Trash & Recycling in El Monte, CA (2026)
9 verified trash & recycling rules for El Monte, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
El Monte single-family homes receive curbside pickup of trash (brown cart), recyclables (blue cart), and organics/green waste (green cart) under an exclusive franchise with Valley Vista Services. Each cart must be used for its designated material stream.
Three-Cart Curbside Service via Valley Vista
Some RestrictionsCal. SB 1383 (2016) - Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (Organic Waste Recycling)
It is the intent of the Legislature to support the adoption of policies that improve organics recycling and innovative, cost effective, and environmentally beneficial uses of biomethane derived from solid waste facilities. (c) It is intent of the Legislature that the disposal reduction targets established pursuant to Section 39730.6 of the Health and Safety Code shall serve as a statewide avera...
Bin Placement Rules
El Monte bars storing waste and recycling containers in the front or side yard setback, sidewalk, or right-of-way except during a narrow curbside pickup window. Carts may go out no earlier than 4 p.m. the day before collection and must come off the curb by 7 p.m. on collection day under Section 8.20.020.
El Monte Trash and Recycling Bin Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsEl Monte, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.20.020 (Proper Placement/Storage of Waste and Waste Containers)
A.General Prohibitions. No person shall store or otherwise place solid waste, hazardous substances, hazardous waste, hazardous contaminants, radioactive waste, medical waste, recyclable materials or any container containing the same: 1.Within any public street, sidewalk or other public right-of-way; 2.Within any residential front yard setback area; or 3.Within any portion of a residential sidey...
Bulk Item Disposal
El Monte bars leaving bulky items like furniture, appliances, or tires on any public street, vacant lot, or front yard except through the franchisee's collection process, under Municipal Code Section 8.20.090. Only city-approved pickup arrangements are lawful; anything else is treated as illegal placement.
El Monte Bulky Item Disposal Restrictions
Some RestrictionsEl Monte, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.20.090 (Prohibition Against Placement of Wastes in the Public Right-of-Way)
A.No person shall deposit or allow to remain any solid waste, bulky items, hazardous substances, hazardous waste, hazardous contaminants, radioactive waste, medical waste, or the like upon or in any public street, sidewalk, or public right-of-way; or in or upon any vacant lot; or in, upon or within the required front yard of any improved lot; or upon or within the area of any improved lot betwe...
Mandatory Organics Recycling
El Monte automatically enrolls every single-family household in a mandatory three-container system for organic waste, recyclables, and trash under Municipal Code Section 8.21.025. Residents must keep food scraps and yard trimmings in the green container, bottles and cans in the blue container, and everything else in the gray container, with a minimum 35-gallon weekly service level for both recyclables and organics.
El Monte Mandatory Organic Waste Separation Rules
Significant RestrictionsEl Monte, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.21.025 (Residential Collection and Recycling - Mandatory Organic Waste Disposal, Single-Family Generators)
A. All Single-Family Organic Waste Generators: 1. Shall be automatically enrolled in the city's three-container organic waste collection services with a minimum source separated recyclable materials service level of thirty-five (35) gallons per week and with a minimum source separated green container organic waste service level of thirty-five (35) gallons per week, approved by the Public Works ...
Illegal Dumping
El Monte bars illegally dumping solid waste, bulky items, or hazardous materials on any public or private property under Municipal Code Section 8.20.120. Each dumped location counts as a separate violation, and the responsible party must clean up the waste in addition to any penalty, including a misdemeanor charge.
El Monte Illegal Dumping Prohibition and Penalties
Heavy RestrictionsEl Monte, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.20.120 (Prohibition Against Illegal Dumping)
A.No person shall dispose of solid waste, bulky items, hazardous substances, hazardous waste, hazardous contaminants, medical waste, or radioactive waste by illegal dumping on any public or private property within the city. ... D.Each act of illegal dumping on a separate area of a single location is a separate violation even if each occurs on the same general time and day. E.Any person who disp...
Yard Waste Collection
El Monte lets residents self-compost yard trimmings generated on their own property under a city- or state-approved recycling program, per Municipal Code Section 8.20.140. Licensed lawn and gardening businesses may also haul away uncontaminated green waste incidental to landscaping work they perform under an El Monte business license.
El Monte Green Waste Disposal Rules
Light RestrictionsEl Monte, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.20.140 (Disposition of Green Waste)
A.Nothing in this chapter shall prevent any person from gathering green waste generated by a premises or other real property parcel owned or occupied by such person, provided such gathering is performed in compliance with, and/or in the furtherance of, a composting or other green waste recycling program approved by the city or otherwise authorized under state law. B.Nothing in this chapter shal...
Dumpster Rules
El Monte bars dumpsters, roll-off boxes, and compactors from any public street, sidewalk, alley, or right-of-way unless the placement fits a narrow exception or the owner holds a trash bin encroachment permit. Municipal Code Section 8.20.268 restricts permits to construction, demolition, cleanouts, warehouse cleanups, weed abatement, and street maintenance, and every bin must be reflectorized and labeled with the owner's contact information.
El Monte Dumpster and Roll-Off Bin Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsEl Monte, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.20.268 (Trash Bin Encroachment Permits)
A. No person shall place, or cause to be placed, any bin of any variety on any public street, sidewalk, parkway, alley, street shoulder or any other portion of the public right-of-way without first obtaining a permit pursuant to this section. For purposes of this section, the aforementioned permit shall hereinafter be referred to as "trash bin encroachment permits." B. Applications for a trash ...
Collection Schedule
Every nonvacant residential property in El Monte must retain the city's franchised hauler, and solid waste must be removed at least weekly under Municipal Code Section 8.20.160(B). Only the franchisee may lawfully provide paid waste or recyclable collection service in the city under Section 8.20.060.
El Monte Mandatory Residential Trash Collection
Some RestrictionsEl Monte, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.20.160(B) (Residential Premises - Adherence to Storage, Handling and Disposal Requirements)
Except as otherwise authorized under this chapter, each owner of a nonvacant residential premises shall be required to retain the services of a franchisee for the provision of: 1.Solid waste handling services; and/or 2.Services for the collection, transportation, storage, transfer and/or processing of recyclable materials where such services are rendered for compensation in a manner that result...
Recycling Rules
El Monte makes it unlawful for anyone but the container's owner, the property owner, or the franchised hauler to remove, rummage through, or scavenge recyclable materials once they're set out for collection. Municipal Code Section 8.20.030 protects the city's blue-cart recycling stream from can-and-bottle pickers, and Section 8.20.080 separately bars contaminating recyclables with hazardous or medical waste.
Recycling Bin Scavenging Ban in El Monte
Some RestrictionsEl Monte, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.20.030 (Prohibition Against Scavenging)
A. General Prohibition. No person shall remove, rummage through or scavenge the contents of any container used to gather, contain and/or store solid waste and/or recyclable materials pending routine collection by a franchisee. B. Limited Exceptions to General Prohibition. The prohibition set forth under subsection A of this section shall not apply to: 1. The owner of the container; 2. The owner...
Looking for Los Angeles County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement El Monte city rules.
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