Trash & Recycling in Gardena, CA (2026)
11 verified trash & recycling rules for Gardena, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Gardena Municipal Code Section 8.20.100 sets the operating standards every solid waste collection vehicle must meet in the City of Gardena: water-tight, covered bodies, immediate cleanup of spills, a visible operator name and phone number, and a backup warning device. Vehicles must also pass an annual California Highway Patrol inspection.
Gardena Collection Vehicle Operating Rules
Some RestrictionsGardena Municipal Code § 8.20.100(A), (E), (F), (H)
A. Collection vehicles used by operators within the city shall comply with the requirements of this section and shall conform to the highest industry standards. ... ... E. Each vehicle shall be so constructed and used so that solid waste, oil, grease or other liquid will not blow, fall or leak out of the vehicle onto the street. All solid waste shall be transported by means of vehicles equipped...
Bin Placement Rules
Gardena Municipal Code Section 8.20.110(B) tells residents exactly when their carts may sit at the curb: not more than twenty-four hours before the scheduled collection time, and removed within twenty-four hours after pickup. Carts must go on the curb of a public street or an alley wide enough for the collection truck, and must otherwise stay out of public view.
Gardena Residential Trash Cart Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsGardena Municipal Code § 8.20.110(B)
B. Placement of Containers – Residential. Each container shall be kept on the premises except on the collection day for that premises. The containers shall be placed for collection on the curb of a public street adjacent to the premises or where the premises are adjacent to a paved alley of sufficient width to allow the easy passage of the collection vehicles and emergency vehicles. For residen...
Bulk Item Disposal
Gardena Municipal Code Chapter 8.20 defines bulky items, such as furniture, appliances, e-waste and yard debris, that the city's solid waste operator collects but caps unlisted items at eight feet by four feet and one hundred fifty pounds, while barring anyone from letting solid waste accumulate on a property for more than seven days.
Gardena Bulky Item Size and Pickup Limits
Some RestrictionsGardena Municipal Code §§ 8.20.020, 8.20.120
"Bulky items" means solid waste that cannot and/or would not typically be accommodated within a cart including specifically: furniture (including chairs, sofas, mattresses, and rugs); and appliances (including refrigerators, ranges, washers, dryers, water heaters, dishwashers, plumbing, small household appliances and other similar items, commonly known as "white goods"); ... Other items not spe...
Recycling Requirements
In the City of Gardena, every residential and multifamily generator must subscribe to the city's organic waste and recycling collection service and sort materials into the correct color-coded cart under Gardena Municipal Code Section 8.20.171. Recyclables belong in the blue container, yard and food waste in the green or brown container, and only true refuse in the gray or black cart.
Gardena Mandatory Curbside Recycling Rules
Some RestrictionsGardena Municipal Code § 8.20.171
Residential premises organic waste generators shall comply with the following requirements: A. Shall subscribe to city's organic waste collection services for all organic waste generated as described below in this section. City shall have the right to review the number and size of a generator's containers to evaluate adequacy of capacity provided for each type of collection service for proper s...
Mandatory Organics Recycling
Commercial and multifamily generators with shared bins in the City of Gardena must enroll in organic waste collection and separate food scraps from trash under Gardena Municipal Code § 8.20.172(B), the city's SB 1383 implementing ordinance. Under the four-container option, food waste goes in the brown cart, yard waste in green, recyclables in blue, and only true refuse in the gray/black cart.
Gardena Mandatory Commercial Organics Separation
Some RestrictionsGardena Municipal Code § 8.20.172(B)(2)
Generators that are commercial premises, shall: ... Except commercial premises that meet the self-hauler requirements, participate in the city's organic waste collection service(s) by placing designated materials in designated containers as described below. ... Option 2: ... Four-container collection service: Generator shall place source separated yard waste in the green container; source separ...
Holiday Pickup Schedule
When a holiday falls in a Gardena collection week, Gardena Municipal Code Section 8.20.130(A) pushes residential pickup to the day after the regular schedule, and shifts that whole week's collection to the following Saturday. The same holiday-shift approach applies to commercial routes under Section 8.20.130(B).
