Black Bin (Trash)
Use the black cart for all non-recyclable, non-compostable household refuse. Ensure the lid closes completely and remove the cart from the curbside within 12 hours after service.
Accepted Items
- ✓Mixed materials (plastic and metal combinations)
- ✓Styrofoam (packaging and cups)
- ✓Diapers and pet waste
- ✓Waxed paper and coated products
- ✓Ceramics and Pyrex glass
- ✓Palm fronds
Blue Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be kept loose inside the blue cart. Do not place recyclables inside plastic garbage bags, and quickly rinse out heavy food residue to avoid contaminating the batch.
Accepted Items
- ✓Flattened corrugated cardboard
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Plastic containers (drink bottles, detergent jugs)
- ✓Newspapers, magazines, and junk mail
- ✓Plastic toys
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic shopping bags
- ✕Dry cleaning bags
- ✕Waxed milk or juice cartons
- ✕Ceramics and mirrors
- ✕Food residue and liquids
Yard Waste Bin
To reduce odors in the green cart, you can line your kitchen pail with a paper bag, sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of the cart, or freeze food scraps until collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Meat, fish, and dairy scraps
- ✓Fruits, vegetables, and bread
- ✓Coffee grounds and filters
- ✓Grass clippings and leaves
- ✓Flowers, weeds, and small prunings
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Four (4) free bulky item collections per calendar year for single-family residential customers.
Placement
You must schedule the pickup in advance by contacting CR&R. Place approved items at the curb no later than 6:30 a.m. on the morning of your scheduled collection.
Accepted
- ✓ Couches, chairs, and desks
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Washers, dryers, and water heaters
- ✓ Electronic waste (TVs, computers, monitors)
- ✓ Refrigerators and freezers (white goods)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste and liquid chemicals
- ✕ Items that cannot be safely managed by a two-person crew
- ✕ Construction materials (dirt, concrete, rocks)
- ✕ Automotive parts
Single-family homes receive these four pickups for free. Additional pickups can be requested for a fee. Multifamily complex residents must contact their property manager to arrange collections for a fee.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If a recognized holiday falls during the work week (Monday through Friday), collection for the remainder of that week will be delayed by one day, with Friday pickups moving to Saturday.
Yard Waste Exception
The one-day holiday delay applies equally to trash, recycling, and green organics collection.
If the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, trash will be collected on your normal collection day with absolutely no delays to your scheduled pickup.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep palm fronds out of the green cart
Unlike standard leaves and grass, palm fronds are extremely fibrous and cannot be effectively processed at CR&R's composting facilities. Always place palm fronds in your black landfill cart.
Leave recyclables loose
Never bag your recyclables in plastic grocery bags or trash bags. The plastic film tangles the sorting machinery at the recycling facility. Keep cardboard, glass, and plastic containers loose in the blue bin.
Styrofoam is not recyclable curbside
Expanded polystyrene, commonly known as Styrofoam, belongs in the black trash cart. Even if it has a recycling symbol on it, the local processing centers cannot sort and recycle this material.
Seasonal Information
Summer
July - SeptemberDuring the hot summer months, organics in the green cart can attract pests and create strong odors. Consider placing a layer of dry yard trimmings, cardboard, or newspaper at the bottom of the cart before adding wet food scraps.
Year-Round
January - DecemberStreet sweeping in Tustin is also managed by CR&R. If a holiday delay results in your trash collection and street sweeping occurring on the exact same day, you must place your carts up on the curb or parkway, rather than in the street gutter.
About Tustin Waste Management
Navigating Tustin's Three-Cart CR&R Collection System
Residential solid waste in the City of Tustin is managed exclusively by CR&R Environmental Services using a standard automated three-cart system. Each single-family household is equipped with a black cart for regular landfill trash, a blue cart for commingled recyclables, and a green cart for yard trimmings and organic waste. To ensure seamless automated pickup, residents must place carts at the curbside no later than 6:30 a.m. on their scheduled collection day. Carts should be placed side-by-side about one foot apart, with handles and wheels facing toward the home, and at least three feet away from any physical obstructions like vehicles or fire hydrants.
Complying with SB 1383 Organics Recycling Mandates
To align with California's SB 1383 mandate, Tustin requires all residents to recycle their food scraps by placing them directly into the green organics cart alongside standard yard waste. Every residential property is provided with a free Kitchen Food Scrap Container to easily collect plate scrapings, spoiled food, meat, dairy, and coffee grounds indoors before transferring them to the green bin outside. CR&R transports this collected organic material to their state-of-the-art composting facility to be repurposed into nutrient-rich soil amendments.
Free Annual Bulky Item and E-Waste Pickups
Single-family residents in Tustin benefit from up to four free bulky item collections per calendar year, which is a significant perk for seasonal cleanups. During each scheduled pickup, residents can set out up to four oversized items, such as mattresses, old furniture, or bundled cardboard. Electronic waste (e-waste) and household appliances containing Freon (white goods) are also eligible for this program. You must call CR&R Customer Service or use their online portal to schedule the collection in advance; bulky items left out unannounced will not be collected by standard trucks.
Safe Disposal Locations for Batteries and Household Hazardous Waste
Household batteries, fluorescent tubes, and hazardous chemicals are strictly prohibited from all curbside carts as they pose significant fire risks in collection trucks. Tustin makes battery disposal convenient with multiple local drop-off points, including Tustin City Hall, the Tustin Senior Center, and Woodward's Ace Hardware. For larger volumes of hazardous waste, such as leftover paint, motor oil, or unused pesticides, residents can utilize the Orange County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Centers, with the nearest location conveniently situated on Oak Canyon in neighboring Irvine.
Drop-off Facilities
Orange County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center (Irvine)
6411 Oak Canyon, Irvine, CA 92618
Materials Accepted
Tustin City Hall (Battery Drop-Off)
300 Centennial Way, Tustin, CA 92780
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I correctly dispose of food scraps in Tustin?
To comply with state laws, Tustin residents must place all food scraps, including meat, dairy, coffee grounds, and bread, directly into the green organics cart. You can use the city-provided Kitchen Food Scrap Container to gather waste indoors before emptying it into the green cart.
Can I throw away an old TV or refrigerator at the curb?
Yes, but you must schedule it first. Electronic waste and appliances containing Freon are collected through CR&R's bulky item pickup program. You can use one of your four free annual bulky item collections to dispose of these items by calling customer service.
What should I do if my regular pickup day falls on Memorial Day?
Because CR&R observes Memorial Day as a non-collection holiday, your trash, recycling, and organics services will be delayed by exactly one day for the remainder of that week.
Where can I drop off dead household batteries?
Batteries are a fire hazard and cannot go in curbside bins. Tustin offers multiple local drop-off locations for batteries, including Tustin City Hall, the Tustin Senior Center, and Woodward's Ace Hardware. You can also take them to the Orange County HHW Center in Irvine.