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
!Contamination Tips
Keep Film Plastics Out of the Blue Bin
Never place loose plastic grocery bags, wrap, or bubble wrap in your blue recycling bin. These materials wrap tightly around mechanical sorting rollers at processing facilities, halting sorting lines and presenting a safety hazard to workers.
Pizza Boxes Go Green, Not Blue
Cardboard pizza boxes that are soiled with food grease, oils, or left-behind crumbs cannot be processed as clean paper. Always place food-soiled pizza boxes directly in your green organics cart to compost them cleanly.
Tape Terminal Ends of Batteries
Before bagging household batteries and placing them on top of your blue recycling lid, always cover the active contact terminals of rechargeable and lithium batteries with clear tape to prevent friction sparks and truck fires.
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.
About Saratoga Waste Management
Eco-Stewardship in the Santa Cruz Foothills
In the scenic foothill community of Saratoga, residential waste services are managed through an exclusive franchise partnership with West Valley Collection & Recycling. Supervised by the West Valley Solid Waste Management Joint Powers Agency (JPA), this comprehensive framework is dedicated to preserving our beautiful redwood landscapes, defending the native Coyote Creek watersheds, and streamlining California's resource recovery directives.
Leading Carbon Reduction with Mandatory SB 1383 Composting
To align with California’s environmental directives under Senate Bill 1383, Saratoga residents are required to separate all compostable organic waste from standard landfill garbage. This program utilizes a weekly green organics cart to capture yard trimmings and kitchen scraps. To facilitate separation, West Valley Recycles offers free kitchen pails to help residents easily transport food leftovers to their outdoor organics bin.
Innovative Curbside Spent Battery and Motor Oil Recycling
Saratoga provides a highly convenient doorstep disposal system for hazardous residential materials to keep them out of standard streams. Single-family households can recycle spent household batteries weekly by taping the terminals, sealing them in a clear plastic bag, and laying it directly on top of their blue recycling cart lid on collection morning. Additionally, on-call programs are available for used motor oil, oil filters, and cooking oil.
On-Call Residential Bulky Cleanups Made Simple
Saratoga has transitioned from standard annual neighborhood cleanup campaigns to a flexible, year-round On-Call Bulky Cleanup Program. Single-family households can schedule curbside bulky collections up to three times per calendar year at no extra charge. Each scheduled cleanup allows residents to dispose of up to three cubic yards of extra bagged or boxed trash, alongside three large bulky furniture or appliance items.
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
How do single-family homes schedule their free bulky item collection in Saratoga?
Saratoga single-family residents can schedule their three free annual on-call cleanups by contacting West Valley Recycles customer service at 408-283-9250. Be prepared to list the specific bulky items and extra bags you plan to place curbside when making your appointment.
Where can I get an organics kitchen pail or request a replacement cart?
Residents can request a free organics kitchen pail, recycle tote, or how-to guide to assist with SB 1383 sorting by calling West Valley Recycles. You can also request a free cart exchange if your existing container is damaged from daily operations.
Does my collection schedule change during major holidays in Saratoga?
Your service will remain on schedule for almost all federal, state, and local holidays, including Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, and Labor Day. The only days collection is delayed are Christmas Day (December 25th) and New Year's Day (January 1st).
How can I safely recycle household batteries curbside in Saratoga?
Apply clear tape over the positive and negative terminals of rechargeable and lithium batteries. Place them inside a clear, tightly sealed plastic zip-top bag, and lay the bag directly on top of your blue recycling cart lid on collection morning.