Trash & Recycling in Mission Viejo, CA (2026)
7 verified trash & recycling rules for Mission Viejo, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Bin Placement Rules
Mission Viejo limits when carts can go to the curb, how much they can weigh, and requires them out of public view except on collection day, under Municipal Code Sec. 6.10.405. Containers over 65 pounds need the hauler's consent.
Mission Viejo Trash Cart Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsMission Viejo Municipal Code § 6.10.405
(b)No person shall place a container adjacent to a street or public right-of-way for collection if the container and its contents weigh more than 65 pounds, without the consent of the solid waste collector.(c)To minimize interference with public rights-of-way, no person shall place a container or any bulky goods adjacent to a street or public right-of-way for collection service before 4:00 p.m....
Bulk Item Disposal
Mission Viejo bars residents from setting bulky items like old furniture, appliances or mattresses at the curb until they have arranged pickup with the city's franchised solid waste collector. The rule targets right-of-way clutter and public health hazards under Municipal Code Sec. 6.10.610.
Mission Viejo Bulky Item Pickup Rules
Some RestrictionsMission Viejo Municipal Code § 6.10.610
To protect public health, safety and well-being and to minimize interference with public rights of way, no person shall place bulky goods adjacent to a street or public right-of-way without first having made arrangements with a solid waste collector for the pickup of the bulky goods.
Recycling Requirements
Single-family households in Mission Viejo must subscribe to the city's organic waste collection service and sort recyclables into the blue container, food scraps and green waste into the green container, and everything else into the gray container under Sec. 6.10.505.
Mission Viejo Curbside Recycling Sorting Rules
Some RestrictionsMission Viejo Municipal Code § 6.10.505
(b)Shall participate in the city's organic waste collection service(s) by placing designated materials in designated containers as described in [section] 6.10.505(b)(1) below and shall not place prohibited container contaminants in collection containers.(1)Generator shall place source separated green container organic waste, including food waste, in the green container; source separated recycla...
Illegal Dumping
Mission Viejo makes it unlawful to dump, spill, bury or abandon solid or liquid waste anywhere in the city outside an authorized container or permitted facility. Violating Sec. 6.10.638 is a misdemeanor, though the city can pursue it as a civil citation instead.
Mission Viejo Illegal Dumping Penalties
Heavy RestrictionsMission Viejo Municipal Code § 6.10.638
No person shall dump, deposit, release, spill, leak, pump, pour, emit, empty, discharge, inject, bury or dispose into the environment (including by abandonment or discarding of barrels, containers and other closed receptacles of solid or liquid waste of any kind whatsoever) any solid or liquid waste upon any premises within the city, or to cause, suffer, or permit any solid or liquid waste to c...
Yard Waste Collection
Mission Viejo requires yard trimmings to be cut to no more than four feet long and four inches thick before curbside pickup, and either bagged in a designated green container or bundled and tied at under 80 pounds, per Sec. 6.10.405(g).
Mission Viejo Green Waste Bundling Rules
Some RestrictionsMission Viejo Municipal Code § 6.10.405(g)
(g)To minimize interference with public rights-of-way, Green waste shall be cut into pieces not to exceed four feet in length and four inches in diameter, before being placed adjacent to a street or public right-of-way for collection. Green waste shall be placed in containers designated for the collection of green waste, or tied securely in bundles not exceeding 80 pounds and shall not be conta...
Dumpster Rules
Placing a roll-off or construction bin in a Mission Viejo street, alley, sidewalk or parking lot takes a separate encroachment permit from the city engineer, on top of any solid-waste franchise. Chapter 14.10 sets $1,000,000/$500,000 insurance minimums, a $5,000 deposit and a 30-day permit term.
Construction Bin & Roll-Off Placement Rules
Some RestrictionsMission Viejo Municipal Code § 14.10.030
Solid waste enterprises licensed or permitted by the city in accordance with Chapter 6.10 of the Mission Viejo Municipal Code which desire to place a construction bin in any public street, alley, sidewalk, parking lot or other public right of way shall apply for and obtain an encroachment permit before placing a construction bin in any public street, alley, sidewalk, parking lot or other public...
Collection Schedule
Mission Viejo requires solid waste to be collected at least once a week and bans truck collection between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. citywide, protecting residents' quiet enjoyment of their homes under Municipal Code Sec. 6.10.500.
Mission Viejo Trash Collection Schedule Rules
Some RestrictionsMission Viejo Municipal Code § 6.10.500
(a)To protect public health, safety and well-being, and to protect the city against the growth and spread of vectors, persons in charge of the day-to-day operation of each premises in the city shall make arrangements to have all solid waste generated or accumulated on the premises (other than construction and demolition debris) collected and removed not less frequently than once a week. ... (d)...
Looking for Orange County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Mission Viejo city rules.
Trash & Recycling in Orange County →