Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for San Carlos
Trash Day
Trash is collected once per week, Monday through Friday, depending on your street address.
Recycling
Recycling is collected weekly on the same day as trash.
Yard Waste
Compost and yard waste (green cart) are collected weekly on the same day as trash.
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential waste and recycling services in San Carlos are billed directly by Recology San Mateo County quarterly in advance rather than through municipal water bills.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail, In-Person
Pro Tip / Discount
A 10% Solid Waste Rate Reduction discount is available for single-family residential customers enrolled in PG&E's CARE program.
Black Bin (Trash)
All household garbage should be secured in bags before placing it in the black cart. Bins must be rolled curbside by 6:00 AM on scheduled collection mornings with lids completely closed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Single-use plastic bags, wraps, films, and black plastic packaging
- ✓Polystyrene and Styrofoam packaging blocks, cups, and trays
- ✓Disposable baby diapers and sanitary wipes
- ✓Mylar snack wrappers, chip bags, and juice pouches
- ✓Broken window glass, mirrors, and home ceramics
- ✓Bagged pet waste and kitty litter
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables; place all items completely loose, empty, rinsed, and dry inside the blue container.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean, flattened cardboard and paperboard packaging
- ✓Mixed office paper, junk mail, catalogs, and newspapers
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (emptied and rinsed)
- ✓Aluminum and steel beverage or food cans
- ✓Rigid plastics marked with recycling symbols #1 through #7
Do NOT Include
- ✕Loose plastic shopping bags or film wraps
- ✕Styrofoam blocks or food packaging
- ✕Garden hoses, extension cords, or wire hangers (tanglers)
- ✕Heavily soiled cardboard or greasy pizza boxes
- ✕Alkaline or rechargeable batteries
Yard Waste Bin
Keep organic materials loose in the green cart. No plastic bags of any kind, dirt, rocks, concrete, animal feces, or treated wood are allowed in this cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Kitchen food scraps (raw/cooked meat, bones, dairy, fruits, vegetables)
- ✓Food-soiled paper towels, napkins, and greasy pizza boxes
- ✓Grass clippings, tree leaves, weeds, and garden flowers
- ✓Prunings and brush branches under 4 inches in diameter
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
2 free curbside collections per calendar year
Placement
Place your scheduled bulk items at your curbside by 6:00 AM on your pre-arranged collection day, clear of sidewalks and vehicles.
Accepted
- ✓ Up to 2 cubic yards of bagged or boxed solid waste (approx. 12 garbage bags, under 60 lbs)
- ✓ One major home appliance (washing machine, dryer, refrigerator)
- ✓ One bulky furniture item (mattress set, couch, up to 4 rimless tires)
- ✓ One electronic waste item (computer monitor, television, microwave)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Liquids, chemicals, and hazardous waste
- ✕ Dirt, sand, rocks, sod, and concrete
- ✕ Any individual item exceeding 5 feet in length
The two annual curbside bulk pickups are free. Pickups exceeding these allocations or involving oversized commercial items can be scheduled for an additional fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Recology San Mateo County operates normal collection schedules on almost all federal holidays throughout the year. The only exceptions are Christmas Day and New Year's Day. If your scheduled collection day falls on one of these two holidays, your pickup is delayed by exactly one day for the remainder of that holiday week.
Yard Waste Exception
All trash, recycling, and organic collection schedules follow the same holiday adjustment.
If Christmas Day or New Year's Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no change to standard weekday collection routes.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Stormwater Guarding and Leaf Control
October - DecemberSan Carlos' mature tree canopy produces heavy leaf fall in autumn. Sweep loose leaves directly into your green organics cart. Never blow or pile leaves into street gutters or adopt a storm drain to help clear neighborhood grates, as loose foliage blocks storm sewer drains and causes local street flooding.
Post-Holiday Christmas Tree Recycling
JanuaryUndecorated, natural Christmas trees are collected curbside between January 2nd and January 31st on your regular collection day. Remove all ornaments, lights, stands, and tinsel. Cut trees over 8 feet in length in half and place them directly next to your green organics bin.
Local Tips & Community Info
Sanitation Operations in the City of Good Living
Residents of San Carlos benefit from a highly structured, environmentally focused sanitation program. The city is a member agency of RethinkWaste (the South Bayside Waste Management Authority), and contracts directly with Recology San Mateo County for all residential curbside collections. This collaborative approach ensures that household refuse, recyclables, and compostable materials are processed efficiently, keeping neighborhoods pristine while actively working toward California's aggressive zero-waste goals.
Mastering the Three-Cart Collection System
Every single-family home is equipped with three distinct receptacles to properly segregate waste streams. The Green Cart is dedicated to compostables, meaning all yard trimmings, soiled paper products, and kitchen food scraps must go here to comply with state organics laws. The Blue Cart is reserved for clean, loose recyclables such as glass containers, aluminum, flattened cardboard, and hard plastics. Finally, the Black Cart is for true garbage—materials that cannot be recycled or composted, like treated wood, foam packaging, and sanitary products.
Morning Curbside Placement Protocol
Recology trucks begin their residential routes early, so it is highly recommended to place your bins in the street gutter the night before your scheduled collection day, or absolutely no later than 6:00 a.m. Position the carts side-by-side with the wheels resting directly against the curb and the front openings facing the street. To allow the automated mechanical arms to function without causing damage, you must leave a minimum gap of two feet between each container and keep them entirely clear of parked vehicles, low-hanging tree branches, and mailboxes.
On-Call Bulky Item Collections
Disposing of cumbersome household goods does not require a trip to the transfer station. Single-family households in San Carlos are eligible for two free On-Call Bulky Item Collections (BIC) every calendar year through Recology. You can utilize this service to discard large appliances, old mattresses, furniture, and up to two cubic yards of bagged garbage. Pickups must be scheduled in advance by calling Recology customer support, and specific size and weight limits apply to ensure driver safety.
Holiday Service Shifts and Tree Recycling
Recology San Mateo County operates year-round but halts residential collections on three specific holidays: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. If your normal pickup falls on or after one of these observed dates during the workweek, your service will be delayed by exactly one day, with Friday customers being serviced on Saturday. In the weeks immediately following Christmas, residents can also place natural, undecorated trees next to their green carts for complimentary curbside recycling, provided any tree over eight feet is cut in half.
Drop-off Facilities
Shoreway Environmental Center (Transfer Station & Public Recycling)
333 Shoreway Road, San Carlos, CA 94070
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for trash pickup in San Carlos?
Residential waste and recycling services in San Carlos are exclusively managed by Recology San Mateo County, working in partnership with the local RethinkWaste authority.
Can I put kitchen food scraps in the yard waste bin?
Yes. San Carlos utilizes a comprehensive composting program. All food scraps, including meat, dairy, and bones, as well as food-soiled paper towels, should be placed in your Green Cart.
How many free bulky item pickups do I get each year?
Single-family residents in San Carlos are provided two complimentary On-Call Bulky Item Collections per calendar year. You must contact Recology directly to schedule your pickup date.