Trash & Recycling in Huntington Beach, CA (2026)
10 verified trash & recycling rules for Huntington Beach, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Huntington Beach residents may only put refuse, recycling, and yard-waste carts out where the public can see them from noon the day before collection through 10:00 p.m. on collection day, under Municipal Code Section 8.21.100. Carts must be out by 6:30 a.m. on pickup day and placed at the curb, alley, or side entrance depending on the property's layout.
Huntington Beach Trash Cart Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsHuntington Beach, CA, Municipal Code § 8.21.100 (Containers-Location)
Property owners and tenants are each responsible for the placement of residential carts and any accumulation of refuse which is for collection, and which shall be kept or placed in such a manner as not to be visible from any street or alley, whether public or private, except from noon on the day preceding collection to 10:00 p.m. on the day of collection. During the period of collection, reside...
Bulk Item Disposal
Huntington Beach Municipal Code Section 8.21.170 lets residents schedule special collections for bulky refuse that exceeds the chapter's normal limits, either on regular special-collection dates or by arranging pickup directly with the City's refuse collector. The collector can charge a separate fee for extra bins, drop-off bodies or larger volumes, and hazardous or infectious bulky waste must go through the Fire Chief or County Health Officer instead.
Huntington Beach Bulk Item Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsHuntington Beach, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.21.170 (Special Collections—Excluded Refuse)
A. Refuse exceeding the limitation set forth in this chapter may be scheduled for special collection either at regular special collection dates or by arrangement with the City refuse collector. ... D. Highly flammable or explosive or radioactive refuse shall not be placed in containers for regular collection and disposal, but shall be removed under the supervision of the Fire Chief at the expen...
Recycling Requirements
Huntington Beach Municipal Code Section 8.21.175 has required every business in the City, since July 1, 2012, to reuse, recycle, compost or otherwise divert its refuse under California Public Resources Code Sections 42649 through 42649.7. The Director runs a commercial recycling program with business education and compliance monitoring, and a business that stays out of compliance more than 60 days after notice is acting unlawfully.
Huntington Beach Business Recycling Mandate
Significant RestrictionsHuntington Beach, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.21.175 (Mandatory Recycling of Refuse by Businesses—Commercial Recycling Program)
On and after July 1, 2012, all businesses within the City shall reuse, recycle, compost, or otherwise divert refuse from disposal in the manner required by California Public Resources Code Sections 42649 through 42649.7, inclusive, (or any successor statutes) and in compliance with such implementing regulations as may currently exist or hereafter be adopted by state regulatory agencies. Each bu...
Mandatory Organics Recycling
Huntington Beach Municipal Code Section 8.22.020 requires every single-family household to subscribe to the City's three-container organic waste system, sorting green-container organic waste, blue-container recyclables and gray-container trash into separate carts under the City's SB 1383 program. Section 8.22.130 lets the City issue a notice of violation and an administrative citation with a fine for noncompliance.
Huntington Beach Mandatory Organics Separation
Significant RestrictionsHuntington Beach, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.22.020(A)-(B) (Requirements for Single-Family Generators)
Single-family organic waste generators shall: A. Subscribe to the City's three-container organic waste collection services. The City shall have the right to review the number, size, and location of a generator's containers to evaluate adequacy of capacity provided for each type of collection service for proper separation of materials and containment of materials; and the generator shall adjust ...
Valet Trash Rules
Huntington Beach adopted International Fire Code Appendix O in full under Fire Code Section 17.56.600, effective December 16, 2025, applying its door-to-door valet trash and recycling collection standards to Group R-2 occupancies (apartment and condominium buildings). The requirement is enforced as part of the citywide Fire Code administered by the Fire Department.
Huntington Beach Valet Trash Collection Rule
Some RestrictionsHuntington Beach, CA, Municipal Code § 17.56.600 (IFC Appendix O, Valet Trash and Recycling Collection in Group R-2 Occupancies, Added)
§ 17.56.600. IFC Appendix O, Valet Trash and Recycling Collection in Group R-2 Occupancies, Added. All sections of 2024 International Fire Code, Appendix O, is hereby adopted.
