Trash & Recycling in Fullerton, CA (2026)
9 verified trash & recycling rules for Fullerton, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Fullerton requires every residential and commercial property to have its solid waste removed at least once a week, either through a franchised hauler subscription or a City Manager-approved self-haul registration (FMC § 5.14.050(A)-(B)). The City Manager can order a property onto a more frequent schedule, or require larger or additional containers, if weekly service is not enough to prevent a nuisance (§ 5.14.050(C)).
Fullerton Weekly Trash Pickup Requirements
Some RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 5.14.050(A), (C)
(A) Residential premises. With the exception of vacant premises meeting the provisions of § 5.14.030(B) above, not less than once per week, every owner, occupant or person in possession, charge or control of any residential premises within the city shall remove by self-hauling (as provided herein), or cause to be removed by subscription to services provided by a franchisee, all solid waste st...
Bin Placement Rules
Fullerton owners, tenants and occupants may not set a trash, recycling or green-waste cart at the curb or in the public right-of-way more than 24 hours before the scheduled pickup, and every container must come back off the street within 12 hours after the truck empties it (FMC § 5.14.040(C)). Single-family carts must otherwise sit out of public view in a side or rear yard or an enclosed garage on non-collection days (§ 5.14.040(G)).
Fullerton Trash Cart Placement and Screening Rules
Some RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 5.14.040(C), (G)
(C) No bin, cart, rolloff box or other container shall be placed adjacent to or in a street or public right-of-way for collection service more than 24 hours prior to the normal collection time, and all containers so placed shall be removed from the street or right-of-way within 12 hours after collection. ... (G) All containers used for the collection of solid waste at single-family dwelling...
Recycling Requirements
Fullerton requires every household and business that subscribes to franchised waste service to take part in the recycling program the franchisee offers, and it is unlawful to put recyclables in the wrong container or opt out (FMC § 5.14.060(C)-(D)). The city also protects curbside recycling directly: taking recyclable material left out for the franchisee's truck, for anyone other than the franchisee, is a separate unlawful act (§ 5.14.060(K)).
Fullerton Curbside Recycling Participation Rules
Significant RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 5.14.060(C), (K)
(C) It is unlawful and a public nuisance for any person or entity that subscribes for solid waste handling services with a franchisee to fail to participate in the recycling and organic waste programs offered to him, her or it by the franchisee, including by placing solid waste in containers of a type or nature not designed for the type of waste in question. ... (K) It is unlawful for any p...
Mandatory Organics Recycling
Fullerton makes participation in organic waste diversion mandatory rather than optional. Any person or entity that fails to meet the state's organic waste rules under 14 C.C.R. Division 7, Chapter 12 is committing an unlawful act and a public nuisance under FMC § 5.14.060(F). Self-haulers must additionally file a written plan showing how they will divert organic waste before the City Manager will issue or renew a permit (§ 5.14.080(B)).
Fullerton Mandatory Organic Waste Diversion Rules
Significant RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 5.14.060(F)
(F) It is unlawful and a public nuisance for any person or entity to fail to comply with his, her or its obligations related to the collection and handling of organic waste as set forth in 14 C.C.R. Division 7, Chapter 12; provided, however, the City Manager or his or her designee is authorized to provide waivers to the requirement to participate in some or all of such obligations where permi...
Illegal Dumping
Fullerton Municipal Code Chapter 5.13 bans throwing, placing or depositing litter, garbage, refuse or rubbish on any public street, alley or place, or on private land without the owner's permission. Every violation of the chapter is charged as a misdemeanor under § 5.13.030, whether the dumping happens on city property or someone else's land.
Fullerton Illegal Dumping Is a Misdemeanor
Heavy RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances §§ 5.13.020, 5.13.030
(A) No person shall throw, place, scatter or deposit any litter in or upon any public alley, street or highway, or other public place in the city except as authorized elsewhere in this code. (B) No person shall throw, place, scatter or deposit any litter upon or below the surface of any premises in the city in such a manner that the same is, or may become a nuisance or endanger the publi...
Yard Waste Collection
Fullerton Municipal Code § 5.14.010 defines yard waste as leaves, grass cuttings and shrubs from routine property upkeep, treating it as organic waste that residents must divert through their franchised hauler under § 5.14.060(F). Gardeners and landscapers may still legally haul away yard waste themselves as an incidental part of their landscaping work, without needing a separate hauling permit, under § 5.14.060(H)(4).
Fullerton Yard Waste Collection & Landscaper Rule
Some RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances §§ 5.14.010, 5.14.060(H)(4)
YARD WASTE. All leaves, grass cuttings and shrubs that accompany routine household or property maintenance functions. ... (4) The collection, transportation and disposal of yard waste, green waste and related solid waste by a gardener or landscaper as an incidental part of the gardening or landscaping services provided to its customers, rather than as a hauling service, provided that such sol...
Dumpster Rules
Fullerton bans setting trash, recycling or roll-off containers at the curb more than 24 hours before pickup and requires removal within 12 hours after collection. Code Enforcement, under the Development Services Director, treats a violation as a public nuisance under Chapter 6.01.
Fullerton Dumpster and Cart Placement Limits
Some RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 6.01.030(H)
No bin, cart, roll-off box or other container shall be placed adjacent to or in a street or public right-of-way for collection service more than 24 hours prior to the normal collection time, and all containers so placed shall be removed from the street or right-of-way within 12 hours after collection. All containers used for the collection of solid waste at single-family dwellings shall be stor...
Collection Schedule
Fullerton Municipal Code § 5.14.030 requires every residential and commercial property owner, manager or tenant to either subscribe to franchised solid waste collection or register as a self-hauler with the city. Section 5.14.050 sets weekly collection as the floor, and the City Manager can require more frequent pickup if a property's waste creates a nuisance risk.
Fullerton Mandatory Trash Collection Subscription
Significant RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 5.14.030
(A) Arrangements for removal of solid waste mandatory. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the owner, property manager, tenant and/or person in charge or control of each residential premises and each commercial premises in the city shall either: (1) Subscribe to solid waste handling services with a franchisee for said premises; or (2) Obtain and maintain registration...
Recycling Rules
Fullerton Municipal Code § 5.14.060 makes it a public nuisance for anyone with franchised solid waste service to skip the hauler's recycling and organic waste programs, including sorting materials into the wrong container. RECYCLABLE MATERIAL is defined under § 5.14.010 to include glass, newsprint, aluminum, cardboard, certain plastics and metal, and franchisees must run all state-required diversion programs.
Fullerton Mandatory Recycling Participation Rules
Some RestrictionsFullerton Code of Ordinances § 5.14.060
(C) It is unlawful and a public nuisance for any person or entity that subscribes for solid waste handling services with a franchisee to fail to participate in the recycling and organic waste programs offered to him, her or it by the franchisee, including by placing solid waste in containers of a type or nature not designed for the type of waste in question. (D) It is unlawful and a publ...
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