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
!Contamination Tips
Keep Recyclables Loose
Never put your regular recyclables inside plastic bags. The sorting facility cannot process bagged recycling, so items should be tossed freely into the blue cart.
The Shredded Paper Exception
The only exception to the 'no bags' rule in the recycling cart is for shredded paper. To prevent it from blowing away, shredded paper must be securely sealed in a stapled paper bag or tied clear plastic bag before going into the recycling.
Not All Plastics Belong
Torrance's recycling program only accepts rigid plastics stamped with numbers #1, #2, and #5. Clamshell containers, toys, or packaging marked with #3, #4, #6, or #7 must go in the black trash cart.
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.
About Torrance Waste Management
Municipal Collection for Single-Family Homes
In Torrance, residential curbside collection is handled directly by the City of Torrance Public Works Sanitation Division, serving roughly 29,500 single-family homes and qualifying 3-to-4 unit properties. Collections occur Monday through Thursday. Larger multi-family complexes with five or more units, along with commercial businesses, must establish their own waste service agreements with licensed private haulers.
Managing Your Monthly Refuse Rate
A unique benefit of the Torrance sanitation program is that your monthly service rate is determined solely by the size of your black trash container, which comes in 64-gallon and 96-gallon options. Because recycling and organics carts are provided at no extra monthly charge, residents are highly incentivized to accurately sort their waste, maximize diversion, and potentially downsize their black cart to lower their utility bill.
Navigating the Large Item Pick-Up (LIPU) Program
The City provides an extremely generous Large Item Pick-Up (LIPU) program, allowing eligible households one free on-call collection of up to 20 large items per calendar year. Because most of these items are sent straight to the landfill, the city heavily encourages residents to donate functional furniture to local charities like Beacon House or Habitat for Humanity first. If you exceed your one free pickup, additional LIPU trips can be scheduled for a flat fee.
Complying with SB 1383 Organics Rules
To meet California's SB 1383 mandate, Torrance residents must place all food scraps, including meat, dairy, and food-soiled paper, into their green organics container alongside yard trimmings. To manage odors, the city recommends using an indoor kitchen pail, freezing food scraps until collection day, and lining the bottom of the green cart with dry leaves or yard waste before adding wet materials.
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.