Black or Gray Bin (Trash)
All loose materials like ashes or pet waste must be securely bagged. Lids must close completely. Hazardous waste, construction debris, and heavy rocks or dirt are strictly prohibited.
Accepted Items
- ✓Cat litter and animal feces (bagged)
- ✓Ceramic dishware and broken glassware
- ✓Diapers and feminine hygiene products
- ✓Plastic bags, wrappers, and film
- ✓Styrofoam packaging and peanuts
- ✓Treated and painted wood scraps
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Items must be empty, clean, and dry. Do not bag recyclables; place them loosely in the cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and paper
- ✓Aluminum cans, foil, and trays
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, and tubs
- ✓Steel (tin) cans
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and shrink wrap
- ✕Garden hoses and wire hangers
- ✕Food-soiled paper
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Juice boxes with foil liners
Yard Waste Bin
No plastic bags, bio-based 'compostable' plastics (PLA), pet waste, or liquids. Lids must be fully closed.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, fruit, eggshells)
- ✓Food-soiled paper (pizza boxes, paper towels, wax-lined paper)
- ✓Grass clippings, leaves, and weeds
- ✓Tree trimmings and branches (under 4 inches in diameter)
- ✓Coffee grounds and filters
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Two (2) free curbside pickups per calendar year for single-family residential customers.
Placement
Place items at the curb by 6:00 AM on your scheduled collection day. Ensure items do not block the sidewalk and attach a sign clearly reading 'RECOLOGY'.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Furniture and couches
- ✓ Major household appliances
- ✓ E-waste (TVs, monitors, microwaves)
- ✓ Bagged miscellaneous household junk
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste or chemicals
- ✕ Dirt, rocks, and concrete
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Treated wood waste
- ✕ Items weighing more than 200 pounds
Unused pickups do not roll over to the next year. If you exceed your two free annual pickups, additional collections can be requested for an extra fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If your normal collection day falls on or after an observed holiday, your service will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week. Normal schedules resume the following week.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and compost collections follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as trash and recycling.
Recology customer service offices and recycling centers may close early (e.g., at 3:00 PM) on the day before major holidays like Thanksgiving.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Skip the 'Compostable' Plastics
Bio-based or PLA to-go containers, even if they are heavily labeled as 'compostable,' are not accepted in San Mateo's green bins. They do not break down in the local commercial composting facility and must be placed in the black landfill cart.
Ditch the Plastic Bags in Recycling
Never place your recyclables in plastic garbage bags. Sorting machinery at the Shoreway Environmental Center cannot easily tear open bags, and the bags themselves can tangle in the gears, causing facility shutdowns. Keep recyclables loose.
Liquid Ruins Paper Recycling
Always empty your bottles and cans completely before tossing them in the blue bin. Leftover liquids or ice will spill over and ruin otherwise perfectly good paper and cardboard, sending it straight to the landfill.
Seasonal Information
Winter
Late December to JanuaryHoliday tree recycling is provided at no extra charge. Trees are collected on your regular compost collection day for four weeks starting the day after Christmas. Trees must be stripped of all decorations, lights, and stands, and larger trees should be cut into manageable sections.
Spring
April to MaySpring garden prep is heavily supported by the city through free compost giveaways. Monitor city announcements for exact dates, typically held at the City Corp-yard on Pacific Blvd. Remember to bring your own shovel and buckets.
Fall
September to NovemberRecology periodically hosts District Weekend Cleanup Events to help residents declutter before the holiday season. These events often feature partnerships with local charities to collect gently used clothing and electronics.
About San Mateo Waste Management
Leading the Charge Toward Zero Waste in San Mateo
The City of San Mateo has long been at the forefront of sustainable waste management in California. While the state anticipates the average resident to produce 5.8 pounds of garbage daily, San Mateo residents have historically averaged just 3.9 pounds. Thanks to widespread participation in the CartSMART program, the city has achieved impressive diversion rates—sending close to 73 percent of all debris to recycling and composting rather than local landfills.
Understanding the SB 1383 Organics Mandate
California's SB 1383 requires all residents and businesses to divert organic waste from landfills to combat climate change. In San Mateo, this means your green compost cart isn't just for yard trimmings—it's essential for all food scraps. By placing items like coffee grounds, meat bones, and greasy pizza boxes into the green cart, the community helps reduce methane emissions. This collected organic material is then processed into nutrient-rich compost.
Free Compost Giveaways for Local Gardens
To reward residents for their diligent sorting, San Mateo and Recology routinely offer free compost events. During the spring, residents can visit locations like the City Corp-yard on Pacific Blvd or the Anchor Road parking lot to shovel free compost on a first-come, first-served basis. Bringing your own shovels, gloves, and containers is required, but you'll leave with rich, high-quality soil amendments created directly from the community's yard and food waste.
The Role of the Shoreway Environmental Center
San Mateo residents benefit from close proximity to the Shoreway Environmental Center in nearby San Carlos. Regarded as one of California's greenest transfer stations, this facility acts as the central hub for processing the city's recyclables and solid waste. Beyond processing, it offers a Public Recycling Center where locals can drop off tricky items like scrap metal, e-waste, and cooking oil completely free of charge.
Strict Rules on Poaching and Scavenging
San Mateo County strictly enforces laws prohibiting the theft of recyclables from curbside carts. Revenue generated from legitimate recycling directly offsets the costs of collection programs, meaning that poaching can lead to increased utility rates for everyone. Residents are advised to place their bins out on the morning of pickup rather than the night before to deter unauthorized scavenging and keep neighborhoods clean.
Drop-off Facilities
Shoreway Environmental Center
333 Shoreway Rd, San Carlos, CA 94070
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I safely dispose of household chemicals in San Mateo?
Household hazardous waste (HHW) like pesticides, motor oil, and strong cleaners are not accepted in any curbside bin. San Mateo County residents must make a free appointment through the San Mateo County Health HHW program. You are limited to 10 liquid gallons or 50 solid pounds per appointment.
Will Recology pick up extra bags left next to my trash cart?
No. Drivers will only collect waste that is completely inside the cart with the lid closed. If you consistently have extra trash, you must call Recology to adjust your service level, or you can utilize one of your two free annual Bulky Item Collection appointments for the overflow.
Are juice boxes and milk cartons recyclable in San Mateo?
No. Aseptic containers like juice boxes and soy milk boxes that have foil or plastic liners cannot be recycled or composted in this specific facility. They must be placed in the black landfill cart.
How do I dispose of a toilet during a bathroom remodel?
You can schedule a Bulky Item Collection for a toilet, but strict rules apply. The toilet must be completely drained of liquids, placed in a sanitary condition, and secured inside a duct-taped cardboard box (or securely wrapped) to prevent handling injuries to the Recology crew.