Trash & Recycling in Los Angeles, CA (2026)
8 verified trash & recycling rules for Los Angeles, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
LA Sanitation collects black (trash) and green (organics) carts weekly and the blue recycling cart every other week, all on one day. Find your day and recycling week via MyLA311 or 1-800-773-2489. Four holidays shift the rest of the week one day later.
Los Angeles Trash Pickup Schedule & Rules
Light RestrictionsSB 1383 (2016) — Public Resources Code Sec. 42652.5 (Organic Waste Collection Mandate for Local Jurisdictions)
42652.5. (a) The department, in consultation with the State Air Resources Board, shall adopt regulations to achieve the organic waste reduction goals for 2020 and 2025 established in Section 39730.6 of the Health and Safety Code. The regulations shall comply with all of the following: (1) May require local jurisdictions to impose requirements on generators or other relevant entities within thei...
Bin Placement Rules
Every owner and occupant of commercial and residential premises in Los Angeles must provide covered, nonabsorbent, watertight, vector-resistant, and durable solid waste containers of adequate size, and must keep the correct color-coded containers for waste, recyclables, and organic waste.
Trash Recycling: Bin Placement
Some RestrictionsLAMC § 66.02
SEC. 66.02. SOLID WASTE CONTAINER SPECIFICATIONS. It shall be the duty of every owner, manager, or person in possession, charge or control of any commercial establishment, and every person occupying a residential premises within the City to provide, and at all times to keep containers for holding solid waste. Each container shall be constructed to be nonabsorbent, watertight, vector-resista...
Bulk Item Disposal
Los Angeles provides each dwelling unit a standard trash allowance (one 60-gallon black bin, one 90-gallon blue recycling bin, one 90-gallon green organics bin) and allows extra bulky-item pickups for additional fees: either a monthly continuous capacity fee or a one-time $2.00-per-30-gallon tag.
Trash Recycling: Bulk Disposal
Light RestrictionsLAMC § 66.48(A), (C)
SEC. 66.48. EXTRA CAPACITY REFUSE COLLECTION FEE. A. DECLARATION OF POLICY... the City hereby declares that the standard allowance for a Dwelling Unit shall be one 60-gallon black container for refuse, one 90-gallon blue container for source-separated recyclables and/or commingled recyclables, and one 90-gallon green container for source-separated organic waste. Additional capacity above ...
Recycling Requirements
Los Angeles requires all premises receiving City collection service to use a three-container system and place recyclables only in the blue container. All commercial establishments and multi-family dwellings must have collection services for source-separated recyclables and organic waste.
Trash Recycling: Recycling Requirements
Some RestrictionsLAMC § 66.03(a)-(b), (e)
SEC. 66.03. SOLID WASTE SERVICE REQUIRED. (a) No Person shall keep any Solid Waste or allow any Solid Waste to remain upon any premises within the City for more than seven days, excluding Organics used for composting or mulch. All Solid Waste shall be placed in containers that meet the requirements of Section 66.02. (b) A Person from whom the City collects Solid Waste, Recyclables, ...
Mandatory Organics Recycling
Los Angeles mandates that all organic waste generators, residents, commercial establishments, and multi-family dwellings, separate organic waste into the green container or comply with organics diversion through an approved hauler, self-haul, or waiver. Solid waste may never be placed in the green container.
Trash Recycling: Mandatory Organics
Some RestrictionsLAMC § 66.03(f)-(g)
SEC. 66.03. SOLID WASTE SERVICE REQUIRED. (f) Any Person generating Organic Waste but not receiving Collection Services from the City, and any Commercial Establishments or Multi-family Dwellings generating Organic Waste but not receiving Collection Services from the City, shall comply with requirements adopted pursuant to this article for the collection and recovery of Organic Waste by: ...
Illegal Dumping
Under LAMC § 41.70.3, any vehicle used to dump or haul bulky items, hazardous waste, or solid waste onto property not designated for disposal is declared a public nuisance and is subject to seizure and forfeiture by the City. A peace officer or authorized public officer can seize the vehicle without a warrant on probable cause, and the registered owner has only 60 days to redeem it before the City Attorney pursues forfeiture in Superior Court.
Los Angeles Nuisance Vehicle Seizure For Dumping
Heavy RestrictionsLos Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) § 41.70.3
“Illegal dumping” means the wilful throwing, dropping, placing or depositing of a bulky item, hazardous waste or solid waste on public or private property not designated for that dumping or disposal purpose... B. Abatement of Nuisance Vehicle by Seizure and Forfeiture. 1. Any vehicle used for the purpose of illegal dumping is a nuisance and the vehicle shall be enjoined and abated as provided i...
Yard Waste Collection
Los Angeles requires that grass clippings and vegetative waste generated on development projects be recycled on-site or off-site and not introduced into the regular solid-waste stream under LAMC § 12.43.
Trash Recycling: Yard Waste
Some RestrictionsLos Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) § 12.43 A–D
SEC. 12.43. SOURCE REDUCTION OF WASTE. (Added by Ord. No. 170,978, Eff. 5/13/96, Oper. 7/13/96.) A. If any landscape includes grass, all grass clippings shall be recycled on- or off-site, and shall not be introduced into the off-site waste stream. B. If a lot is 7,500 square feet or greater, all vegetative waste, except that which is not appropriate to recycle, shall be recycled on- ...
Collection Schedule
Los Angeles requires every commercial establishment and multi-family dwelling not already serviced by the City to subscribe to and pay for private hauler collection under LAMC § 66.03(c)-(d), with frequency set so nothing accumulates past the seven-day cap in § 66.03(a).
LA Mandatory Solid Waste Collection Service
Some RestrictionsLos Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) § 66.03(c)-(d)
(c) Owners of Commercial Establishments and Multi-family Dwellings that do not receive Collection Services from the City, the generator of Solid Waste at such premises, or the agent of such owner or generator shall subscribe to and pay for Collection Services provided by a Solid Waste Hauler authorized to provide such services pursuant to the provisions of this article. (d) The minimum leve...
Looking for Los Angeles County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Los Angeles city rules.
Trash & Recycling in Los Angeles County →