Black Cart (or Dark Gray) Bin (Trash)
All landfill garbage must be securely bagged before being placed in the black cart. The lid must close completely to prevent litter, and carts should be set out by 6:00 a.m. on collection day.
Accepted Items
- ✓Standard household garbage
- ✓Diapers and bagged pet waste
- ✓Polystyrene foam (Styrofoam)
- ✓Treated or painted wood
- ✓Plastic film and grocery bags
Blue Cart Bin (Recycling)
Recyclables must never be bagged. Empty, lightly rinse, and dry your items, then toss them loosely into the blue cart to ensure they are sorted correctly at the recovery facility.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and paperboard
- ✓Mixed paper, mail, and newspaper
- ✓Aluminum and tin cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Rigid plastic bottles and containers (#1, #2, #5)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic grocery bags or shrink wrap
- ✕Food waste or greasy pizza boxes
- ✕Tanglers (cords, hoses, wire)
- ✕Styrofoam packing materials
Green Cart Bin (Yard Waste)
Place all organic matter loosely inside the green cart. Absolutely no plastic bags or 'compostable' plastics are allowed, as they degrade the quality of the final compost.
Accepted Items
- ✓Food scraps (meat, bones, dairy, vegetables)
- ✓Grass clippings and weeds
- ✓Leaves, branches, and twigs
- ✓Food-soiled paper (napkins, coffee filters)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Two free curbside pickups per calendar year.
Placement
Place your scheduled items at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on the day of collection. Keep them at least three feet away from your normal trash carts, mailboxes, and parked cars.
Accepted
- ✓ Mattresses and box springs
- ✓ Sofas, chairs, and household furniture
- ✓ Large kitchen and laundry appliances
- ✓ Bundled yard waste (size limits apply)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste or liquid chemicals
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Dirt, concrete, or asphalt
- ✕ Heavy automotive parts or tires
Single-family households are entitled to two free pickups annually. If you exceed this limit or have excessively large cleanout loads, additional fees will apply.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
If your scheduled collection day falls on or after a major observed weekday holiday, your service will be delayed by one day for the remainder of that week.
Yard Waste Exception
Your green organics cart and blue recycling cart are picked up on the same day as your trash and follow the exact same holiday delay schedule.
If a major holiday lands on a Saturday or a Sunday, it does not impact the regular weekday collection schedule.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Keep Film Plastics in the Trash
Flimsy plastic items like grocery bags, bread wrappers, and dry cleaning bags wrap around and jam the sorting gears at the recycling center. These must always go into your black landfill cart.
Pizza Boxes Go In Organics
While clean cardboard is highly recyclable, the grease and cheese residue on a pizza box ruins the paper recycling process. Tear up greasy pizza boxes and throw them into your green organics cart instead.
No E-Waste at the Curb
Never place batteries or electronic waste in any of your curbside carts. Lithium-ion batteries can easily spark fires inside the collection trucks. They must be taken to a specialized Riverside County HHW event.
Seasonal Information
Spring
March - MayThe San Jacinto Valley frequently experiences strong spring winds. To prevent your trash from becoming neighborhood litter, ensure all cart lids are completely closed and face the hinge toward your home.
Summer
June - AugustIntense summer heat can cause food scraps in your green cart to smell terribly and attract pests. Freeze your meat and dairy scraps in a container until the morning of your trash pickup to eliminate odors.
Winter
December - JanuaryWaste Management collects bare Christmas trees in the weeks following the holidays. You must remove all ornaments, lights, and stands. If the tree is over 6 feet tall, cut it in half before placing it at the curb.
About Valle Vista Waste Management
Unincorporated Riverside County Waste Franchises
Because Valle Vista is an unincorporated community situated in the San Jacinto Valley, its residential solid waste services are governed by the Riverside County Department of Waste Resources. Unlike the incorporated City of Hemet next door—which uses CR&R—homes in Valle Vista (typically identifiable by their five-digit addresses) are serviced exclusively by Waste Management of the Inland Empire under a county franchise agreement.
Meeting California's SB 1383 Organics Mandate
In order to meet statewide environmental targets and reduce methane off-gassing at local dumps like the Lamb Canyon Landfill, Valle Vista residents are mandated to recycle all organic waste. The Waste Management program requires households to place their food scraps—including meat, dairy, bones, and food-soiled paper—directly into their green organics cart along with traditional landscape trimmings from their yards.
Dealing with Bulky Household Waste
You do not need to haul your old couch to the dump yourself. Under the franchise agreement, single-family homes in Valle Vista are eligible to receive two free bulky item collections per calendar year through Waste Management. This service is perfect for disposing of large appliances, mattresses, and furniture that cannot safely fit inside a standard curbside cart.
Proper Handling of Hazardous and Universal Waste
Waste Management drivers cannot legally collect toxic materials like leftover house paint, motor oil, or old televisions at the curb. Fortunately, Riverside County provides Valle Vista locals with access to regional Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) drop-off events and permanent ABOP (Antifreeze, Batteries, Oil, Paint) centers, ensuring these dangerous chemicals stay out of the local soil and groundwater.
Drop-off Facilities
Lamb Canyon Sanitary Landfill
31200 Lamb Canyon Rd, Beaumont, CA 92223
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I have Waste Management or CR&R in the Valle Vista area?
Valle Vista is an unincorporated part of Riverside County. Generally, homes in this area with five-digit addresses (e.g., 43900 block) are serviced by Waste Management of the Inland Empire. Homes inside the incorporated City of Hemet limits are serviced by CR&R.
Can I throw food scraps into my green yard waste cart?
Yes. Due to California's SB 1383 law, all residents must mix their food waste (such as vegetable peelings, meat bones, and dairy) and food-soiled paper with their yard trimmings in the green organics cart.
Does Waste Management pick up old mattresses in Valle Vista?
Yes. Single-family homes receive up to two free bulky item pickups per year. You can schedule a pickup for your old mattress by calling Waste Management customer service at (800) 423-9986.
Where can I take my leftover house paint or used motor oil?
Do not throw these in your curbside carts. You can take them to the permanent ABOP (Antifreeze, Batteries, Oil, Paint) facility located at the Lamb Canyon Landfill in Beaumont, or attend one of Riverside County's free community Household Hazardous Waste events.