San Diego Trash Pickup Schedule, Recycling & Organics 2026

📅 Key Measure B Timeline — 2025 to 2027

• July 1, 2025: New Solid Waste Management Fee takes effect for ~226,500 customers. Fee is collected via the annual San Diego County property tax bill. FY 2026 base fee: $523.20/year ($43.60/month) for a 95-gallon trash bin bundle (includes recycling and organics).
• October 2025: City begins delivering new gray trash bins to replace old black bins. New bins include RFID chips that log each pickup and help identify missed collections.
• Spring–Summer 2026: New light-blue recycling bins delivered. Old dark-blue recycling bins removed. Until your new bin arrives, the City continues collecting from your existing container.
• July 1, 2026: Fee increases scheduled (exact amount to be confirmed by City Council). Residents can manage bin sizes through the Waste Portal to adjust their rate.
• July 2027: Recycling collection frequency increases from biweekly to weekly. New curbside bulky item pickup program launches. These are the most significant future service improvements.

💵 FY 2026 Fee Structure — Bin Size Options

• 35-gallon trash bin bundle: Lower monthly rate (credit applied vs. 95-gal rate — confirm exact amount at fee calculator). Good for single occupants or low-waste households.
• 65-gallon trash bin bundle: Mid-range monthly rate. Most common for 2-person households.
• 95-gallon trash bin bundle: Base rate — $523.20/year ($43.60/month) for FY 2026 (Jul 1, 2025–Jun 30, 2026). Default if no selection was made. Includes one recycling and one organics bin.
• Fee is billed via the San Diego County property tax roll — you will see “SD Solid Waste Mgmt Fee” on your tax bill. Two equal installments: Dec 10, 2025 and Apr 10, 2026.
• Additional bins are available for an additional monthly charge. Manage your bins at wasteportal.sandiego.gov.
• Fee assistance: Homeowners enrolled in Medi-Cal, CalFresh, CalWORKs, or LIHEAP may qualify for up to 50–100% fee waiver. Apply via ESD fee assistance program.

⏰ Official Set-Out Requirements

• Bins must be at the curb or alleyway by 6:00 a.m. on your collection day.
• You may place bins out after 6:00 p.m. the previous evening if that is more convenient.
• Bring bins back in by 6:00 p.m. on collection day. The City actively enforces this — citations can be issued for bins left out beyond collection hours. Report a neighbor’s bin left out via Get It Done.
• Leave at least 3 feet of clearance on all sides of each bin — between bins and from parked cars, mailboxes, fire hydrants, poles, and other obstacles.
• Position bins with wheels toward the curb, handles toward your house.
• Do not place bins under overhanging tree branches or power lines — the automated truck arms require clear overhead access.
• All trash must be bagged or wrapped inside the gray bin to prevent litter. Items placed beside or on top of bins will not be collected.
• Only what is inside the bin with the lid fully closed is collected.

📌 How the Domino Rule Works

If the holiday falls on a Tuesday: Tuesday’s collection moves to Wednesday; Wednesday’s moves to Thursday; Thursday’s moves to Friday; Friday’s moves to Saturday. Monday customers are unaffected if the holiday is Tuesday or later. The shift applies to all three bins — trash, recycling, and organics.

📌 How to Request a Bulky Item Pickup

• Open the Get It Done app (free iOS & Android) or go to getitdone.sandiego.gov.
• Select “Trash, Recycling & Organics” → “Bulky Item Pickup Request.”
• Describe the items you need collected. You may request up to 6 items per appointment.
• The City will schedule collection on or near your regular trash day.
• Place items at the curb on the scheduled collection day. Items should be accessible from the street.
• You are entitled to 2 free bulky pickup appointments per year. Additional pickups may be requested but may incur a fee.

⚡ Miramar HHW Transfer Facility — Location & Hours

Address: 5161 Convoy Street, San Diego, CA 92111 (at Miramar Landfill entrance, north of State Route 52)  •  Phone: 858-694-7000

Hours: Saturdays 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.  •  Closed holidays.

⚠ APPOINTMENT REQUIRED. Schedule your HHW appointment in advance via the ESD hazardous waste page or by calling 858-694-7000. Walk-ins are generally not accepted. Free for San Diego City residents with proof of residency.

• Limit per visit: 15 gallons of liquid HHW and 125 pounds total.
• Accepted: oil-based paints, solvents, pesticides, pool chemicals, automotive fluids, propane tanks, fluorescent bulbs, batteries (all types), electronics.
• Latex paint is NOT hazardous and does not go to the HHW facility. Dry it out (remove lid and let harden, or mix in cat litter) and dispose in your gray trash bin.

📅 Mobile HHW Collection Events

In addition to the Miramar facility, San Diego ESD hosts mobile HHW collection events at various neighborhood locations throughout the year. These events accept the same materials as Miramar and are free for City residents. A recurring event location is Balboa Park, Inspiration Parking Lot (corner of Park Blvd. & Presidents Way). Check the current event calendar at sandiego.gov/environmental-services/ep/hazardous for upcoming 2026 dates and locations.

📷 Electronics Recycling

Electronics (TVs, computers, monitors, cell phones, printers, video game consoles) are accepted at the Miramar HHW facility (appointment required) and at mobile events. Major retailers including Best Buy and Apple also offer in-store take-back programs for electronics regardless of where they were purchased. California’s e-Waste program provides a full list of certified collectors at CalRecycle electronics recycling.

♻ Miramar Landfill & Greenery — Self-Haul

Address: 5180 Convoy Street, San Diego, CA 92111  •  The Miramar Landfill, Greenery (yard waste drop-off), Recycling Center, and Mattress Collection Site accept self-haul loads for a fee. Hours: Monday–Friday 6:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Saturday 6:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Open on most holidays including Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas (confirm current holiday schedule at sandiego.gov/environmental-services/miramar).

🏠 New to San Diego or Just Moved In?

First thing to do: enter your address in the Get It Done Collection Map Lookup (getitdone.sandiego.gov/CollectionMapLookup) to find your exact weekday and recycling week (A or B). Download your personal calendar from the tool. Create an account on the Waste Portal (wasteportal.sandiego.gov) to manage your bin sizes, track your fee history, and receive text or email alerts. If you are in a 5+ unit building or on a private street, you are not eligible for City service — contact a private hauler.

🚫 5 Mistakes San Diego Residents Make

• Leaving bins out after 6:00 p.m. on collection day — the City enforces this and it can be cited
• Not knowing their recycling week (A or B) and missing recycling weeks or putting the bin out on wrong weeks
• Placing plastic bags (including “compostable” bags) in the green organics bin — no plastic bags allowed
• Placing batteries or electronics in any bin — these cause fires in trucks and sorting facilities; take them to Miramar HHW
• Thinking Presidents’ Day, Independence Day, or Veterans’ Day cause collection delays — San Diego only observes 5 specific holidays for ESD purposes

💵 New Fee — What San Diego Residents Should Know

For over a century, San Diego was one of the only large U.S. cities that provided trash pickup to single-family homeowners at no direct charge (funded via the general fund and property taxes). Measure B changed that in 2022. Since July 1, 2025, you will see “SD Solid Waste Mgmt Fee” as a line item on your San Diego County property tax bill. The FY 2026 base fee is $523.20/year for the 95-gallon bundle. If you selected a smaller bin via the portal, your rate is adjusted. Fee assistance is available for qualifying low-income homeowners. Manage everything at wasteportal.sandiego.gov.