Black or Brown Bin (Trash)
Lids must be securely shut with no materials extending past the rim. Ensure all household garbage is securely bagged before placing it in the trash cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Single-use plastic wrap, film, and bags
- ✓Polystyrene and Styrofoam cups, plates, or blocks
- ✓Disposable baby diapers and sanitary wipes
- ✓Mylar chip bags, snack wraps, and candy packaging
- ✓Broken ceramics, dishes, mirrors, and window glass
- ✓Garden hoses, PVC pipes, and plastic cutlery
- ✓Plywood, painted wood, and treated timber
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables; place all accepted glass, metal, plastic, and paper completely loose, dry, and clean inside the blue recycling cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Dry mixed paper, junk mail, catalogs, and newspapers
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (emptied and rinsed)
- ✓Aluminum beverage cans and clean foil
- ✓Steel, tin, and bi-metal food cans
- ✓Plastic containers with numbers #1, #2, and #5 only
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags or loose stretch film
- ✕Styrofoam products of any kind
- ✕Food-soiled cardboard or greasy pizza boxes
- ✕Garden hoses, electrical cords, and wire hangers
- ✕Batteries and electronic waste
- ✕Plastics #3, #4, #6, and #7
Yard Waste Bin
No plastic bags of any kind are allowed. You may line your green bin or food pail with paper bags, newspapers, or BPI-certified compostable bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Kitchen food scraps (raw/cooked meat, bones, dairy, fruit, bread, pasta)
- ✓Food-soiled paper napkins, plates, and greasy pizza boxes
- ✓Grass clippings, yard weeds, leaves, and flowers
- ✓Clean, untreated, unpainted natural wood scraps
- ✓Small prunings and branches under 4 inches in diameter
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
3 free scheduled collections per calendar year (under the 2025/2026 agreement)
Placement
Place all scheduled bulky items within three feet of your curbside edge by 6:00 AM on the pre-arranged collection morning, ensuring they do not block sidewalks or pedestrian pathways.
Accepted
- ✓ Large home appliances (refrigerators, washers, dryers, stoves - doors sealed or removed)
- ✓ Oversized furniture (sofas, tables, chairs, mattresses, box springs)
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, computer monitors, stereos)
- ✓ Yard trimmings and unpainted wood (up to 4 feet in length and bundled)
- ✓ Extra bagged municipal solid waste (up to 15 bags, under 40 lbs each)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction and home demolition debris (drywall, tiles, concrete)
- ✕ Rocks, dirt, bricks, and sod
- ✕ Automobile parts and vehicle engines
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (liquid paints, automotive fluids, chemical cleaners)
The initial three collections are free. Piles exceeding program limits or additional requests outside of the three annual credits can be arranged through Republic Services for an added fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Republic Services observes five major holidays. If your scheduled collection day falls on or after an observed weekday holiday, your collection service will be delayed by exactly one day for the remainder of that holiday week.
Yard Waste Exception
All organics and recycling collection routes shift uniformly in accordance with the holiday delay schedule.
Collections proceed exactly as scheduled on normal weekdays for all other federal or state holidays, including Memorial Day or Veterans Day.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Film Out of the Blue Recycling Cart
Never toss loose plastic shopping bags, bubble wrap, or stretch film into your blue cart. They wrap around regional sorting conveyor rollers, posing severe fire and safety hazards and halting municipal sorting lines.
Greasy Cardboard Belongs in the Green Organics Cart
While clean cardboard is accepted in your blue bin, greasy pizza delivery boxes and grease-soaked paper towels belong strictly in the green organics cart to be turned into nutrient-rich compost.
Never Throw Batteries or E-Waste in Curbside Carts
Batteries and consumer electronics are strictly prohibited from all curbside carts. Puncturing batteries in collection trucks causes immediate vehicle fires. Tape battery terminals and bring them to the HHW drop-off instead.
Seasonal Information
Autumn Leaf Fall Management
October - DecemberHeavy autumn leaf accumulation must be placed directly inside your green organics cart. Residents are strictly prohibited from sweeping, blowing, or piling leaves into street gutters, as they clog storm drains and block street sweeping operations.
Post-Holiday Christmas Tree Recycling
JanuaryNatural, undecorated Christmas trees can be recycled curbside. Strip all tinsel, stands, lights, and ornaments. Cut the tree down to fit entirely inside your green organics cart with the lid closed. Artificially flocked trees belong in the garbage.
About San Pablo Waste Management
San Pablo's All-Electric Zero-Emission Municipal Refuse Fleet
In a historic environmental milestone, the City of San Pablo, in partnership with Republic Services, has deployed California’s very first fully electric residential recycling and waste collection fleet. Operating cutting-edge McNeilus Volterra electric side-loading trucks, this zero-emission fleet significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, directly advancing the city's Climate Action Plan to cut local emissions by 30% by 2035. This means quieter mornings and cleaner air for every local neighborhood.
Unlocking Your Enhanced 2025/2026 Collection Franchise Benefits
The City of San Pablo negotiated a comprehensive, upgraded waste collection agreement with Richmond Sanitary Service (RSS) that went into effect on July 1, 2025. Running through 2026 and beyond, this new contract dramatically increases services for residents, including an expanded number of free curbside bulky item pickups, a specialized move-in/move-out recycling collection program, low-income/senior discount opportunities, and localized dumpster day programs.
Mandatory Organics Compliance Under California SB 1383
To strictly adhere to California's SB 1383 organic diversion mandates, all residents, businesses, and multi-family complexes in San Pablo are required by law to separate organic materials from standard trash. Kitchen food scraps, food-soiled paper towels, and yard trimmings must go into the green organics container. These materials are hauled to regional processing facilities, diverted from local landfills, and safely converted into high-grade compost.
San Pablo's Signature $60 Dump Voucher Program
To curb illegal dumping and keep local neighborhoods clean, San Pablo single-family residents can access the city's popular Dump Voucher Program. Eligible utility holders can pick up $60 worth of dump vouchers per fiscal year (July 1st through June 30th) directly from City Hall. These vouchers can be credited for free disposal at the nearby Golden Bear Transfer Station located at 1 Parr Boulevard in Richmond.
Drop-off Facilities
West Contra Costa Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility
101 Pittsburg Ave, Richmond, CA 94801
Materials Accepted
Golden Bear Transfer Station
1 Parr Blvd, Richmond, CA 94801
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do single-family homes schedule their free bulky item collection in San Pablo?
Under the current contract, San Pablo single-family homes receive up to three free bulky item or clean-up collections per year. You can schedule your pickup online through your Republic Services account or by calling customer service at 510-262-7100.
What is the San Pablo Dump Voucher Program and how do I apply?
Eligible single-family residents can receive $60 worth of free dump vouchers per fiscal year to dispose of waste. You must visit City Hall (1000 Gateway Avenue) with a valid photo ID and your current municipal utility bill as proof of residence to claim your vouchers, which are redeemable at the Golden Bear Transfer Station.
Where can San Pablo residents safely dispose of chemicals, paint, and old mattresses?
San Pablo residents have access to free drop-off disposal at the West Contra Costa HHW Facility located at 101 Pittsburg Ave in Richmond. Residents can drop off chemicals, electronics, cooking oil, batteries, and up to three mattresses per month at no charge.
Can I put kitchen food scraps into my regular gray/black trash cart in San Pablo?
No. To comply with California SB 1383 climate directives, all food waste, spoiled leftovers, and food-soiled paper products must be separated from trash and placed loosely into your green organics cart for regional commercial composting.