Weekly Collection Schedule
Official municipal pickup timing for Walnut Creek
Trash Day
Varies by neighborhood zone
Recycling
Same day as trash pickup (weekly)
Yard Waste
Same day as trash pickup (weekly)
Set Out Time
By 6:00 AM on collection day
Utility Billing & Payments
Manage your local solid waste services
Curbside trash, recycling, and organics services are managed regionally by RecycleSmart and billed directly to residents on a quarterly basis by Republic Services.
Billing Cycle
Quarterly
Accepted Methods
Online, Auto-Pay, Phone, Mail
Black or Grey Bin (Trash)
Use the landfill cart solely for non-recyclable, non-organic, and non-hazardous materials. Bag your trash to prevent littering.
Accepted Items
- ✓Pet waste and cat litter
- ✓Diapers
- ✓Treated wood and painted materials
- ✓Styrofoam packing peanuts
- ✓Broken ceramics and glass
- ✓Chip bags and snack wrappers
Blue Bin (Recycling)
All recyclables must be Empty, Clean, and Dry. Place items loosely in the blue cart without bagging them.
Accepted Items
- ✓Clean cardboard and paper
- ✓Plastic containers #1-7
- ✓Small household metal cans
- ✓Glass bottles and jars
- ✓Junk mail and magazines
Do NOT Include
- ✕Food waste or liquids
- ✕Plastic bags (unless used to hold batteries on top of the lid)
- ✕Styrofoam
- ✕Tanglers like hoses or cords
- ✕Ceramics or mirrors
Yard Waste Bin
You may use newspaper, paper bags, or BPI-Certified compostable bags to contain wet food scraps before placing them in the green cart. Never use regular plastic bags.
Accepted Items
- ✓Meat, dairy, and bones
- ✓Fruits, vegetables, and cooked leftovers
- ✓Uncoated food-soiled paper (pizza boxes, napkins)
- ✓Grass clippings and weeds
- ✓Leaves and small branches
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Twice a year via the scheduled Reuse & Cleanup Days (Spring and Fall).
Placement
Place accepted items neatly at the curb by 5:00 A.M. on your assigned Reuse & Cleanup Day. Ensure items do not block sidewalks or street traffic.
Accepted
- ✓ Old furniture and mattresses
- ✓ Large appliances
- ✓ Electronic waste
- ✓ Bagged household debris
Not Accepted
- ✕ Hazardous waste (paint, oil)
- ✕ Dirt, concrete, or rock
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris
- ✕ Vehicle parts and tires
The bi-annual pickups are included in your regular service rates. Additional on-call bulk collections scheduled through Republic Services will incur an extra charge.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
Republic Services typically observes major winter holidays. If your scheduled service day falls on or after an observed holiday within that week, your pickup will be delayed by one day. For example, Thursday pickups move to Friday.
Yard Waste Exception
Organics and recycling carts follow the exact same holiday shift as the landfill cart.
Minor holidays such as the 4th of July, Memorial Day, and Labor Day generally do not affect the pickup schedule in the RecycleSmart service area.
Observed Holidays
Seasonal Information
Spring and Fall
February-March & August-SeptemberThese months mark the scheduled bi-annual Reuse & Cleanup Days. Walnut Creek residents will automatically receive a mailer confirming their specific curbside bulk pickup dates.
Post-Holiday
Late December to Mid-JanuaryRepublic Services provides curbside holiday tree collection. Remove all stands, lights, and ornaments, and place your natural, unflocked tree next to your green cart on your normal collection day.
Local Tips & Community Info
Solid Waste Franchising Under RecycleSmart
In Walnut Creek, the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority, operating locally as RecycleSmart, oversees the master franchise agreement for residential garbage collection. Republic Services is the designated hauler responsible for executing these weekly routes. Homeowners must ensure their three assigned carts are positioned at the curb no later than 6:00 AM on their scheduled neighborhood collection day. For safety and mechanical efficiency, the automated lifting trucks require a minimum two-foot gap between each container, alongside a three-foot clearance from fire hydrants, mailboxes, and street-parked vehicles. Once the route is complete, local municipal codes require residents to return the bins to a concealed area on their property to maintain the aesthetic standards of the community.
