Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Torrance
Trash Day
Residential trash collection runs Monday through Thursday, depending on your neighborhood zone.
Recycling
Recycling is collected weekly on the same day as your trash pickup.
Yard Waste
Yard and organics waste is collected weekly on your regular trash collection day.
Set Out Time
By 7:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Trash and recycling charges are bundled directly onto your city utility bill alongside municipal water and sewer services.
Billing Cycle
Bi-Monthly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Mail, Phone, In Person
Pro Tip / Discount
Low-income senior (age 62+) and low-income permanently disabled residents using a 64-gallon cart may qualify for discounted rates through the Finance Department.
Black or Grey Bin (Trash)
Place carts at the curb by 7:00 AM on collection day with the lid opening facing the street. Keep total weight under 200 lbs and maintain 3 feet of space between carts.
Accepted Items
- ✓Styrofoam peanuts and small pieces
- ✓Plastics labeled #3, #4, #6, and #7
- ✓Glass dishes, mirrors, and ceramics
- ✓Napkins, tissue paper, and heavily food-soiled paper (if not compostable)
- ✓General non-hazardous household refuse
Blue or Grey Bin (Recycling)
Rinse containers before recycling. Empty all liquids and remove food residue. Place items loose in the bin—do NOT bag recyclables.
Accepted Items
- ✓Paper, catalogs, and flattened cardboard
- ✓Aluminum, tin, and empty aerosol cans
- ✓Plastics #1, #2, and #5 only (bottles, jugs, food containers)
- ✓Glass bottles and jars (any color)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastics #3, #4, #6, #7
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Food-soiled paper and liquids
- ✕Ceramics and window glass
- ✕Plastic bags (unless holding shredded paper)
Yard Waste Bin
Do not put loose liquids in the organics cart. Line the container with newspaper or a layer of green waste to absorb moisture and keep the cart clean.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps (fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy)
- ✓Yard waste (leaves, grass clippings, small branches)
- ✓Food-soiled paper (pizza boxes, napkins)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
One free Large Item Pick-Up (LIPU) per calendar year per address.
Placement
Items must be placed at your normal recycling collection point, at least 5 feet from your carts, no earlier than 12 hours before your scheduled refuse collection day.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses
- ✓ Old furniture (sofas, dressers)
- ✓ Large appliances
- ✓ Bundled small items
- ✓ E-waste and metal appliances (these are separated for recycling)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Construction debris (wood, concrete, bricks, dirt, wall-to-wall carpet)
- ✕ Auto parts (batteries, tires, motors)
- ✕ Household hazardous waste (paint, fluorescent tubes)
- ✕ Extremely heavy items (spas, hot tubs, pianos)
The first 20-item pickup each year is free. If you need a second pickup, it costs $40 for up to 10 items or $80 for up to 20 items.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a City-observed holiday falls on a Monday through Thursday, collection is delayed by one day for the remainder of the week (e.g., Monday moves to Tuesday, Thursday moves to Friday).
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling follow the exact same holiday shift as residential refuse.
There is normally no Saturday residential collection in Torrance, but holiday-delayed Thursday routes will be serviced on Friday.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Winter
December - JanuaryThe city suspends its Large Item Pick-Up (LIPU) program for roughly two weeks following Christmas to focus all resources on the annual Christmas tree recycling program. Call three weeks in advance if you need a bulk pickup during the holidays.
Fall
September - OctoberTorrance typically hosts free E-waste Recycling and Paper Shredding drop-off events in the early fall at the City Hall Employee Parking Lot to help residents securely purge documents and old technology.
Local Tips & Community Info
Torrance Curbside Collection Operations
The Torrance Public Works Department directly manages the municipal solid waste collection for residential neighborhoods. To guarantee that your household refuse is retrieved on your designated day, all automated containers must be placed in the alley or at the curb no later than 7:00 a.m. The city mandates a minimum clearance of two feet between each container to allow the mechanical arms of the garbage trucks to operate safely. Your black or grey cart is strictly designated for non-recyclable solid waste, such as heavily soiled paper, styrofoam, and standard household trash. Property owners must ensure lids are completely closed to prevent wind-blown litter and deter local wildlife.
Mandatory Sorting: Blue and Green Bins
Under California's SB 1383 environmental regulations, Torrance enforces strict sorting protocols to divert reusable materials from the landfill. The blue cart is your hub for clean recyclables, including unbagged plastic bottles, glass jars, aluminum cans, and flattened cardboard boxes. Conversely, the green organics cart is where you must deposit all yard trimmings, grass clippings, and kitchen food scraps. Bagging your recyclables or organics in standard plastic bags is a major violation that can lead to entire loads being rejected at the sorting facility. If you are unsure whether a specific item belongs in the blue or green bin, you can consult the city's comprehensive waste sorting guide online.
Bulky Item Eradication Services
Discarding massive items like broken washing machines, old mattresses, or dilapidated sofas requires a specialized approach in Torrance. Residents cannot simply abandon oversized junk next to their regular carts, as this violates local municipal codes and creates hazardous neighborhood blight. Instead, single-family households are encouraged to contact the Public Works Department at (310) 781-6900 to arrange a scheduled bulky item pickup. When your appointment is confirmed, place the large objects at your regular collection point no earlier than the evening before your scheduled pickup date to maintain clear pedestrian pathways.
Holiday Impacts on Waste Services
Sanitation crews in Torrance observe a select number of federal holidays, which can cause minor adjustments to your usual pickup routine. The primary non-service days include New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. When a recognized holiday lands on a weekday, all subsequent collections for that specific week are delayed by precisely one day. For example, if Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday, the usual Thursday routes are serviced on Friday, and the Friday routes shift to Saturday. If a holiday falls on a weekend, your standard collection calendar remains totally uninterrupted.
Navigating Hazardous Materials in Torrance
Chemicals and volatile substances have no place in any of your city-issued curbside carts. Tossing items like old motor oil, half-empty paint cans, chemical solvents, or alkaline batteries into the trash poses a severe fire risk to collection vehicles and processing plants. To discard these dangerous goods legally and safely, Torrance locals frequently utilize the nearby S.A.F.E. Collection Center located in San Pedro, or they can wait for periodic household hazardous waste drop-off events hosted by Los Angeles County. E-waste, such as obsolete computer monitors and tangled cords, must also be routed through these specialized environmental recycling programs.
Drop-off Facilities
S.A.F.E. Collection Center
1400 North Gaffey St, San Pedro, CA 90731
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my monthly bill go up if I order a larger recycling or organics cart in Torrance?
No. The City of Torrance bases its residential refuse rate solely on the size of your black trash cart (64 or 96 gallons). You can request up to two additional recycling or organics carts at no monthly charge, though a one-time cart delivery fee of $13.48 applies.
How do I correctly dispose of shredded paper?
Loose shredded paper cannot go directly into the recycling cart. It must be placed in a stapled or taped paper bag, or tied inside a clear plastic bag before going into the blue bin.
Can I leave my carts out on the street all week?
No. City Ordinance requires that carts be placed curbside no earlier than 12 hours before your scheduled collection time and removed within 12 hours after collection.
Does street sweeping get delayed for holidays like the trash pickup?
No, street sweeping does not shift days. If a street sweeping day falls on an observed holiday, the sweeping for that specific route is simply skipped for that week.