Trash & Recycling in Monterey, CA (2026)
9 verified trash & recycling rules for Monterey, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Pickup Rules & Schedules
Monterey bars anyone from putting waste into another property's collection container without the owner's or tenant's permission, and confines residential curbside collection itself to between 6:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. absent a City Manager order, under City Code §§ 14-3(1) and 14-4(1)(a)(iii).
Monterey Trash Pickup Access and Hours Rule
Some RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 14-3(1); § 14-4(1)(a)(iii)
1.No person shall place any waste into a collection container without permission of the owner or tenant of the premises on which the container sits. ... iii.No collection shall be made or commence in residential zones by the City, its agents, or franchisee, before the hour of 6:00 a.m. or after the hour of 5:00 p.m., except on order of the City Manager.
Bin Placement Rules
Monterey limits when a residential cart can sit at the curb, no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the evening before pickup and no later than 7:00 p.m. on collection day, with lids closed and containers kept sanitary. Multifamily and commercial containers must stay off the public right-of-way and screened from view except on pickup day, under City Code § 14-2.
Monterey Curbside Cart Set-Out Time Rule
Some RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 14-2(1)(b)(iii)-(iv), (2)(b)(iii)
iii.Collection containers shall be placed for collection adjacent to the street in a manner that is safe and accessible to collection personnel prior to the scheduled time for pickup. Except when authorized by the City Manager upon a showing of reasonable necessity, no person shall leave any residential container or containers, or any other items for collection on specially designated collectio...
Recycling Requirements
Monterey requires every commercial business to supply visible, easily accessible recycling and organics containers in each customer area that also has a trash container. City Code § 14-2(3)(d) sets container color and labeling standards for the recycling stream, phased in for new equipment starting in 2022.
Monterey Commercial Recycling Container Rule
Some RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 14-2(3)(d)
d.Provide containers for the collection of source separated recyclable materials and source separated organic materials in all indoor and outdoor areas where solid waste containers are provided for customers, for materials generated by that commercial business. Such containers shall be visible and easily accessible. Such containers do not need to be provided in restrooms. If a commercial busine...
Mandatory Organics Recycling
Monterey requires every responsible party, whether homeowner, landlord, tenant or business, to separate food waste and other organic material from ordinary trash and place it in the organic materials container. City Code § 14-2 implements the state's SB 1383 organics program locally, with its own contamination checks and penalty track.
Monterey Mandatory Organic Waste Separation
Some RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 14-2(1)(b)(i)-(ii)
i.Place and/or direct its generators to place source separated organic materials, including food waste, in the organic materials container; source separated recyclable materials in the recyclable materials container; and solid waste in the solid waste container. ii.Not place and/or direct its generators to not place prohibited container contaminants in collection containers and not place materi...
Illegal Dumping
Monterey makes it unlawful to place, keep or deposit solid waste anywhere on a street, sidewalk, alley or public or private property except in a proper collection container. A violation of the chapter can draw an administrative citation and fine under City Code §§ 14-3(2) and 14-8(1).
Monterey Illegal Dumping of Solid Waste Ban
Significant RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 14-3(2); § 14-8(1)
2.It shall be unlawful for any person to place, keep or deposit any solid waste, or other items for collection, on any street, alley, sidewalk, public way or any public or private property or premises except in a suitable container for collection, except for those items set out for collection on specially designated collection dates established by franchisee. ... 1.Violation of any provision of...
Yard Waste Collection
Monterey defines yard waste as organic material from routine yard and landscaping work and routes it through the organic materials collection stream. Multifamily properties that hire a landscaper and generate two or more cubic yards of waste a week must build the City's organics rule into that service contract, under City Code §§ 14-1(80) and 14-2(2)(h).
Monterey Landscaping Waste Handling Rule
Some RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 14-1(80); § 14-2(2)(h)
“Yard waste” or “yard trimmings” means types of organic waste resulting from normal yard and landscaping installation, maintenance, or removal. ... h.Multifamily premises that generate two (2) cubic yards or more of total solid waste, recyclable materials, and organic materials per week (or other threshold defined by the State) that arrange for gardening or landscaping services shall require th...
Dumpster Rules
Monterey requires multifamily, commercial, industrial and public buildings to screen dumpsters and other refuse storage, or place them inside a building, before the property can be occupied, under City Code Section 38-110. The Planning Commission sets the design details and can waive screening for bins in industrial districts not visible from a public street.
Monterey Refuse and Dumpster Storage Rules
Some RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 38-110
Refuse storage areas shall be screened or located within a building and shall be provided prior to occupancy for all multifamily residential, commercial, industrial, and public/semipublic uses. Locations, screening, horizontal dimensions, and general design parameters of refuse storage areas shall be as prescribed by the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission may waive the screening requi...
Collection Schedule
Monterey requires every single-family and multifamily property to subscribe to the City's three-container collection service for weekly pickup of solid waste, recyclables and organic material. City Code § 14-2 makes the service mandatory rather than optional, and the City can require a property to carry a larger or additional container when its waste output exceeds subscribed capacity.
Monterey Mandatory Weekly Trash Collection
Some RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 14-2(1)(a), (2)(b)
a.Subscribe to and pay for City’s three-container collection services for weekly collection of recyclable materials, organic materials, and solid waste generated by the single-family premises and comply with requirements of those services as described in subsection (1)(b) of this section. ... b.Participate in the City’s three-container collection service(s) ... for at least weekly collection of...
Recycling Rules
Monterey requires every single-family home, apartment building and commercial business to subscribe to the City's three-container collection service and to source-separate recyclables, organic waste and trash into the matching container. Containers must stay closed and be curbed only within the set collection window.
Monterey Mandatory Three-Container Recycling
Some RestrictionsMonterey City Code § 14-2
1. Requirements for Single-Family Premises.Responsible parties of single-family premises shall comply with the following requirements: a.Subscribe to and pay for City's three-container collection services for weekly collection of recyclable materials, organic materials, and solid waste generated by the single-family premises ... b.Participate in the City's three-container collection service(s) ...
Looking for Monterey County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Monterey city rules.
Trash & Recycling in Monterey County →