The Green Organics Priority
Contra Costa County places immense importance on diverting compostable materials from local landfills to meet state climate goals. Your green organics cart is the cornerstone of this initiative. Every scrap of household food waste—including meat, dairy, coffee filters, and vegetable peels—must be placed in the green bin. Yard trimmings, leaves, and uncoated food-soiled paper products like napkins and greasy pizza boxes also belong here. Republic Services transports these materials to specialized regional composting facilities, transforming them into nutrient-rich soil amendments for California's agricultural sectors.
Blueprint for the Recycling Bin
Your blue cart is meant exclusively for dry, unsoiled recyclables. Walnut Creek residents can toss mixed paper, flattened corrugated cardboard, glass containers, aluminum cans, and rigid plastics marked with resin codes 1 through 7 into this container. It is absolutely crucial to keep all materials loose; bagging your recyclables in plastic liners is strictly prohibited because soft plastics entangle the sorting gears at the material recovery facility. If you have extra cardboard that exceeds the cart's capacity, you can flatten and bundle it neatly next to your blue bin for standard collection.
Landfill Cart and Contamination Fines
The black cart serves as the final destination for municipal solid waste that cannot be reclaimed, recycled, or composted. Non-recyclable plastics, styrofoam packing peanuts, pet waste, broken ceramics, treated wood, and diapers must go here. RecycleSmart utilizes automated route cameras and conducts regular cart audits to monitor bin contamination across neighborhoods. If a household repeatedly fills the blue or green carts with landfill trash, Republic Services will attach a warning tag to the handle. Subsequent offenses may lead to formal financial penalties added directly to the property's utility bill.
Four Annual Curbside Cleanups
Dealing with excess household clutter is incredibly straightforward for Walnut Creek single-family residents, thanks to the provision of four complimentary Clean-Up days per calendar year. Instead of renting an expensive private dumpster, you can contact Republic Services at (925) 685-4711 to schedule a specialized pickup. During a designated cleanup, you can set out up to two cubic yards of bagged waste, bundled branches, or a few large bulky items like a discarded sofa, mattress, or dishwasher. This generous program helps mitigate illegal dumping in local open spaces and regional parks.
E-Waste and HHW Drop-offs
Discarding hazardous chemicals or electronic waste in any of your residential carts is highly illegal and poses severe fire hazards to the collection fleets. Walnut Creek locals have year-round access to the Central San Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility located nearby in Martinez. At this specialized drop-off center, you can safely and legally dispose of old laptops, fluorescent bulbs, wet latex paint, motor oil, and garden pesticides at no out-of-pocket cost. Utilizing this facility ensures dangerous toxins are kept out of the East Bay environment and local waterways.
Drop-off Facilities
Central San Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility
4797 Imhoff Place, Martinez, CA 94553
Materials Accepted
Concord Recycling Center
1320 Concord Ave, Concord, CA 94520
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I request a kitchen food scrap pail in Walnut Creek?
Residents can call Republic Services at (925) 685-4711 to request a free 3-gallon kitchen food scrap pail once every two years. Multi-family residents should direct requests through their property managers.
Can I put meat and bones in my green yard waste cart?
Yes. Walnut Creek follows SB 1383 guidelines, meaning all organic material, including meat, dairy, bones, cooked leftovers, and food-soiled paper, must go into the green organics cart.
Does Walnut Creek have a free curbside bulky item pickup?
Yes, through RecycleSmart's 'Reuse & Cleanup Days' program. Instead of calling to schedule, residents are given pre-assigned pickup dates twice a year (in Spring and Fall) and are notified via mail two weeks prior.
How do I safely recycle household batteries?
You do not need to drive to a facility. Walnut Creek residents can simply place household batteries in a clear, sealed plastic bag and leave it resting on top of their blue recycling cart lid on their standard collection day.