Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Saratoga
Collections in California municipal routes run weekly (Mon-Fri). Your specific collection day is determined by your local neighborhood route.
State Mandate
Follow SB 1383 guidelines for food waste.
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Residential trash, recycling, and organics services are provided by West Valley Collection & Recycling and billed directly on a quarterly cycle.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail, In Person
Pro Tip / Discount
Free non-curbside collection service is available for residents with physical disabilities who cannot roll carts to the curb.
Dark Gray or Black Bin (Trash)
Lids must be completely closed to prevent local wind-blown litter and deter pests. Bagging your trash is highly recommended before placing it in the cart.
Accepted Items
- ✓Single-use plastic bags and wraps
- ✓Styrofoam plates, cups, and block packing foam
- ✓Disposable baby diapers and sanitary wipes
- ✓Bagged pet waste and kitty litter
- ✓Mylar snack wrappers and chip bags
- ✓Broken ceramics, incandescent light bulbs, and home mirrors
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Do not bag recyclables; place items loosely directly into the blue cart. All containers must be scraped clean and empty before disposal.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean, flattened cardboard and paperboard packaging
- ✓Clean office paper, junk mail, catalogs, and newspapers
- ✓Glass bottles and food jars (rinsed and dry)
- ✓Aluminum beverage cans and clean foil baking trays
- ✓Steel, tin, and bi-metal food cans
- ✓Rigid plastic bottles, jugs, tubs, and jars (numbers 1-7)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Loose plastic bags, bubble wrap, or film wraps
- ✕Styrofoam packaging materials of any kind
- ✕Garden hoses, extension cords, or wire hangers (tanglers)
- ✕Liquid container residue or wet food scraps
- ✕Electronic waste or household batteries
Yard Waste Bin
Do not use standard plastic bags. Keep organic materials completely loose; you may line your cart or food pail with paper bags, plain newspapers, or certified BPI compostable bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Kitchen food scraps (cooked or raw meat, bones, dairy, fruits, vegetables)
- ✓Food-soiled paper towels, napkins, paper plates, and pizza boxes
- ✓Grass clippings, tree leaves, weeds, and garden flowers
- ✓Prunings and brush branches under 3 feet long and 6 inches in diameter
- ✓Clean, untreated, unpainted natural wood scraps
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
3 free curbside collections per calendar year
Placement
Items must be set at your curbside by 6:00 AM on your pre-arranged collection morning, clear of vehicles, mailboxes, and low-hanging tree branches. Make sure to provide a full list of items when calling to schedule.
Accepted
- ✓ Sofas, chairs, tables, mattresses, and wood furniture
- ✓ Large household appliances (dryers, washing machines, refrigerators)
- ✓ Up to 3 cubic yards of extra solid waste bagged or boxed
- ✓ Electronic waste (limit 1 e-waste item such as a TV or computer monitor per cleanup)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Any single item exceeding 150 pounds in weight
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (liquid paints, automotive chemicals, chemical solvents)
- ✕ Rocks, dirt, concrete, gravel, and heavy construction debris
The three annual pickups are free of charge. Collections exceeding three visits per year or piles over the allowed cubic yard volume can be arranged for an added service fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
West Valley Recycles maintains a regular collection schedule on almost all holidays throughout the year. The only exceptions are Christmas Day and New Year's Day. If either holiday falls on a weekday, curbside collections for the holiday and all remaining weekdays of that calendar week will be delayed by exactly one day.
Yard Waste Exception
Organic waste, recycling, and landfill collections follow the exact same holiday delay timeline.
If Christmas Day or New Year's Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is no change or delay to regular weekday collection schedules.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Autumn Leaf Management and Runoff Control
October - DecemberSaratoga's 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, as they block public storm sewer grates, disrupt sweepers, and cause local street flooding.
Post-Holiday Christmas Tree Composting
January - FebruaryUndecorated, natural Christmas trees are collected curbside from the first Monday in January through the first regularly scheduled collection day in February. Residents must strip all ornaments, lights, tinsel, and stands, placing the tree adjacent to their green bin. Alternatively, cut trees into pieces under 6 feet to fit loosely in your organics cart.
Local Tips & Community Info
Curbside Collection with West Valley Recycles
For residents of Saratoga, solid waste collection is contracted out to West Valley Recycles, which operates under the West Valley Solid Waste Management Authority. The company issues a three-cart system to single-family households to handle daily refuse: a standard gray bin for landfill garbage, a blue container for recyclables, and a green container for yard trimmings and compost. To ensure that your home is not bypassed during morning routes, your carts must be wheeled to the curb no later than 6:00 a.m. on your designated service day. It is essential to leave ample space around the containers to accommodate the mechanical arms of the automated trucks.
Compliance with SB 1383 Organics Sorting
Proper sorting is strictly enforced across Saratoga to align with California's organics recycling mandates. Your green organics bin is meant for all compostable materials, which includes grass clippings, yard prunings, and all types of food waste—even meat, dairy, and food-soiled paper products like greasy pizza boxes. Residents are advised never to use standard plastic bags to collect food scraps, as they contaminate the compost stream. Instead, layer wet kitchen waste between dry yard clippings to minimize odors and keep the container clean.
Scheduling Free On-Call Bulky Pickups
If you are undertaking a home renovation or simply clearing out the garage, West Valley Recycles offers convenient solutions. Single-family homeowners in Saratoga can request up to three free on-call bulky item cleanups each calendar year. This program covers large furniture, mattresses, major household appliances, and bundled debris that cannot physically fit into a standard cart. You must contact the customer service center at (408) 283-9250 to pre-schedule these pickups, as the specialized route drivers will not collect large items left unannounced on the street.
Dealing with Extra Trash and Cardboard
Occasionally, you might generate more waste than your bins can accommodate. For excess landfill garbage, residents can call customer service one day before their scheduled pickup to arrange for extra bags to be collected for a nominal per-bag fee. If you have extra cardboard from recent deliveries, it must be completely flattened, cut down to manageable sizes, and bundled neatly. You can place these cardboard bundles directly next to your blue recycling cart on collection day, and the driver will manually load them into the truck.
Household Hazardous Waste and Motor Oil Program
Toxic chemicals, including strong household cleaners, wet paint, and pesticides, must never be discarded in your standard curbside carts. Saratoga residents must utilize the Santa Clara County Household Hazardous Waste Program for the safe disposal of these dangerous items. However, West Valley Recycles does offer a convenient curbside motor oil recycling program. You can request free, specially designed oil jugs and filter bags from the company, which can then be placed directly on the curb next to your bins on your regular service day.
Drop-off Facilities
West Valley Recycles Public Drop-off Site
575 Charles Street, San Jose, CA 95112
Materials Accepted
Santa Clara County HHW Program (San Jose Facility)
Varying drop-off event locations (Appointments required)
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I contact if my trash cart is missed in Saratoga?
If your cart was placed at the curb by 6:00 a.m. but was not emptied, you should contact West Valley Recycles customer service at (408) 283-9250 to report the missed collection and arrange a recovery pickup.
Are holiday schedules different for Saratoga waste collection?
Yes, West Valley Recycles observes a select few major holidays. If a recognized holiday falls on a weekday, all subsequent collections for that week will typically shift back by one 24-hour period.
Can I recycle textiles or old clothing in my blue bin?
While West Valley Recycles allows clean fabrics in some specialized recycling programs if securely bagged, it is generally recommended to donate wearable clothing. Heavily soiled or oil-stained rags belong in the landfill garbage.