spring Compost Giveaway and Clean-Up event. Remember to bring your own shovel and wear closed-toe shoes to the Klingerman St. lot, as the compost loading is entirely self-serve.
Year-Round
January - DecemberStreet sweeping is provided weekly by Sweeping Corporation of America (SCA) on the day following your scheduled garbage collection. Ensure all your curbside carts are promptly removed from the street after they are emptied to avoid sweeping citations.
Fall
October - NovemberDuring Rosemead's Fall bulky item cleanups, ensure you place any scheduled bulk items at the curb only after 6:00 p.m. the night before your collection day. Placing items out earlier can result in a code violation notice.
About Rosemead Waste Management
Navigating Rosemead's SB 1383 Organics Mandate
In compliance with California's SB 1383, the City of Rosemead and Republic Services utilize a standardized three-cart system. Every residential household is provided with a 96-gallon black cart for trash, a blue cart for recyclables, and a green cart for organics. To combat climate change, it is now mandatory to place all food waste, food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings exclusively into the green cart. Republic Services actively monitors carts in Rosemead; receiving three contamination notices for improper sorting can result in financial penalties.
Deterring Recyclable Scavengers in Your Neighborhood
Scavenging through residential trash and recycling bins is an ongoing issue in Rosemead, leading to neighborhood litter and noise complaints. The City's Code Enforcement actively patrols on trash collection days. To help deter scavengers from digging through your blue cart, the City advises residents to wait until 7:00 a.m. on the morning of their scheduled collection day to place their recycling containers at the curb, rather than leaving them out overnight.
Free Curbside Battery and Sharps Disposal
Rosemead residents benefit from specialized hazardous waste services directly at the curb. If you have old household batteries, you can call Republic Services at least one week before your collection day to schedule a free pickup. Simply place the batteries in a sealed Ziploc bag on top of your trash cart lid. Additionally, residents can request one free sharps disposal container per year (seniors can request two), which includes a mail-back box and pre-paid return postage.
Semi-Annual Community Clean-Up Events
To help keep Rosemead clean and support local gardens, the City and Republic Services host free Semi-Annual Events each Spring and Fall at the Southern California Edison lot (Walnut Grove Ave. and Klingerman St.). These highly anticipated self-serve events offer residents free compost giveaways, secure paper shredding, bulk item drop-offs, and electronic waste recycling.
Drop-off Facilities
City of Rosemead E-Waste & Shredding Event Lot
Walnut Grove Ave. and Klingerman St., Rosemead, CA 91770
Materials Accepted
Los Angeles County SAFE Centers (S.A.F.E. Collection Centers)
Multiple regional locations (Visit CleanLA.com for nearest center)
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I report scavengers digging through my blue recycling bin in Rosemead?
If you witness individuals scavenging through trash or recycling containers, you can report them to Rosemead Code Enforcement by calling (626) 569-2292. To help deter this activity, wait until 7:00 a.m. on your collection day to place your bins on the curb.
How do I safely dispose of household batteries in Rosemead?
You can schedule a free household battery pickup by calling Republic Services at (800) 299-4898 at least one week prior to your service day. Place the batteries in a sealed Ziploc bag and leave them on top of your trash cart lid on the morning of collection.
What happens if I sort my trash incorrectly into the new carts?
Republic Services monitors cart contents for compliance with SB 1383. If incorrect items (like food waste in the black cart or plastic in the green cart) are found, a contamination notice will be placed on your bin. After three notices, you may be subject to a fine.
How many free bulky item pickups do I get per year?
Single-family and standard multi-family residents in Rosemead receive up to 5 free bulky item pickup events per year. You must call Republic Services one business day in advance to schedule the pickup, and items can only be placed out after 6:00 p.m. the night before.