Illegal Dumping
Huntington Beach Municipal Code Section 8.21.040 bans casting, depositing or leaving refuse anywhere in the City without the property owner's permission. Knowingly dumping infectious waste such as needles, soiled diapers or expired medication on public or private property is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and six months in jail, while ordinary dumping is a lesser infraction.
Huntington Beach Illegal Dumping Penalties
Heavy RestrictionsHuntington Beach, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.21.040 (Littering/Dumping of Refuse or Waste Prohibited)
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to cast, deposit, place, sweep, throw, discard or leave any refuse or cause such refuse to be cast, deposited, swept, placed, thrown, discarded or left in any place, public or private, within the City, without the express permission of the owner of the premises. B. No person shall throw, discard or deposit infectious or potentially infectious waste in any ...
Yard Waste Collection
Huntington Beach Municipal Code Section 8.21.020 makes the City's contracted refuse collector the exclusive hauler of yard waste, defined in Section 8.21.010 as tree trimmings, grass cuttings, leaves, branches and similar non-soil landscape material. Residents on automated collection service must sort yard waste into the assigned residential cart, and the City Council sets collection frequency, service levels and fees by resolution.
Huntington Beach Yard Waste Collection Rules
Some RestrictionsHuntington Beach, CA, Municipal Code Sec. 8.21.010 (Definitions - "Yard Waste"); Sec. 8.21.020(A) (Collection of Refuse, Recyclable Waste Material and Yard Waste)
"Yard waste" means those constituents of solid waste comprised of non-soil landscape or plant materials such as tree trimmings, grass cuttings, plants, weeds, leaves, branches, trees, or similar materials. ... The collection of refuse, recyclable waste material and yard waste shall be performed exclusively by the City refuse collector. The City Council may regulate, by ordinance or resolution, ...
Dumpster Rules
Huntington Beach requires multifamily, commercial, industrial, and public/semipublic properties to provide a screened refuse storage area before they can be occupied, under Zoning Code Section 230.78. The enclosure must be walled on three sides with a six-foot masonry wall and a gate, or be inside a building, and it cannot face a street or sit in a required setback.
Huntington Beach Refuse Storage Area Rules
Some RestrictionsHuntington Beach, CA, Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance § 230.78 (Refuse Storage Areas)
Refuse storage area screened on three sides by a six-foot masonry wall and equipped with a gate, or located within a building, shall be provided prior to occupancy for all multifamily residential, commercial, industrial, and public/semipublic uses. Locations, horizontal dimensions, and general design parameter of refuse storage areas shall be as prescribed by the Director. The trash area shall ...
Collection Schedule
Huntington Beach's contracted refuse collector must pick up residential refuse, recycling, and yard waste at least once a week under Municipal Code Section 8.21.150. Every occupied single-family home, and each unit in a duplex, triplex, or fourplex, is billed for this basic level of service under Section 8.21.030, whether or not the resident opts in.
Huntington Beach Weekly Trash Collection Service
Some RestrictionsHuntington Beach, CA, Municipal Code § 8.21.150 (Residential Refuse Collection); § 8.21.030(B) (Residential Collection Service Charge)
The City refuse collector shall operate and maintain residential refuse collection in the City by providing the basic level of service on a regularly scheduled basis, approved by resolution of the City Council, not less frequently than once each week. The Director may by regulation exclude from such service any item or substance deemed hazardous, obnoxious or otherwise inappropriate for such se...
Recycling Rules
Every business in Huntington Beach, including multifamily buildings with five or more units, must reuse, recycle, compost, or otherwise divert its refuse under Municipal Code Section 8.21.175, matching California's commercial recycling law (Public Resources Code Sections 42649 through 42649.7). The rule has applied since July 1, 2012, and the Director of Public Works runs the compliance program.
Huntington Beach Mandatory Business Recycling
Some RestrictionsHuntington Beach, CA, Municipal Code § 8.21.175 (Mandatory Recycling of Refuse by Businesses)
On and after July 1, 2012, all businesses within the City shall reuse, recycle, compost, or otherwise divert refuse from disposal in the manner required by California Public Resources Code Sections 42649 through 42649.7, inclusive, (or any successor statutes) and in compliance with such implementing regulations as may currently exist or hereafter be adopted by state regulatory agencies. Each bu...
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