Long Beach's Trash & Recycling: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles trash & recycling a little differently. In Long Beach, California, there are 8 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Yard Waste Collection

Long Beach requires green waste, tree limbs, shrubs, trimmings and grass clippings, to go inside city-issued carts without protruding, per LBMC § 8.60.040. Residents on manual collection routes must instead tie brush into compact bundles capped at four feet long and forty pounds, since loose green waste at the curb isn't guaranteed pickup.

Key details: Bundle length limit: 4 feet maximum. Bundle weight limit: 40 pounds maximum. Automated/commercial: must fit inside cart, no protruding. Enforcing agency: Dept. of Public Works. Oversized brush: requires scheduled special pickup.

Green waste that doesn't meet the container or bundle standard is treated like a noncompliant receptacle: it can be left uncollected and, if not corrected by the next regular collection day, removed and billed as a special service under § 8.60.190. Because Chapter 8.60 is a mandatory Code requirement, noncompliance also falls under the general penalty of LBMC § 1.32.010, a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 or six months in jail, with each day a separate offense.

Bin Placement Rules

New development and remodeled commercial, multifamily and mixed-use sites in Long Beach must enclose trash receptacles on three sides by a solid masonry wall at least five feet six inches tall under LBMC § 21.45.167, with a solid gate and, if visible from the street, a two-foot landscape buffer.

Key details: Screening wall: min. 5'6" solid masonry, 3 sides. Gate: must be visually solid. Landscape buffer: 2 ft wide if visible from street. Shrub size: min. 5-gallon, grows to 4 ft. Applies to: new/remodeled development projects.

Long Beach makes noncompliance with any mandatory Municipal Code requirement a misdemeanor by default under § 1.32.010, punishable by up to $1,000 and six months in jail, with each day of continued noncompliance a separate offense, and treats any condition violating the Code as a public nuisance the City may summarily abate.

Recycling Requirements

Long Beach mandates recycling under LBMC §8.60.370 (effective Jan 2022) and SB 1383. All accounts are auto-enrolled in organics and recycling. Tenants and employees must be educated on requirements. Inspections ensure compliance.

Key details: Mandatory: All accounts enrolled. SB 1383: Organics diversion required. Education: Required for tenants/employees. Effective: January 2022.

Mandatory Organics Recycling

Long Beach requires every single-family, multifamily and commercial account to separate food scraps and other organic waste into a designated container under LBMC § 8.60.370, part of the City's SB 1383 compliance program effective January 1, 2022. Putting the wrong material in a recycling or organics cart can draw a Notice of Violation and an escalating civil penalty.

Key details: Effective date: January 1, 2022. First violation penalty: $50 to $100. Fourth+ violation penalty: $500 base, plus costs. Applies to: single-family, multifamily and commercial. Enforcement: City Enforcement Official / City Manager designee.

Penalties escalate under § 8.60.370(I)(5): a base fine of $50 to $100 for a first violation, $100 to $200 for a second, $250 to $500 for a third, and $500 per violation plus monitoring and compliance costs for a fourth or later violation. Factors like ability to pay, willfulness and economic benefit adjust the amount, and cited parties may appeal through an administrative citation hearing under LBMC Chapter 9.65.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Long Beach actively enforces its mandatory organics recycling requirements.

Illegal Dumping

Long Beach Municipal Code § 8.60.120 bans depositing waste on any public street, public place or private parcel to avoid disposal liability, and bans dumping in someone else's receptacle without written permission. Violators risk administrative citations and permit revocation, enforced by the Director of Public Works and Code Enforcement under Chapter 9.65.

Key details: Governing section: LBMC § 8.60.120. Enforcing agency: Director of Public Works / Code Enforcement. Citation program: Administrative citations, LBMC Ch. 9.65. Late charge: 25% of fine if unpaid after 30 days. Permit consequence: Refuse permit revocation for violators.

Each dumping incident is a separate administrative citation under Chapter 9.65, with escalating fines set by City Council resolution for first, second and subsequent violations of the same section within a year. Fines unpaid after 30 days draw a 25 percent late charge; continued nonpayment can result in a lien on the property at 12 percent annual interest or referral to Small Claims Court. A refuse permit holder who dumps illegally can have their City permit revoked under § 8.60.120(D).

This is one of the stricter rules in Long Beach's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Dumpster Rules

Commercial and multifamily accounts in Long Beach must use bins meeting City specifications under LBMC § 8.60.025(B), loaded weight capped at 1,250 pounds, four working wheels, a tight lid and address signage at least four inches tall, then set them out per § 8.60.060(D): on a hard, level surface in an alley, or in the gutter with the lifting spindles against the curb.

Key details: Max loaded weight: 1,250 pounds. Alley placement: hard, level surface required. Curb placement: lifting spindles against curb. Address signage: minimum 4-inch characters. Bin-eligible sites: 4+ dwelling units w/ compliant storage.

Receptacles that don't meet these specifications are noticed and, if not brought into compliance by the next regular collection day, are treated and removed as refuse, with removal subject to special service fees under § 8.60.190, per § 8.60.025(F). Noncompliance is also chargeable under the Code's general penalty, LBMC § 1.32.010, as a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 or six months in jail, with each day a separate offense.

Bulk Item Disposal

Long Beach residents can't just leave a mattress or old appliance at the curb. LBMC § 8.60.050(B) requires contacting the Department of Public Works refuse collection service to schedule bulky item pickup before placing tires, large appliances or furniture out, with special service charges billed under §§ 8.60.190 and 8.60.200.

Key details: Contact first: Dept. of Public Works before setting out. Covered items: tires, large appliances, furniture. Permittee removal window: 48 hours. Charges: billed under §§ 8.60.190, 8.60.200. Airborne debris: must be securely wrapped (§ 8.60.050(A)).

A permittee that fails to provide bulky item pickup within 48 hours under § 8.60.087(A)(3) is liable for a service charge equal to the City's cost of performing the work, plus administrative costs, and repeated failure can trigger suspension or revocation of its refuse transportation permit under §§ 8.60.087(B) and 8.60.088.

Pickup Rules & Schedules

Long Beach provides refuse collection to approximately 118,000 accounts under LBMC Ch. 8.60. Refuse collection vehicles are prohibited in residential areas between 7 PM and 7 AM. All accounts auto-enrolled in organics/recycling per SB 1383.

Key details: Accounts Served: ~118,000. Collection Hours: 7 AM - 7 PM in residential. SB 1383: Organics/recycling mandatory. Code: LBMC Ch. 8.60, §8.60.370.

The rules around pickup rules & schedules in Long Beach lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

The Bottom Line

Long Beach is tougher than many cities when it comes to trash & recycling. Out of the 8 rules covered here, 2 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Long Beach, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

Keep in mind that Long Beach can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, where we track updates as they happen.