Gardena Holiday Trash Pickup Shift Rule
Light RestrictionsGardena Municipal Code § 8.20.130(A)
A. Residential. ... In the case of a holiday, collection shall be made on the day following the regularly scheduled day of collection. During those weeks in which a holiday occurs, collection shall be made on the following Saturday.
Illegal Dumping
Dumping solid waste on someone else's property, or using a container tied to a different property, is unlawful in the City of Gardena under Gardena Municipal Code Section 8.20.120(D). Any violation of Chapter 8.20, including illegal dumping, is a misdemeanor under Section 8.20.180 punishable by up to six months in county jail or a fine, with each day a separate offense.
Gardena Illegal Dumping Penalties
Heavy RestrictionsGardena Municipal Code §§ 8.20.120(D), 8.20.180
D. It is unlawful to deposit solid waste within or upon another person's property or to use a container or bin for solid waste not attributable to the property upon which placement is based pursuant to this chapter. ... ... § 8.20.180. Violations – Misdemeanors. The violation of any provision of this chapter shall constitute a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment in a county jail not exceedin...
Yard Waste Collection
In the City of Gardena, yard trimmings and branches count as green waste under Gardena Municipal Code § 8.20.020, capped at six inches in diameter and forty-eight inches in length. Residents must place this green waste in the city-issued green container, never in the black trash cart, under the mandatory organics ordinance in § 8.20.171.
Gardena Yard Waste Green Container Rules
Some RestrictionsGardena Municipal Code §§ 8.20.020, 8.20.171(B)(1)
"Green waste" means tree trimmings, wood stumps, grass cuttings, dead plants, leaves, branches, flowers, plant stocks, and dead trees (not more than six inches in diameter or forty-eight inches in length) and similar materials. Green waste is a subset of organic waste. ... Generator shall place source separated green container waste in the green container; source separated recyclable materials ...
Dumpster Rules
Commercial and multifamily dumpsters in the City of Gardena must sit where they are accessible for collection and screened from public view under Gardena Municipal Code Section 8.20.110(C). Where an enclosure is required, Section 8.20.110(F) sets a concrete block wall on three sides, a twelve-foot gate opening, and a wall height between seven and ten feet.
Gardena Commercial Dumpster and Enclosure Rules
Some RestrictionsGardena Municipal Code § 8.20.110(A)(1), (C), (F)(1)
1. Residential. ... Residential customers shall use the containers provided by the city's franchised waste hauler. ... Upon the request of a residential premises owner or occupant, the operator shall provide roll-off service and other services reasonably related to the collection of solid waste. ... ... C. Placement of Containers – Commercial/Multifamily. Each container shall be placed in a man...
Collection Schedule
Every residential and multifamily property owner in the City of Gardena must use a city-authorized waste hauler under Gardena Municipal Code Section 8.20.060(A), and pickup happens between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, under Section 8.20.130(A). Commercial collection runs the same hours where truck noise could reach a residential area.
Gardena Trash Collection Service and Hours
Some RestrictionsGardena Municipal Code §§ 8.20.060(A), 8.20.130(A)
A. Residential and Multifamily Premises. Each owner and each occupant of residential and multifamily premises shall dispose of solid waste through the services of a city-authorized waste hauler. ... A. Residential. ... Collection shall be made between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Recycling Rules
Gardena Municipal Code Section 8.20.172 requires every commercial and multifamily-bin generator in the City of Gardena to supply enough labeled or color-coded collection containers for staff, tenants, and customers, and to keep those containers free of contamination. Container bodies or lids must match the city's blue, green, brown, and gray or black color scheme, or carry labels stating what belongs and what is prohibited.
Gardena Commercial Recycling Container Rules
Some RestrictionsGardena Municipal Code § 8.20.172(C), (D)(2), (G)
C. Supply and allow access to adequate number, size and location of collection containers with sufficient labels or colors (conforming with subsections (D)(1) and (2) of this section) for employees, contractors, tenants, and customers, consistent with city's blue container, green container, brown container and gray/black container collection service. ... Pursuant to 14 CCR Section 18984.9(b), t...
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