Gray or Black Bin (Trash)
All household garbage should be bagged before being placed in the trash cart to reduce odors. Ensure the lid can close completely.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Diapers and pet waste
- ✓Styrofoam and packing peanuts
- ✓Treated wood
- ✓Broken ceramics and glassware
- ✓Chip bags and wrappers
Blue Bin (Recycling)
Place all approved recyclables loosely into the blue cart. Never bag your recyclables in plastic bags. Rinse food residue from containers.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and paper
- ✓Plastic bottles, jugs, and containers
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic bags and film
- ✕Food waste or liquids
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses, wires)
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕E-waste and batteries
Yard Waste Bin
Do not use plastic bags, even those labeled as biodegradable. Organic waste must go directly into the green cart or be contained in BPI-certified compostable bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings, leaves, and weeds
- ✓Small branches and prunings
- ✓Food waste (meat, dairy, produce, bones)
- ✓Food-soiled paper (napkins, coffee filters)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Periodic free county events, or by paid appointment
Placement
For scheduled curbside pickups, items must be placed at the curb by 6:00 AM on the agreed-upon day, ensuring they do not block traffic or sidewalks.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture (couches, chairs, tables)
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Major appliances (water heaters, washers)
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, monitors)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (chemicals, paint)
- ✕ Construction and remodeling debris
- ✕ Business or commercial waste
- ✕ Green waste and regular household trash
While community drop-off events are free, scheduling a direct curbside pickup with American Refuse outside of these events will incur an additional fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
American Refuse observes New Year's Day, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. If these holidays fall on a weekday, service will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week. If they fall on a weekend, there is no delay.
Yard Waste Exception
Organic waste and recycling collections follow the exact same holiday delay schedule as regular trash.
American Refuse typically runs its standard collection routes on Memorial Day and Labor Day without any delays.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Plastic Bags Out of the Blue Cart
The number one contaminant in Shafter's recycling stream is the plastic grocery bag. When bagged recyclables arrive at the Material Recovery Facility, the bags tangle in the sorting gears. Always place your recyclables loose in the bin.
Proper Battery Disposal
Never throw batteries, especially lithium-ion ones, into any of your curbside carts. They are a leading cause of fires in collection trucks and recycling centers. Save them for a Kern County Household Hazardous Waste drop-off event.
No Treated Wood in the Green Cart
While tree branches and prunings belong in the green organics cart, treated wood (like painted fencing, railroad ties, or stained lumber) contains chemicals that will ruin compost. Treated wood must be disposed of as trash or bulky waste.
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryFollowing the holidays, you can recycle your natural Christmas tree. Trees must be stripped of all ornaments, tinsel, lights, and stands. If the tree is taller than 6 feet, it must be cut in half before being placed in the green organics cart.
Summer
June - AugustKern County summers get exceptionally hot, which can cause food waste in your green cart to smell quickly. Minimize odors by freezing meat and dairy scraps in a container during the week, and dump them into the green cart the night before collection.
About Shafter Waste Management
Solid Waste Collection in Shafter's Core
Residential trash, recycling, and organic waste services in the core city of Shafter are expertly managed by American Refuse through a franchise agreement. While American Refuse handles the physical collection routes and customer service inquiries regarding bin issues, residents conveniently pay for these services through their unified monthly City of Shafter utility bill.
Mastering the Three-Cart System
To align with California's aggressive waste diversion goals, Shafter utilizes a standardized three-cart system. Households are issued specific carts for landfill-bound trash, mixed recyclables, and organic green waste. Carts must be rolled out to the curb by the designated collection morning, with lids completely closed to prevent litter from blowing into the San Joaquin Valley winds.
SB 1383 and Your Green Organics Cart
California's Senate Bill 1383 requires drastic reductions in organic waste sent to landfills to curb methane emissions. For Shafter residents, this means the green cart is no longer just for yard clippings. All food scraps—including meat, dairy, bones, fruits, and vegetables—along with food-soiled paper products like greasy pizza boxes and coffee filters, must now go directly into the green organics bin.
Bulky Waste and HHW Drop-Off Events
Instead of a standard monthly bulky item allowance, Shafter residents can take advantage of periodic, free Bulky Waste Collection Events and Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) drop-offs hosted by Kern County Public Works in partnership with American Refuse. For immediate disposal needs, residents can always self-haul large items to the nearby Shafter-Wasco Landfill.
Drop-off Facilities
Shafter-Wasco Landfill
17621 Scofield Ave, Shafter, CA 93263
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does American Refuse delay trash pickup in Shafter for Memorial Day or Labor Day?
No. Unlike many other haulers, American Refuse typically runs its regular collection routes on Memorial Day and Labor Day. Delays are usually only triggered by New Year's Day, the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Where can I safely dispose of household hazardous waste in Shafter?
Items like paint, pesticides, pool chemicals, and batteries cannot go in your curbside carts. You should store them safely and drop them off during one of the free Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection events periodically hosted by Kern County at the Shafter-Wasco Landfill.
How do I get rid of an old mattress or couch?
You can wait for a free Bulky Waste Collection Event hosted by Kern County Public Works in Shafter, self-haul the item to the Shafter-Wasco Landfill, or call American Refuse at (661) 758-5316 to schedule and pay for a custom curbside bulky item pickup.
Can I put meat and dairy scraps in the green yard waste bin?
Yes. Due to California's SB 1383 mandate, all food waste—including meat, dairy, bones, and food-soiled paper—must be placed in your green organics cart along with traditional yard clippings.